I'm 1,89m (or 6' 2,5") tall - down from around 1,9m some years back.

When I recently bought my 2006 XK8 150, I wasn't at all happy with the car's leg, head and arm room. I have read, and watched reviews on YouTube, where the reviewer claims to be 6' 3"" and is quite comfortable and even claims the car is suitable for someone of 6' 7". I simply cannot believe this latter claim.

Perhaps my legs are long for my body, but I was also aware of my thinning hair just brushing against the car's ceiling. My preferred driving posture is to have my legs fairly straight and my arms just slightly bent. In other words, I prefer to be a good distance from the steering wheel.

So, what did I do? I had my Jag specialist, at a cost of around $170:

• move the driver's seat back about 50mm (2") - he used the existng brackets, and
• tilt the seat ever so slightly backwards - i.e. raise it in the front.

I now have slightly more leg room, though I would prefer more and, with the seat tilted back ever so slightly, I have gained a significant amount of head room. In addition, my arms are a bit straighter than before. I'm now much happier, but to be honest, if I could, I'd still prefer the seat set further back - but this just isn't possible.

So, if any XK8 150 owner out there also feels a bit constrained space wise, this is a minor and affordable modification that I strongly recommend.

In another few years I may well have shrunk to under 6' and have to move the seat forward again, but in the meantime, I'm a very happy chappy..

 

You're mixing your monikers...
Also years are a bit ambiguous...
2006 year COULD be either an XK8 (X100) or an XK (X150)
X100 is steel and a smallish car, X150 is aluminum and actually fairly large.

Assuming a 2006 XK (X150), there is PLENTY of room for anyone 6'-2", as I am that and fit with room to spare.
6'-8" I would assume would be quite doable.
Maybe your seat needs recalibration???

Raising the front of the seats is quite easy, and several members have done this already and were happy with the results. I'll no doubt do this also when my shop is finally built.

 

I must admit to having omitted the parentheses and the "X". You're right, I should have stated (X150) rather than 150. But I fail to understand the "mixed moniker" or the misunderstanding. Mine is indeed the 2006 XK8 (150X) with the aluminium body - at least that's what the owner's manual states.

Perhaps it;s a question of what driving position makes one comfortable. As I said, I prefer straight legs and just a slight bend of the elbows, for which there simply wasn't sufficient space. The bent legs and arms of the YouTube reviewer I referred to would have been most unnatural and uncomfortable for me.

Even with the mod where the driver's seat now touches the back seat, neither my legs or arms are as straight as I would like. But, it's great that you are 100% happy and with with room to spare.

So, while the mod improved things for me and I'm now happy, I would be even happier if the seat were another 50mm to 100mm further back.

I have seen many comments on the internet, from other owners around 6' 3" plus, who have complained about leg room and have enquired about remedies - hence my post.

 

The Mixed Moniker is that the X150 is NOT an XK8 as the "8" was retained with the X100 and not carried into the X150 XK.
Have you moved the steering wheel forward?
I'm 6-2 and I can nearly straighten my legs, and I also can stiff-arm the steering wheel. Maybe our body proportions differ from each other.
Anyway, moving the seat mounting rearward should have given you a good position, but the back of the front seat should already have touched the rear seat cushion before moving it. Course that totally depends on your total TILT settings.

Different people, different requirements I guess.

 

I'm happy to concede and drop the "8" in future - thanks for pointing it out.. I see on the web it is referred to by both XK (X150) and XK8 (X150). But more often simply as XK (X150).

I'm not sure, but it may be that the seat was set up differently for different markets. There are apparently slight differences between setups for say the US and South African (where I am) markets. Certainly all the seat controls have always worked as they should.

Either way, I'm much happier since the mod was done.

 

You're in South Africa and drive on the left side of the road. Your X150 probably is left hand drive.

Read this 2019 thread to clarify the confusion between Model Year and Registration Year:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...n-year-213607/

Below is a screenshot of part of the contents of this Forum. Note the difference in terminology that describes the X100 and X150. But they both include 2006 models! That just exacerbates the confusion. So, to be clear, if you have an aluminum body XK (X150), just don't call it an XK8.


For the entire Forum Table of Contents, see:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/

 

Got it. It's an aluminium body and I'll never call it anything but an XK (X150).

In SA we drive on the left, just like all the ex British Colonies. As such all cars here are right hand drive.