LORELAI: The evening started well enough – that is, until we got to the car . . . a Jaguar XJ8 convertible with a 290 horsepower engine, in case you were wondering.
The Jaguar XJ is a luxury sedan marketed by Jaguar Cars from 1997 to 2003. The XJ8 was the standard or entry-level model, with leather upholstery and walnut wood trim interior. It does indeed have a 290 horsepower engine.
The Annotated Gilmore Girls 