My new 2012MY XKR
Discussion
After a few odd posts in other threads, I thought it's time to give a proper write up on my first impressions of Jaguars facelifted XKR.
The first thing to mention is just what an underrated car this is - I've been lucky to have owned some pretty decent cars in the last few years and whilst some of them are far from exotic, they are extremely well developed and competent cars. I'm comparing the XKR to the likes of the V8 BMW M3, C63 AMG, BMW M6, Gen-2 911 Turbo, Maserati Granturismo S and, most recently, the XFR. Apart from being a nutcase and changing my cars far too often, I'm extremely fussy and typically get rid of a car due to not liking something about it - the notable exception to this is the BMW M3 which really is as good as everyone says it is and the only car I've owned for more than a year (and then bought another one). The XFR was in the same league actually but that ended after 5-6 weeks ownership due to an odd situation......
.....I'd never previously considered the XKR as I just saw it as too expensive for 'what it was' and if I was spending that amount on a car it wasn't a car that'd get a look-in compared to a Porsche, BMW etc etc. The XFR was different in that it was relatively good value in comparison to it's competitors so that tempted me to at least consider one. After test driving an XFR, I was so impressed that I sold my 2nd M3 for a year-old example and for the first couple of weeks, loved it. One nagging thing at the back of my mind is that being in my early 30's, was I too young for the Jag? Well clearly not because I've just bought my second one!
Anyway, a couple of weeks into ownership I went to my local dealer for an XF owners evening - the brilliant Sturgess in Leicester who so far been incredible (and I regretted not buying my XFR from them)...seriously, in all the cars Ive bought, Sturgess have provided a level of service and experience that is unsurpassed. During the evening I was give a raffle ticket and for the first time in my life, my number was called out! I expected maybe a free keyring or discounted service? But no, I'd won a weekend in the new XKR and if I'm entirely honest, I wasn't initially all that fussed because I thought it would just be like my XFR with worse seats (having sat in an XKR, I felt the standard seats had too little lateral support).
Two weeks later, my weekend came and on collection I was surprised to see the car I was being given had the XKR-S sports seats and, within seconds of sitting in them, they had my attention. They are BRILLIANT...simply the best overall seats of any car I've had for adjustability, support, comfort and the driving position they encourage. Then, within about another half hour (or by the time I'd got home) I was in a state of confusion....how could the XKR drive THAT well and how had I missed looking at such a capable car thus far??
And the rest, as they say, is history....I spent the next couple of weeks trying to see if I would be equally happy with a pre-2012MY XKR with normal seats - the answer was no because, whilst I may have been happy with an older XKR before trying the new 2012MY, experiencing the seats and other upgrades in the facelift model meant there was no going back. Once this was clear I then negotiated really, really hard to try and a) minimise the loss on my recently purchased XFR and, b) get as much off a new XKR with the knowledge in the back of my mid that these cars lose enough money to break a small country! I ended up with 12% dealer discount plus £2k over book for the XFR plus £4k contribution from Jaguar. In all, it equated to a 20% pre-vat discount which would have been great had I then not blown a chunk of it on the expensive options fitted to the car that Sturgess had in stock which was, for me, perfect.
I mean perfect because what I've got is a normal XKR with XKR-S chassis, XKR-S exhaust and XKR-S seats....all factory fitted. The reason I didn't I just buy the XKR-S was because that car was still another £10k and I'm not a fan of the droopy front-end styling - I much prefer the more elegant normal one. So to have the dynamic upgrades without the lairy looks and extra cost is just brilliant - the big option that my example has is the Dynamic pack which means it has strengthened suspension uprights, forged aluminium steering knuckles, wider forged wheels, 10mm lower springs and uprated dampers, a more lenient stability control program and bigger brakes....all exactly as fitted to the XKR-S. This option also includes the speed pack so it has a mild lower bodykit and higher speed limit.
So, having picked it up a couple of weeks ago week, heres some pictures and early thoughts.....
Mid-corner bumps.....
Chassis
I thought I'd start on my 'first-impressions' by commenting on this cars most impressive dynamic feature.
You know the scenario....you're going round a fast bend, the car is under load and you hit a deeply sunken grid half way round. What's then always happened in my experience was dependent on the car I was driving.....the 911 Turbo was largely the best with a steering column that would absorb the bump and give away just a slight movement in steering wheel angle. In contrast, my C63 AMG would have you chasing the steering wheel around the cabin such was the movement in the column. However, even in the Porsche, you'd feel a shudder, a vibration, some kind of movement through the column which would give you reason to very slightly grit your teeth.
Even the XKR that I initially won for the weekend had a little of that trait but was tight enough for it to feel extremely robust in this situation - it was at the very least as good as the Porsche in that respect.
But, and you know where is going don't you....my XKR doesn't. The first time I went over such a grid in it (on a road I know very well), and the steering wheel remained exactly where I pointed it and the column was rock solid, I got so excited I nearly took out my girlfriend sat next to me! I've never felt a structure so stiff and so capable of dealing with 'our' type of roads so well.
The reason for the difference between the two XKR's has to be the Dynamic pack and all the extra strengthening that entails. I did initially wonder if the suspension changes would spoil the nature of the car (like Clarkson said about the XKR-S) and whilst it is extremely stiff (for a Jaguar) and noticeably firmer than the normal XKR, it's not even the teeniest little bit uncomfortable...in my experience it still comfortably outrides the 911 Turbo and GT-R.
For those that are interested, heres a few pictures of the suspension - I was suitably impressed that it has Bilstein-branded dampers as thats extremely unusual in a factory-spec car....
I'm in no doubt that all these features add up to that incredible 'mid-corner bump' experience but the quality of damping, body control and sheer solidity as it goes over any surface is outrageously good. It's hard to describe anymore but it's almost the opposite of brittle...for instance, my memory of driving a GT-R is of a brittle ride which made me cringe as it went over rough surfaces (probably more to do with hearing the interior fittings buzzing away!)...this XKR has a real feeling of robustness about it.
So, it's fair to say that dynamically this car is perfect for real roads and that it has impressed me so much after experiencing such cars like the M3 and 911 is a great start. What of the rest of it?
Sound
I may as well move on to what is is a very personal subject - a good sound to one man is another mans noise. However, this is the best sounding car I've had and thats high praise after having a Maserati Granturismo S and C63 AMG - to be hones (and perhaps controversially) the Maserati was too much 'boy racer Corsa with a big-bore' for me and the AMG, with it's spitfire like warble, was by far the best car I've heard so far.
My XKR is like a more raspy AMG - it's not as loud on start up but, when you're driving it sounds like God gargling (I think), it's pops on the overrun a lot and it just begs you to rev harder. The pipes also look great - unlike the XFR, they're quite big and point slightly upwards so look rather like 4 cannons ready to fire!
Here's a little sound clip too but regrettably the car won't allow you to rev beyond 3500rpm in neutral/park so you don't get the full 'gurgle' effect....
http://youtu.be/tKGqhu-MpEM
Performance
OK, another big difference between mine and the XKR-S is the lack of 40hp but still, power on this thing is instant, it builds nicely, it feels very fast (strangely, it 'feels' noticeably more so than the XFR yet in reality it probably isn't) and is the only car other than the 911 Turbo and GT-R that gives you that relentless push-in-the-back feel when accelerating.
The gearbox is good if nothing majorly different to the best auto-boxes I've had before...it's the typical ZF 6-speeder so is about as smooth as you can get and again, the Dynamic pack has a slightly different gearbox software so it's got a faster, more 'obvious' gear-change quality. It's not as quick as the DCT in my M3 but it's not that much slower, it's infinitely preferably to any single-clutch paddle shift and is far smoother than any in normal driving.
Looks
Not much to say here as you can make your own mind up from the pictures but, with the 'speed pack' fitted and the stance afforded by the slightly lowered suspension, I think it looks incredible.
I've never known a car that has such an aggressive wheel offset - the back ones are 10.5" wide and they sit so well in the arches. See these angles to see what I'm talking about...
Oh, the paintwork on this car is spot-on....unlike nearly all BMW's I've had, theres no orange peel whatsoever - I've just got to try and keep the light swirls at bay that black cars seem to easily pick up even when being hand washed.
Interior
Most of the interior is covered in either leather or alcantara (the headlining is particularly plush) and it's properly solid....when you push on the panels theres no give, no creaking and it's so tight on the move. In this respect it feels much more robust and tight compared to the XFR.
The leather feels lovely, it's smells incredible and whilst the black/red colour scheme is an acquired taste, I love it. The driving position with those incredible seats is nice and low and encourages a great 'legs-straight-out, arms-bent' driving position. It's not so great in the back though....
Finally, it's a great place to sit on the motorway - a good job as thats where it'll spend most of it's time (and one of the main reasons why I've always dismissed the Nissan GT-R as it has a ride thats just too busy to live with everyday). The XKR is refined with very little wind noise and it has the joint-best factory-fit stereo I've heard (the other was the Bowers & Wilkins in the XFR)...if I was being really fussy, I'd say maybe the XFR had better acoustics (the XKR generates more road noise) which made it's stereo sound a bit bassier.
So, I'm pretty confident this car is good enough and has enough to keep me entertained and it certainly has all the right credentials to ensure I own it for longer than any other car...I can honestly say that I reckon it's the best thing I've driven is probably the only car I've had where I don't dislike a single thing....not one thing! What a turnaround from someone who a few weeks ago wouldn't have even considered this car.
The first thing to mention is just what an underrated car this is - I've been lucky to have owned some pretty decent cars in the last few years and whilst some of them are far from exotic, they are extremely well developed and competent cars. I'm comparing the XKR to the likes of the V8 BMW M3, C63 AMG, BMW M6, Gen-2 911 Turbo, Maserati Granturismo S and, most recently, the XFR. Apart from being a nutcase and changing my cars far too often, I'm extremely fussy and typically get rid of a car due to not liking something about it - the notable exception to this is the BMW M3 which really is as good as everyone says it is and the only car I've owned for more than a year (and then bought another one). The XFR was in the same league actually but that ended after 5-6 weeks ownership due to an odd situation......
.....I'd never previously considered the XKR as I just saw it as too expensive for 'what it was' and if I was spending that amount on a car it wasn't a car that'd get a look-in compared to a Porsche, BMW etc etc. The XFR was different in that it was relatively good value in comparison to it's competitors so that tempted me to at least consider one. After test driving an XFR, I was so impressed that I sold my 2nd M3 for a year-old example and for the first couple of weeks, loved it. One nagging thing at the back of my mind is that being in my early 30's, was I too young for the Jag? Well clearly not because I've just bought my second one!
Anyway, a couple of weeks into ownership I went to my local dealer for an XF owners evening - the brilliant Sturgess in Leicester who so far been incredible (and I regretted not buying my XFR from them)...seriously, in all the cars Ive bought, Sturgess have provided a level of service and experience that is unsurpassed. During the evening I was give a raffle ticket and for the first time in my life, my number was called out! I expected maybe a free keyring or discounted service? But no, I'd won a weekend in the new XKR and if I'm entirely honest, I wasn't initially all that fussed because I thought it would just be like my XFR with worse seats (having sat in an XKR, I felt the standard seats had too little lateral support).
Two weeks later, my weekend came and on collection I was surprised to see the car I was being given had the XKR-S sports seats and, within seconds of sitting in them, they had my attention. They are BRILLIANT...simply the best overall seats of any car I've had for adjustability, support, comfort and the driving position they encourage. Then, within about another half hour (or by the time I'd got home) I was in a state of confusion....how could the XKR drive THAT well and how had I missed looking at such a capable car thus far??
And the rest, as they say, is history....I spent the next couple of weeks trying to see if I would be equally happy with a pre-2012MY XKR with normal seats - the answer was no because, whilst I may have been happy with an older XKR before trying the new 2012MY, experiencing the seats and other upgrades in the facelift model meant there was no going back. Once this was clear I then negotiated really, really hard to try and a) minimise the loss on my recently purchased XFR and, b) get as much off a new XKR with the knowledge in the back of my mid that these cars lose enough money to break a small country! I ended up with 12% dealer discount plus £2k over book for the XFR plus £4k contribution from Jaguar. In all, it equated to a 20% pre-vat discount which would have been great had I then not blown a chunk of it on the expensive options fitted to the car that Sturgess had in stock which was, for me, perfect.
I mean perfect because what I've got is a normal XKR with XKR-S chassis, XKR-S exhaust and XKR-S seats....all factory fitted. The reason I didn't I just buy the XKR-S was because that car was still another £10k and I'm not a fan of the droopy front-end styling - I much prefer the more elegant normal one. So to have the dynamic upgrades without the lairy looks and extra cost is just brilliant - the big option that my example has is the Dynamic pack which means it has strengthened suspension uprights, forged aluminium steering knuckles, wider forged wheels, 10mm lower springs and uprated dampers, a more lenient stability control program and bigger brakes....all exactly as fitted to the XKR-S. This option also includes the speed pack so it has a mild lower bodykit and higher speed limit.
So, having picked it up a couple of weeks ago week, heres some pictures and early thoughts.....
Mid-corner bumps.....
Chassis
I thought I'd start on my 'first-impressions' by commenting on this cars most impressive dynamic feature.
You know the scenario....you're going round a fast bend, the car is under load and you hit a deeply sunken grid half way round. What's then always happened in my experience was dependent on the car I was driving.....the 911 Turbo was largely the best with a steering column that would absorb the bump and give away just a slight movement in steering wheel angle. In contrast, my C63 AMG would have you chasing the steering wheel around the cabin such was the movement in the column. However, even in the Porsche, you'd feel a shudder, a vibration, some kind of movement through the column which would give you reason to very slightly grit your teeth.
Even the XKR that I initially won for the weekend had a little of that trait but was tight enough for it to feel extremely robust in this situation - it was at the very least as good as the Porsche in that respect.
But, and you know where is going don't you....my XKR doesn't. The first time I went over such a grid in it (on a road I know very well), and the steering wheel remained exactly where I pointed it and the column was rock solid, I got so excited I nearly took out my girlfriend sat next to me! I've never felt a structure so stiff and so capable of dealing with 'our' type of roads so well.
The reason for the difference between the two XKR's has to be the Dynamic pack and all the extra strengthening that entails. I did initially wonder if the suspension changes would spoil the nature of the car (like Clarkson said about the XKR-S) and whilst it is extremely stiff (for a Jaguar) and noticeably firmer than the normal XKR, it's not even the teeniest little bit uncomfortable...in my experience it still comfortably outrides the 911 Turbo and GT-R.
For those that are interested, heres a few pictures of the suspension - I was suitably impressed that it has Bilstein-branded dampers as thats extremely unusual in a factory-spec car....
I'm in no doubt that all these features add up to that incredible 'mid-corner bump' experience but the quality of damping, body control and sheer solidity as it goes over any surface is outrageously good. It's hard to describe anymore but it's almost the opposite of brittle...for instance, my memory of driving a GT-R is of a brittle ride which made me cringe as it went over rough surfaces (probably more to do with hearing the interior fittings buzzing away!)...this XKR has a real feeling of robustness about it.
So, it's fair to say that dynamically this car is perfect for real roads and that it has impressed me so much after experiencing such cars like the M3 and 911 is a great start. What of the rest of it?
Sound
I may as well move on to what is is a very personal subject - a good sound to one man is another mans noise. However, this is the best sounding car I've had and thats high praise after having a Maserati Granturismo S and C63 AMG - to be hones (and perhaps controversially) the Maserati was too much 'boy racer Corsa with a big-bore' for me and the AMG, with it's spitfire like warble, was by far the best car I've heard so far.
My XKR is like a more raspy AMG - it's not as loud on start up but, when you're driving it sounds like God gargling (I think), it's pops on the overrun a lot and it just begs you to rev harder. The pipes also look great - unlike the XFR, they're quite big and point slightly upwards so look rather like 4 cannons ready to fire!
Here's a little sound clip too but regrettably the car won't allow you to rev beyond 3500rpm in neutral/park so you don't get the full 'gurgle' effect....
http://youtu.be/tKGqhu-MpEM
Performance
OK, another big difference between mine and the XKR-S is the lack of 40hp but still, power on this thing is instant, it builds nicely, it feels very fast (strangely, it 'feels' noticeably more so than the XFR yet in reality it probably isn't) and is the only car other than the 911 Turbo and GT-R that gives you that relentless push-in-the-back feel when accelerating.
The gearbox is good if nothing majorly different to the best auto-boxes I've had before...it's the typical ZF 6-speeder so is about as smooth as you can get and again, the Dynamic pack has a slightly different gearbox software so it's got a faster, more 'obvious' gear-change quality. It's not as quick as the DCT in my M3 but it's not that much slower, it's infinitely preferably to any single-clutch paddle shift and is far smoother than any in normal driving.
Looks
Not much to say here as you can make your own mind up from the pictures but, with the 'speed pack' fitted and the stance afforded by the slightly lowered suspension, I think it looks incredible.
I've never known a car that has such an aggressive wheel offset - the back ones are 10.5" wide and they sit so well in the arches. See these angles to see what I'm talking about...
Oh, the paintwork on this car is spot-on....unlike nearly all BMW's I've had, theres no orange peel whatsoever - I've just got to try and keep the light swirls at bay that black cars seem to easily pick up even when being hand washed.
Interior
Most of the interior is covered in either leather or alcantara (the headlining is particularly plush) and it's properly solid....when you push on the panels theres no give, no creaking and it's so tight on the move. In this respect it feels much more robust and tight compared to the XFR.
The leather feels lovely, it's smells incredible and whilst the black/red colour scheme is an acquired taste, I love it. The driving position with those incredible seats is nice and low and encourages a great 'legs-straight-out, arms-bent' driving position. It's not so great in the back though....
Finally, it's a great place to sit on the motorway - a good job as thats where it'll spend most of it's time (and one of the main reasons why I've always dismissed the Nissan GT-R as it has a ride thats just too busy to live with everyday). The XKR is refined with very little wind noise and it has the joint-best factory-fit stereo I've heard (the other was the Bowers & Wilkins in the XFR)...if I was being really fussy, I'd say maybe the XFR had better acoustics (the XKR generates more road noise) which made it's stereo sound a bit bassier.
So, I'm pretty confident this car is good enough and has enough to keep me entertained and it certainly has all the right credentials to ensure I own it for longer than any other car...I can honestly say that I reckon it's the best thing I've driven is probably the only car I've had where I don't dislike a single thing....not one thing! What a turnaround from someone who a few weeks ago wouldn't have even considered this car.
Edited by Palmball on Sunday 18th December 11:36
Great write-up and some lovely photos. What a cracking-looking car! Interesting how your perception was completely turned around; perhaps it illustrates why dealers should be more willing to offer test-drivez to people. Getting bums on seats can be enough to win people over...
By the way, tried the link to your video and it's not quite right - links to a PH error page. Copying and pasting the link says the video is private when Youtube loads. Might want to check you've linked it properly. I'd love to hear it.
By the way, tried the link to your video and it's not quite right - links to a PH error page. Copying and pasting the link says the video is private when Youtube loads. Might want to check you've linked it properly. I'd love to hear it.
Funk said:
Great write-up and some lovely photos. What a cracking-looking car! Interesting how your perception was completely turned around; perhaps it illustrates why dealers should be more willing to offer test-drivez to people. Getting bums on seats can be enough to win people over...
By the way, tried the link to your video and it's not quite right - links to a PH error page. Copying and pasting the link says the video is private when Youtube loads. Might want to check you've linked it properly. I'd love to hear it.
Yes, it was huge turnaround based entirely on the capability of the car. And this is one of the reasons why the car may well last longer than any other that I've had....in nearly every other car, I'd go into the purchase with some sort of expectation or pre-conceived idea of what it 'should' be like to live with. Often, these expectations are not lived up to; for instance....the Maserati was amazingly average yet I had such high expectations of it. The Porsche was ridiculously good but then the rattles and creaks that couldn't be fixed and when it broke down after all the electric's failed (this was a 9-month old car!) it ended up being a bit of a disappointment. With the XKR I had no expectations so it sold itself on sheer ability.By the way, tried the link to your video and it's not quite right - links to a PH error page. Copying and pasting the link says the video is private when Youtube loads. Might want to check you've linked it properly. I'd love to hear it.
The video link should be fixed now but don't get too excited - there's far better quality video's out there! The factory sports exhaust is virtually the same as the Spires stage 1 (so I'm told) so in comparison to Spires Stage 3 system (of which there are some vid's of), it's still relatively mild!
Edited by Palmball on Sunday 18th December 11:46
That's stunning, and a great write up. Wonder if you can buy and retro fit those seats to older models (thinking aloud here!)? would be interesting to read how you are getting on with it over the next couple of months.
I also love the interior combo bit different, I had Warm Charcoal/Cranberry on my previous XKR.
Cheers,
Graham
I also love the interior combo bit different, I had Warm Charcoal/Cranberry on my previous XKR.
Cheers,
Graham
ParanoidAndroid said:
Wonder if you can buy and retro fit those seats to older models (thinking aloud here!)?
I believe that is possible....one of Sturgess's customers is looking into it. However, a they were a £3k option, I can't imagine them being even remotely reasonable in cost as an aftermarket option. Put it this way, similarly designed seats made by aftermarket companies are a good £1.5k and they don't come with the extensive nappa leather (even the backrest is totally covered in the stuff) and the huge range of electric adjustment. A bit of an addition to my write up.....we've obviously seen a lot of slippery conditions in the last few days (although the East Mids seems to have got away lightly) and in these conditions, the car is a beast - of all the motors I've had, this XKR is easily the one that wants to kill me the most! Just accelerating hard in a straight line can see the back-end weave around and that can happen even at speeds far exceeding the national limit! The more lenient stability control programming is very obvious as it allows a LOT of movement before it steps in and this makes you really respect the car and conditions!
Unbelievably, the car is going to get more power soon too, although this is another throwback to my short spell with the XFR. In the short time I had that, I got Spires to machine a smaller supercharger pulley for me which would give that (much heavier car) a bit more oomph....it obviously didn't need it but to have the option of 580hp (when combined with a remap) for such little outlay, it seemed rude not to.
Of course, I got rid of the XFR before they finished machining the pulley so now it's waiting to be fitted to the new one....and the XKR is definitely not a car that I'm thinking could do with a 15% power hike....indeed, had I not already had the part made and paid for it, I really wouldn't feel the need for it!
Hey- nice write up. What can I say - I agree with you and own a 2011 XKR , unfortunately without the sports seats and front end tweaks. Still an awesome machine though.
I may well look into the seats as I have a bad back and do find the standard seats "just okay"
One interesting thing you noted is the paint work. I've had my beast extensively detailed and paint corrected by one of the best in the biz and it's funny once I had it all done the orange peel (which didn't seem to be there before) is suddenly quite visible on close inspection.
Congrats on the car!
I may well look into the seats as I have a bad back and do find the standard seats "just okay"
One interesting thing you noted is the paint work. I've had my beast extensively detailed and paint corrected by one of the best in the biz and it's funny once I had it all done the orange peel (which didn't seem to be there before) is suddenly quite visible on close inspection.
Congrats on the car!
Andrew, That is by far the nicest XKR I have ever seen.
As much as I like the XKR-S the bodykit is a little too heavy handed yet the base spec XKR is a little too subtle.
This however strikes a happy medium, Almost like when people didn't want a BMW CSL because it was too hardcore yet the standard E46 M3 wasn't quite purposeful enough so went and bout the CS
Love the colour, The wheels and especially the interior which i find a little too bland in standard XKR's and the uprated seats really finishes it off nicely.
As much as I like the XKR-S the bodykit is a little too heavy handed yet the base spec XKR is a little too subtle.
This however strikes a happy medium, Almost like when people didn't want a BMW CSL because it was too hardcore yet the standard E46 M3 wasn't quite purposeful enough so went and bout the CS
Love the colour, The wheels and especially the interior which i find a little too bland in standard XKR's and the uprated seats really finishes it off nicely.
Looks lovely - lucky lad! What wax?
I've had two XKR convertibles (old, old shape!) and I always thought they were underrated - the new 5L convertible is a thing of beauty. Some say (but only whispered) that it's a better car than the DB9.
I'm tempted. I wonder if some kind soul could give me a summary of the evolution of the 5L convertible from 2010? Body/equipment changes. I'm a bit lost as I've been out of Jags for a few years..... Thanks.
I've had two XKR convertibles (old, old shape!) and I always thought they were underrated - the new 5L convertible is a thing of beauty. Some say (but only whispered) that it's a better car than the DB9.
I'm tempted. I wonder if some kind soul could give me a summary of the evolution of the 5L convertible from 2010? Body/equipment changes. I'm a bit lost as I've been out of Jags for a few years..... Thanks.
The car looks absolutely superb. The chrome (as opposed to the Black Pack) is surprisingly successful, particularly with those alloys, which are just awesome.
I appreciate that it is aluminium, but the thought did cross my mind looking at your suspension pictures, that the car could maybe do with a bit of underseal. There seems to be an awful lot of bare metal. What's the story there?
I appreciate that it is aluminium, but the thought did cross my mind looking at your suspension pictures, that the car could maybe do with a bit of underseal. There seems to be an awful lot of bare metal. What's the story there?
I could live with that, I would not even modify it..... Much 
Very nice car i have to say, she is a big old bus to say the least i will stop now
On a serious note, it is a great looking car, interior looks very........homely, it has a great stance and the wheels are a very nice design, not sure about the mirror finish though. So, question is Andy pandy, how long is this one staying for??
i will stop now On a serious note, it is a great looking car, interior looks very........homely, it has a great stance and the wheels are a very nice design, not sure about the mirror finish though. So, question is Andy pandy, how long is this one staying for??
Thanks for the comments chaps....much appreciated!
I'm absolutely gutted today though.....I've gone and scraped one of those gorgeous wheels on a high kerb in one of those multi story car parks that has absolutely no space to get round in....argghhhhh! The thing is, I'm not sure that the highly polished finish can be repaired so it may be a new wheel (I just can't live with the damage...it's about 6 inches long). I'll have to find out in the morning what a new wheel will cost but given they're forged and have that polished finish, I reckon several hundred pounds (if not more
)
I've never driven a DB9 but have a V8 Vantage and there is no comparison at all - the XKR absolutely annihilates both in regards performance and build quality!
As for changes, I think the main one since 2010 has been the 2012 MY which seem to include:
- New front lights and grill
- Slightly different dash trim with piano black around the radio controls and better quality buttons
- New steering wheel
- More option availability (rear camera, dynamic pack, sports seats etc)
- They smell nicer!!....not sure f it's the nappa leather on the sports seats but it does smell a lot nicer than the 2011 model I sat in (also pretty much brand new)
I believe there was a difference for the 2010MY - as I understand it, the 2010 update included suspension revisions which increased the rear track and helps give it the fantastic stance. I'm not 100% sure on this but did read it somewhere as the wheel offsets are supposedly different between 2009-2010.
Seriously Adam, I know you liked my Maserati and are a big fan of them but this is in another league.....so far ahead that the Maser wouldn't see which way it went. In comparison, the XKR has proper suspension that doesn't wallow diagonally as soon as you hit more than one bump in succession, a wheel stance that doesn't need 20mm spacers to 'right' under the arches, it's stable at high speed (one of the Maser's most disappointing features) and the electrical bits actually work all the time (as opposed to when it feels like it)!
If you remember, as soon as I got the Maser I was looking to change this, swap that, fix the other....I wouldn't change a single thing on the Jag which, for me, is unheard of!
I'm absolutely gutted today though.....I've gone and scraped one of those gorgeous wheels on a high kerb in one of those multi story car parks that has absolutely no space to get round in....argghhhhh! The thing is, I'm not sure that the highly polished finish can be repaired so it may be a new wheel (I just can't live with the damage...it's about 6 inches long). I'll have to find out in the morning what a new wheel will cost but given they're forged and have that polished finish, I reckon several hundred pounds (if not more
)NDA said:
Looks lovely - lucky lad! What wax?
Some say (but only whispered) that it's a better car than the DB9.
I'm tempted. I wonder if some kind soul could give me a summary of the evolution of the 5L convertible from 2010? Body/equipment changes. I'm a bit lost as I've been out of Jags for a few years..... Thanks.
The wax I use is Swissvax Best of Show...extremely good but not £180 good! (Thats not what I paid for it but that is what it sells for now!) Some say (but only whispered) that it's a better car than the DB9.
I'm tempted. I wonder if some kind soul could give me a summary of the evolution of the 5L convertible from 2010? Body/equipment changes. I'm a bit lost as I've been out of Jags for a few years..... Thanks.
I've never driven a DB9 but have a V8 Vantage and there is no comparison at all - the XKR absolutely annihilates both in regards performance and build quality!
As for changes, I think the main one since 2010 has been the 2012 MY which seem to include:
- New front lights and grill
- Slightly different dash trim with piano black around the radio controls and better quality buttons
- New steering wheel
- More option availability (rear camera, dynamic pack, sports seats etc)
- They smell nicer!!....not sure f it's the nappa leather on the sports seats but it does smell a lot nicer than the 2011 model I sat in (also pretty much brand new)
I believe there was a difference for the 2010MY - as I understand it, the 2010 update included suspension revisions which increased the rear track and helps give it the fantastic stance. I'm not 100% sure on this but did read it somewhere as the wheel offsets are supposedly different between 2009-2010.
bl5150 said:
Hey- nice write up. What can I say - I agree with you and own a 2011 XKR , unfortunately without the sports seats and front end tweaks. Still an awesome machine though.
I may well look into the seats as I have a bad back and do find the standard seats "just okay"
One interesting thing you noted is the paint work. I've had my beast extensively detailed and paint corrected by one of the best in the biz and it's funny once I had it all done the orange peel (which didn't seem to be there before) is suddenly quite visible on close inspection.
Congrats on the car!
I had my previous M3 wet sanded to get rid of orange peel - BMW are notorious for it and it took the guy a week to do it! I don't feel the need to do it on the Jag as, whilst maybe not 100% perfect, it's one of the best factory finishes I've seen recently (loads of new cars have orange peel these days...must be something in the paint!)I may well look into the seats as I have a bad back and do find the standard seats "just okay"
One interesting thing you noted is the paint work. I've had my beast extensively detailed and paint corrected by one of the best in the biz and it's funny once I had it all done the orange peel (which didn't seem to be there before) is suddenly quite visible on close inspection.
Congrats on the car!
cardigankid said:
I appreciate that it is aluminium, but the thought did cross my mind looking at your suspension pictures, that the car could maybe do with a bit of underseal. There seems to be an awful lot of bare metal. What's the story there?
I don't think its bare aluminium that you can see (apart from the suspension components which are of course unpainted). What you're seeing is the colour of the undercoat paint!melvster said:
On a serious note, it is a great looking car, interior looks very........homely, it has a great stance and the wheels are a very nice design, not sure about the mirror finish though. So, question is Andy pandy, how long is this one staying for??
Longer than any other car I would imagine. And heres why..... Seriously Adam, I know you liked my Maserati and are a big fan of them but this is in another league.....so far ahead that the Maser wouldn't see which way it went. In comparison, the XKR has proper suspension that doesn't wallow diagonally as soon as you hit more than one bump in succession, a wheel stance that doesn't need 20mm spacers to 'right' under the arches, it's stable at high speed (one of the Maser's most disappointing features) and the electrical bits actually work all the time (as opposed to when it feels like it)!
If you remember, as soon as I got the Maser I was looking to change this, swap that, fix the other....I wouldn't change a single thing on the Jag which, for me, is unheard of!
Edited by Palmball on Thursday 22 December 01:03
NDA said:
Thanks for that update.... Very helpful.
Sorry to read about your wheel, I grimaced reading it. I 'did' both wheels on a brand new Murcielago a while back.... Ended up buying 2 new wheels as I couldn't live with it being scratched. Grrr!
Cheers....I too feel that it'll probably be a new wheel as I'm not sure who or how I'd go about fixing it with the highly polished finish it has. It was one of my main concerns about the car as it's difficult enough getting a diamond cut wheel repaired never mind one with a finish that I've not seen an anything else! A slight misjudgement when rushed and under pressure today and.....crunch....I'm sure I could feel every scrape being made!Sorry to read about your wheel, I grimaced reading it. I 'did' both wheels on a brand new Murcielago a while back.... Ended up buying 2 new wheels as I couldn't live with it being scratched. Grrr!
BTW, your profile picture is incredible....absolutely love the shot of the GT with the classic V8V in the background
There's probably a repair possible - worth hunting around. The Murcielago had 'Rosso Corso' written on the very outer rims, so couldn't be fixed without losing the logos. Nightmare.
That shot was taken in the South of France. Driving a GT around small medieval Fench bastide towns is, er, interesting!
I must say I'm very tempted by another XKR having seen your pictures. It's such an entirely competent car. Build quality and performance is excellent.... Enjoy!
That shot was taken in the South of France. Driving a GT around small medieval Fench bastide towns is, er, interesting!
I must say I'm very tempted by another XKR having seen your pictures. It's such an entirely competent car. Build quality and performance is excellent.... Enjoy!
jontysafe said:
How did you get on with your M6? Car looks lovely!
Thanks!The M6 was actually, one of the best (if not THE best?) engineered cars I've had and I still remember the effect of 3rd gear acceleration which, coming out my first e92 M3 at the time, felt in another league performance-wise (which of course it was!). I often wonder if it would still feel like that now but, remembering a Chris Harris video of an M6 vs. a 911 Turbo, where the M6 actually out drags the Turbo once above 100mph, I dare say it probably would!
It was also a car that looked after me very well....on a trip to the Nurburgring I was cruising through Belgium at an indicated 160mph and I hear this 'bang'....the next thing I know is my tyre pressure warning comes on and I ease off and eventually (probably a mile further down the road) pull over to the hard shoulder. The tyre was ruined but the most amazing thing was how stable the car was...I'd not have initially known that I'd just had a blowout were it not for the dashboard warning. I couldn't get a tyre in the right size at 4pm on a Friday in Belgium so rather than be trailored home, I bought two new but incorrectly sized tyres which I then proceeded to ruin round the 'ring
However (and you know this was coming!), the gearbox....I tried to live with it, I tried to like it but in the end, I did find it as frustrating as people say it is which wasn't helped by having experienced the DCT in the M3 that had just been launched (still my fav gearbox to this date). IMO it really did ruin an otherwise very good car. Also, the economy was outstandingly bad....I've since had 6.2 AMG's, 4.7 Maserati and now the supercharged Jag and none can come close to the 9mpg that I got from the M6 in town and the 11mpg average I tended to get across all driving - in isolation, this would never have been a deal breaker for me but it's worth noting that performance for pound, the M6 must be about as bad as it gets!
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