2007 XKR Vs 2006 AM V8V
Discussion
So, gentlemen, I have been saving hard to purchase a nice used Aston V8 vantage, and just as I am on the cusp of parting with my pennies, my colleague has allerted me to the fact that for the same money I can get a newer XKR (not the latest 5.0 though) This may be the wrong place to ask this (you lot may be biased!) , but dynamically and performance-wise how does a 4.2 new shape XKR stack up against the V8V?
Andy
Andy
Hi Andy.
Before I bought, I went and tested an AMV8 and a new 4.2 XKR back in 2007. It is all down to personal preference in the end, but as much as I wanted 'an Aston' and it did look the biz, it was IMHO quite disappointing . I didn't like the driving position, it lacked grunt (maybe the 4.7 is a bit better?) and was v expensive for what is quite a small car and I thought it was not built to the quality it's sticker price commanded.
The Jag on the other hand blew the Aston away on nearly all fronts, bar the badge on the grill. I would however be specific on the car you decide to buy should it be an XKR. Make sure you have the 'Lux Sport' leather interior. You can tell this by the perforated 16 way seats. Make it a 2007 or newer and lose the aerial, get as many options as you can. The 'Portfolio' limited edition to me would be the one to go for on the used market, as would an XKR-S.
As the others have said, go drive and see for yourself. i did and the 2007 Jag XKR I owned, has been for me the best car I have ever owned to date.
G
Before I bought, I went and tested an AMV8 and a new 4.2 XKR back in 2007. It is all down to personal preference in the end, but as much as I wanted 'an Aston' and it did look the biz, it was IMHO quite disappointing . I didn't like the driving position, it lacked grunt (maybe the 4.7 is a bit better?) and was v expensive for what is quite a small car and I thought it was not built to the quality it's sticker price commanded.
The Jag on the other hand blew the Aston away on nearly all fronts, bar the badge on the grill. I would however be specific on the car you decide to buy should it be an XKR. Make sure you have the 'Lux Sport' leather interior. You can tell this by the perforated 16 way seats. Make it a 2007 or newer and lose the aerial, get as many options as you can. The 'Portfolio' limited edition to me would be the one to go for on the used market, as would an XKR-S.
As the others have said, go drive and see for yourself. i did and the 2007 Jag XKR I owned, has been for me the best car I have ever owned to date.
G
Trevor, it is very quick and if you are familiar with the steel previous shaped XKR's, then the new aluminum ones are light years ahead. They are great fun to drive and the ZF 6 speed is a dream with it auto down shifting etc. When you test drive it, flick it into 'Sport' mode but keep it in auto (don't touch the paddles) and you'll quite enjoy the experience I'm sure.
It is no Porsche 997S, which is an out and out sports car, but the Jag is a 'Sports GT' i.e best of both worlds, it is effortless on long journeys and if you wish to take that 'B' road back home after work instead, it will put a smile on your face all the same.
As for build quality and problems, well TBH there are none really to mention. The new Jaguars are extremely reliable, way more so than Astons. If you go for the lux sports interior as I suggested above, then the interior finish is better with full leather interior.
It is no Porsche 997S, which is an out and out sports car, but the Jag is a 'Sports GT' i.e best of both worlds, it is effortless on long journeys and if you wish to take that 'B' road back home after work instead, it will put a smile on your face all the same.
As for build quality and problems, well TBH there are none really to mention. The new Jaguars are extremely reliable, way more so than Astons. If you go for the lux sports interior as I suggested above, then the interior finish is better with full leather interior.
The most intrinsic differences are the transmission and chassis set-up. The Jaguar can either be driven as a full auto or then flipped into a far more driver focused car using the paddle shift. It really is Jekyll/Hyde and will give you a few more options on how the car is driven depending on your mood. XKR Ride will cosset and smoother poor road surfaces, with a small compromise on feedback compared to the Vantage.
As Triple77 stated if you pick-up the Premium Interior it will give very little away to Aston in terms of opulence and craftsmanship.
Performance wise an XKR will make a pre-4.7 litre Vantage feel like a car with more mouth than trousers. Even a 4.2 XKR carries a big stick, but does it with gloved hand. The new 5.0 S/C just wears a 16oz boxing glove.
Jaguar's JD Power reputation is No.1 in the US for vehicle dependeability - Preconceptions of Jaguar remain, but the stats say they are safe buyer choice with respect to problems and warranty.
Get past the badge, go and drive one.
As Triple77 stated if you pick-up the Premium Interior it will give very little away to Aston in terms of opulence and craftsmanship.
Performance wise an XKR will make a pre-4.7 litre Vantage feel like a car with more mouth than trousers. Even a 4.2 XKR carries a big stick, but does it with gloved hand. The new 5.0 S/C just wears a 16oz boxing glove.
Jaguar's JD Power reputation is No.1 in the US for vehicle dependeability - Preconceptions of Jaguar remain, but the stats say they are safe buyer choice with respect to problems and warranty.
Get past the badge, go and drive one.
andymadmak said:
So, gentlemen, I have been saving hard to purchase a nice used Aston V8 vantage, and just as I am on the cusp of parting with my pennies, my colleague has allerted me to the fact that for the same money I can get a newer XKR (not the latest 5.0 though) This may be the wrong place to ask this (you lot may be biased!) , but dynamically and performance-wise how does a 4.2 new shape XKR stack up against the V8V?
Andy
The Jag is a lovely car. I went from a 997S to the Jag and still rate the Jag as the best car I have ever owned. The ride, handling, power, gearbox, aluminium body all trump the Aston. The only reasons to go for the Aston are the badge and the gorgeous looks (although the XKR is pretty gorgeous too).Andy
One thing to think about is that there are far fewer Jags on the road than Astons. As a result, I got loads of complements whenever I parked up.
Triple7 said:
When you test drive it, flick it into 'Sport' mode but keep it in auto (don't touch the paddles) and you'll quite enjoy the experience I'm sure.
I'm sure you get used to it, but on the test drive in the 4.2XKR I had, I found it hard to get to the paddles fast enough in 1st and 2nd gears. I hit the limiter a number of times.
A mate's AMV8 (4.3) had enough trouble shaking my old S Type R off, let alone a car that's 200kgs lighter with 20 more horses and 16 more lb/ft torque and a much faster box. Yes the Aston is snsationally pretty, but the fact is it's (relatively) short on go.
I came so close to grabbing an 2008 XKR but needed the back seat and boot space so opted for an XF SV8 (same engine, same box, same suspension except with dynamic mode). The XKR is properly fast, especially 50-120 ish (not that I'd know of course). The new XFR/XKR are mental.
If it were me, it'd be the XKR.
I came so close to grabbing an 2008 XKR but needed the back seat and boot space so opted for an XF SV8 (same engine, same box, same suspension except with dynamic mode). The XKR is properly fast, especially 50-120 ish (not that I'd know of course). The new XFR/XKR are mental.
If it were me, it'd be the XKR.
Trevor Hill said:
I`m not impressed with the XKR interior, seems very dated for a 2 year old car. Particularly didnt like the seats which were black leather and the steering wheels seems to be straight out of an X type.
Agree, the interior should be like that of Maserati or Aston, but it is still very nice I have to say. Have to make sure you get the lux sport interior, which is standard on the new 5.0ltr XKR's now.Gassing Station | Jaguar | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff