3 Days with an XXR-s Convertible

[DSLiverpool]

Just so you get a background, Im no Lewis Hamilton, I struggle to see / feel little nuances that differentiate cars and try to see what magazines mean in car traites but dont always get it. Im a fussy sod and fickle, Ive had a DB9 convertible and a XFR so feel familiar with the genre and the execution. I dont do tracks and as a rotund 49 year old i like a bit of comfort with my speed, I do like occasion and solidity, coupled with noise, theatre and tingling gonads.

Rainy friday, jumped in, at home no issues, coupled phone in a jiffy with all contacts (how many cars do that) and Im off with no schmaltz from the Jag guys - see docs, have keys, bye bye - very professional and I felt they were spot on. (I left them the BMW as the SL55 was being viewed today)
Adjust seat (stumpy legs), belt cuts across my neck (stumpy trunk), fire it up and its pure Aston with fuse 22 removed - almost exactly the same. Put into dynamic mode and I feel comfortable immediately, more thsn one should in a £100k loaner!!

Firstly I think this is stiffer than a DB9 coupe!! NO shake, rattle and definately no roll - very impressed, the hated gearbox in the XFR that never knew what gear to be in is not in the XKRs not sure if its a different box but its spot on, sadly the not quite central steering wheel is featured, tilted to the left,if you central it the car runs right - exactly the same as the XFR.

The drive back to work was impressive in its lack of drama, quite something for such a perceived racer and then after work I had to commute home and it was docile as a lamb.

Saturday Im out early, its snowing slightly but i want to run the car before the traffic gets too heavy, fire it up and my nuts tingle, that sound is lovely and Ive missed it so, pull out in to the main road with a hint of scrabble and Im cruising down the road towards Chester with the wonky wheel annoyingly in my hand. I childishly play tunes with the engine and enjoy the occasion, I had a Maserati Spyder for a short while that was too hard core, this is a lovely cruiser and then I get to the outskirts of Chester and head to North wales and some twisty stuff,a hundred magazine quotes are in my head, is it free flowing in th bends, does the car dive into corners, do i feel planted behind the wheel - all i can say is its rock solid, grippy (in sleet) and effortless BUT treat the grip with respect.

I really like this car, much much more than the XFR, its so comfy, snug and solid its lovely and compared to my SL55 its so much more of a GT than the SL boulevard cruiser (possibly because the SL is so bloody quiet) - miles flew by, stereo off mostly.

Would I buy one, yes with reservations. (note the tester is not one I am considering buying, its just the tester from Jag)
My car is a Jag tester so its had a hard life but is immaculate however
Drivers seat pull tear on leather seam
S Wheel offset
Bloody annoying rattle from somewhere (not roof)
Gap in passenger window
Fuel cap disintegrated but i got the stopper bit in with a screwdriver
Dated interface screen (It was dated in 2010)
Internal boot trim just not on - same as XFR - cheap
Its nearly end of life, not the cars fault but as a buying decision its a factor

This is a bloody great car, better than I need from a driving perspective and so well engineered Im very very impressed. At £103k its very very optimistic, at £76k its more realistic WHY do Jag overprice and then over discount?? but this test has told me I need a XKR with performance seats and exhaust, thats good enough for me and my limited use of a pure driving machine even though its a pussy.

Oh and the French racing Blue is a stunning colour, my mrs called its mid life crisis blue sh could be right IF your a bit of a driver then try one of these out, truly remarkable driving machine.

[V12 Migaloo]

I'm seeing quite a few brand new XKR's and XKRS's in and around the Woking Guildford area these past couple of weeks. The one the thrums past in French Racing Blue looks tremendous. It's funny though that Jaguar models only seem to get the recognition they deserve when the model is nearing the end of its cycle, XJS, SIII XJ, S-Type, XK8, et al.

[Triple7]

Jag have always evolved the models to the end of their life, saving the best to last. IMHO this is all planned out from the start? The last facelift was how the car should have been to start with. Agree about the overpricing/discounting, so you gonna buy, or by the looks of things an F-Type may well be better suited for you, new, modern, drop-top and the cracking V8?

[Domf]

V12 Migaloo said:

I'm seeing quite a few brand new XKR's and XKRS's in and around the Woking Guildford area these past couple of weeks. The one the thrums past in French Racing Blue looks tremendous. It's funny though that Jaguar models only seem to get the recognition they deserve when the model is nearing the end of its cycle, XJS, SIII XJ, S-Type, XK8, et al.

I think you are onto something, just look at the XF, it's now got the headlights and front the prototype promised and the sportbrake is handsome, but 5 years after the launch of the original. I've got a late X Type AWD much maligned by some, but with this winters snow a cracking car that hasn't been sat in the drive along with the can't go anywhere BMW3's and C-classes. So what does Jaguar do, launch AWD in the XF and XJ for export only markets<doh>, we don't all live in the South East. Even AMG have just launched the E63 with AWD and BMW will be introducing its X variants to the UK E.G. 325X if it hasn't already. Why are Jaguar always playing catch up rather than setting the Agenda, look at the current infosystem, in XF and XK, it feels cluncky compared to the opposition, this kind of kit needs to have the facility for regular software upgrades. Microsoft constantly upgrade my home PC, so why can't you regularily upgrade your inboard Jag info system?

[whoami]

DSLiverpool said:

JAt £103k its very very optimistic, at £76k its more realistic WHY do Jag overprice and then over discount??

Exactly the same as AM; stupid.