Discussion
Got my Indigo Coupe on Saturday. Build quality much better on the R than the XK - no wind noise from around the door mirrors, no dash rattles, the phone works and it generally feels more solid ( not that the XK is bad this is just brilliant and I did have a very early XK ). The main difference though is the power - unbelievable !!! The engine is just so responsive and the gear changes sublime. The steering also seems much more weighted and the car more planted on the road - you feel so much more in control of the car that all you want to do is drive! This may be also to do with the suspension set up but I am not an expert in this field - all I know this car is just the best compromise between sports car and GT I have ever driven. Well done Jaguar - now get the XKR-R sorted and lets see how much power this chassis can take.
Glad to hear you like it, i'm sure the delay feels like a distant worry now! Get the pics on here asap!
Mine rolls off the production line tomorrow, but the dealer is giving it 2 weeks to get it to them and then a further 5 days for them to look at it before i'm allowed it.
Mine rolls off the production line tomorrow, but the dealer is giving it 2 weeks to get it to them and then a further 5 days for them to look at it before i'm allowed it.
Edited by kryten22uk on Monday 4th December 20:56
kryten22uk said:
Glad to hear you like it, i'm sure the delay feels like a distant worry now! Get the pics on here asap!
Mine rolls off the production line tomorrow, but the dealer is giving it 2 weeks to get it to them and then a further 5 days for them to look at it before i'm allowed it.
# Mine rolls off the production line tomorrow, but the dealer is giving it 2 weeks to get it to them and then a further 5 days for them to look at it before i'm allowed it.
Edited by kryten22uk on Monday 4th December 20:56
Should make for a happy Christmas then
I spotted one in Berkeley Square yeaterday on trade plates (off to Stratstones I guess).
Looked and sounded incredible in the flesh, especially the rear.
The front is a shame though, I think I prefer the basic XK, the R looks like its collected some bits from Halfords.
Still, huge improvement on those nasty German things with the engine in the wrong place, which are so ubiquitous around these parts.
Looked and sounded incredible in the flesh, especially the rear.
The front is a shame though, I think I prefer the basic XK, the R looks like its collected some bits from Halfords.
Still, huge improvement on those nasty German things with the engine in the wrong place, which are so ubiquitous around these parts.
job38 said:
Looked and sounded incredible in the flesh, especially the rear.
The front is a shame though, I think I prefer the basic XK, the R looks like its collected some bits from Halfords.
Still, huge improvement on those nasty German things with the engine in the wrong place, which are so ubiquitous around these parts.
The front is a shame though, I think I prefer the basic XK, the R looks like its collected some bits from Halfords.
Still, huge improvement on those nasty German things with the engine in the wrong place, which are so ubiquitous around these parts.
Agree the grilles look a tad 'cheap and nasty', but help is at hand, saw in the new XK accesories brochure that you can now get the good ole 'race metal weave' grilles aka on the old model, for the new car and it makes it look fabulous. See the pics in the brochure.
G
Just had a run in a friends car which had been a demonstrator he bought from a local agent. The more you see the car the better it looks. One of the most beautiful designs ever. I thought it might be quite soft and it probably is compared with a 911. Very smooth and little road noise. Personally I would like the exhaust twice as loud. Not a lot of feel through the steering. However it has got terrific punch and grip. Someone has obviously decided that part of the character of a Jaguar is to be able to go enormously fast without drama. The automatic seems to limit the enjoyment potential at first, and I'm not familiar with paddle shifts, but I found that if you leave it in sport mode and use the paddles all the time, it becomes much more fun and you invariably get fast racing changes you could never do with a manual. The biggest revelation is the engine which feels more powerful than my XJR and also very very responsive. All in all an addictive experience.
But of course you guys know all this already!
But of course you guys know all this already!
Further to the above I was surprised that the standard seats were not more supportive - the XJR has sports seats and they are a lot better. The steering wheel had a rather hard plasticky feel to it again not as good as the XJR and very easy to let your grip slip, not that I did of course.
I took a new XKr for a test drive the other day. I have to say, the styling is stunning and the view of the bonnet from the inside is fantastic. I loved the car but there were two basic problems with it. One minor, one IMHO significant.
Minor: as previously stated, it needs a louder exhaust, or at least switchable. It would have made the sound of the blip on the downshift great and the general sound of the 'getaway' quite addictive.
Major: the interior was poor beyond belief. Specifically the nasty plastic around the satnav. Worse still was the aluminium effect fascia. Really naff. The wood options on a car like this are just not appropriate either. In my opinion what this great GT sports cars needs is the option of carbon fibre inlays. They have it as an option on the X type, but not, for some reason on the XKR where it would be so much more befitting and in my opinion look so smart. I know some people absolutely hate CF, and that's fine, but I'm sure even those that don't like it can understand why it should be an option. I have written to Jaguar about this as I feel so strongly about it. Will be interesting to see what the say.
The other option I don't unnderstand not being available is contrasting stitching a la AMV8. It would really personalise the interior and make a brilliant contrast on a black interior (say if you had red or white contrasting stitching).
Seems the folks at Jaguar haven't quite realised what a great product they have got and how saleable it is, if only they understood what market they are potentially reaching out to.
Would I buy one if these options were available.
Yes.
Minor: as previously stated, it needs a louder exhaust, or at least switchable. It would have made the sound of the blip on the downshift great and the general sound of the 'getaway' quite addictive.
Major: the interior was poor beyond belief. Specifically the nasty plastic around the satnav. Worse still was the aluminium effect fascia. Really naff. The wood options on a car like this are just not appropriate either. In my opinion what this great GT sports cars needs is the option of carbon fibre inlays. They have it as an option on the X type, but not, for some reason on the XKR where it would be so much more befitting and in my opinion look so smart. I know some people absolutely hate CF, and that's fine, but I'm sure even those that don't like it can understand why it should be an option. I have written to Jaguar about this as I feel so strongly about it. Will be interesting to see what the say.
The other option I don't unnderstand not being available is contrasting stitching a la AMV8. It would really personalise the interior and make a brilliant contrast on a black interior (say if you had red or white contrasting stitching).
Seems the folks at Jaguar haven't quite realised what a great product they have got and how saleable it is, if only they understood what market they are potentially reaching out to.
Would I buy one if these options were available.
Yes.
I agree. It seems weird to have such a truly fantastic vehicle and then let it down badly on the interior. When you sit in it the interior should seduce you. The seats should hold you and the steering wheel should be a delight to handle. Who could resist one then? Neither is the case. The steering wheel on a high end Honda Civic is better. How is it that you can get Recaro seats if you buy a Ford Focus ST but not a Jaguar XKR? The steering wheel on my 04 XJR is far more shaped and tactile. We're going backwards for goodness sake! The silver coloured plastic trims on the steering wheel you feel like flicking off with your thumbnails.
I think on reflection that the exhaust should be FOUR times louder. I had to switch off Saga FM just to hear it. Also the whole car should sit at least an inch lower on its suspension.
I think on reflection that the exhaust should be FOUR times louder. I had to switch off Saga FM just to hear it. Also the whole car should sit at least an inch lower on its suspension.
Rob_T said:
I took a new XKr for a test drive the other day. I have to say, the styling is stunning and the view of the bonnet from the inside is fantastic. I loved the car but there were two basic problems with it. One minor, one IMHO significant.
Minor: as previously stated, it needs a louder exhaust, or at least switchable. It would have made the sound of the blip on the downshift great and the general sound of the 'getaway' quite addictive.
Major: the interior was poor beyond belief. Specifically the nasty plastic around the satnav. Worse still was the aluminium effect fascia. Really naff. The wood options on a car like this are just not appropriate either. In my opinion what this great GT sports cars needs is the option of carbon fibre inlays. They have it as an option on the X type, but not, for some reason on the XKR where it would be so much more befitting and in my opinion look so smart. I know some people absolutely hate CF, and that's fine, but I'm sure even those that don't like it can understand why it should be an option. I have written to Jaguar about this as I feel so strongly about it. Will be interesting to see what the say.
The other option I don't unnderstand not being available is contrasting stitching a la AMV8. It would really personalise the interior and make a brilliant contrast on a black interior (say if you had red or white contrasting stitching).
Seems the folks at Jaguar haven't quite realised what a great product they have got and how saleable it is, if only they understood what market they are potentially reaching out to.
Would I buy one if these options were available.
Yes.
If the wood option isn't appropriate on this car, is it OK for Aston Martin to have it?Minor: as previously stated, it needs a louder exhaust, or at least switchable. It would have made the sound of the blip on the downshift great and the general sound of the 'getaway' quite addictive.
Major: the interior was poor beyond belief. Specifically the nasty plastic around the satnav. Worse still was the aluminium effect fascia. Really naff. The wood options on a car like this are just not appropriate either. In my opinion what this great GT sports cars needs is the option of carbon fibre inlays. They have it as an option on the X type, but not, for some reason on the XKR where it would be so much more befitting and in my opinion look so smart. I know some people absolutely hate CF, and that's fine, but I'm sure even those that don't like it can understand why it should be an option. I have written to Jaguar about this as I feel so strongly about it. Will be interesting to see what the say.
The other option I don't unnderstand not being available is contrasting stitching a la AMV8. It would really personalise the interior and make a brilliant contrast on a black interior (say if you had red or white contrasting stitching).
Seems the folks at Jaguar haven't quite realised what a great product they have got and how saleable it is, if only they understood what market they are potentially reaching out to.
Would I buy one if these options were available.
Yes.
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