My XKR experience on Austrian Tour
Discussion
Just back from a touring holiday with my 07 XKR to the lakes around southern Germany and Austria and have to say I am very impressed by the mile eating ease, comfort, speed and interior space. We covered 3200 miles from Yorkshire to Austria and back in 2 weeks - via the German autobahns naturally!
. The major tedium being the many miles of roadworks that seem to plague the most of the European road work at the moment.
This is the first time I have given it a proper GT test - me and the mrs doing 820+ miles from Graz, Austria to Calais in a little of 10 hours on our way back - the mrs was even keen to continue from Calias and crack on and do the whole trip in a day, but I wanted one last night on the beer.
My only complaints were a vibration in a wheel somewhere at low speeds (checked tyres and found nothing) and that it refused to drop into 4th over 140mph on the A-bahns
which it should do surely?. The fat tyres didn't do much for my confidence in the wet though - there were a number of thunderstorms leaving standing water on autobahns that many of the Euro boxes were quite happy driving though at 90+ but I only felt happy ploughing through at about 60-65.
Wind noise does pick up quite a lot over 110mph, but I found none of the nose lift that Clarkson waffled about when the new XK was first released - maybe the spoiler on the bottom fron of the XKR resolves that? I found the acceleration from 70-130 quite addictive, the pace of acceleration dropping off after that quite markedly.
I hit 150 very briefly twice, but that was only where there was very light traffic and no bends - not that easy on the route or time of day I was travelling the car still feeling very planted and comfortable despite potholes and ridges that are quite common out there.
I bought this car believing the sales pater that this was a Jykell and Hyde car, mostly GT cruiser but proper sports car when you want and I have to say I can't quite agree, more like Dr Jykell and Mr Hyde on Prozac, all the potential and most of the pace that you would want but too sloppy on the twisties.
I would really appreciate a big fat button somewhere that hardens the ride, reduces the power steering assistance, and opens up an exhaust valve (even a trick one - I don't care). Believing that Jag will behave exactly how you want in sports Auto mode just doesn't cut it for me, althought the padle shift I am utterly conviced about and this is my first auto. I also had little confidence to attack corners hoping that the CATS suspension would firm up and give me the feel I needed.
But overall I am very happy with the machine.
. The major tedium being the many miles of roadworks that seem to plague the most of the European road work at the moment.This is the first time I have given it a proper GT test - me and the mrs doing 820+ miles from Graz, Austria to Calais in a little of 10 hours on our way back - the mrs was even keen to continue from Calias and crack on and do the whole trip in a day, but I wanted one last night on the beer.
My only complaints were a vibration in a wheel somewhere at low speeds (checked tyres and found nothing) and that it refused to drop into 4th over 140mph on the A-bahns
which it should do surely?. The fat tyres didn't do much for my confidence in the wet though - there were a number of thunderstorms leaving standing water on autobahns that many of the Euro boxes were quite happy driving though at 90+ but I only felt happy ploughing through at about 60-65.Wind noise does pick up quite a lot over 110mph, but I found none of the nose lift that Clarkson waffled about when the new XK was first released - maybe the spoiler on the bottom fron of the XKR resolves that? I found the acceleration from 70-130 quite addictive, the pace of acceleration dropping off after that quite markedly.
I hit 150 very briefly twice, but that was only where there was very light traffic and no bends - not that easy on the route or time of day I was travelling the car still feeling very planted and comfortable despite potholes and ridges that are quite common out there.
I bought this car believing the sales pater that this was a Jykell and Hyde car, mostly GT cruiser but proper sports car when you want and I have to say I can't quite agree, more like Dr Jykell and Mr Hyde on Prozac, all the potential and most of the pace that you would want but too sloppy on the twisties.
I would really appreciate a big fat button somewhere that hardens the ride, reduces the power steering assistance, and opens up an exhaust valve (even a trick one - I don't care). Believing that Jag will behave exactly how you want in sports Auto mode just doesn't cut it for me, althought the padle shift I am utterly conviced about and this is my first auto. I also had little confidence to attack corners hoping that the CATS suspension would firm up and give me the feel I needed.
But overall I am very happy with the machine.
Have you driven a 5.0 XKR? I think they've addressed a number of your concerns regarding the handling. Okay it's perhaps not a 911 but still seriously good.
Nice write up by the way. I often fancy doing something like this but not quite so easy when other half prefers a beach holiday or with daughter in tow.
Nice write up by the way. I often fancy doing something like this but not quite so easy when other half prefers a beach holiday or with daughter in tow.
I haven't tried the 5.0l XKR yet - not sure the mrs would wear that! I didn't and don't want this to like a 911 - I have TVR and the Mrs has a 350z both of which are more suited to hair raising driving but not for extended periods. The difference in ride quality and hence handling between these two types of cars is immense and I don't want to compromise the XKRs ride quality, it's a little short of the old XJ perhaps which I have test driven but it's miles better than anything else I've ridden in including merc a S-Class. The CATS suspension is supposed to firm up 'when needed' - I couldn't sense that and wanted to be able to switch it on myself then explore it's limits - difficult if you don't know if it's "on" or "off"
As for the luggage - it swallowed a fair bit - more than I thought; I had to make use of all the curves and platforms in the boot space to stuff individual things in as it's not even roughly rectangular in any plane;
Boot:
2 large squashy clothes bags for 2weeks of clothes,
bag for emergency gear and EU regs (oil, triangle, bulbs, compressor etc)
Camera rucksack for my SLR and lenses
hiking rucksack (empty when stored)
hiking boots, coats and sticks
Camping stove ring, 2 gas canisters and cups and teabags
Flourescent battery lamp (for reading in the tent)
on back seats:
Airbed
2 sleeping bags
2 pillows
tent
picknic rug
Glove box:
travel books
It took a few attempts packing to work out what would fit where the first time we packed it but after that it was no problem although it needs a good clean now!
I'm already looking forward to doing Denmark and Sweeden on our next tour - over the 5mile Oresund bridge from Copenhagen to Malmo.
As for the luggage - it swallowed a fair bit - more than I thought; I had to make use of all the curves and platforms in the boot space to stuff individual things in as it's not even roughly rectangular in any plane;
Boot:
2 large squashy clothes bags for 2weeks of clothes,
bag for emergency gear and EU regs (oil, triangle, bulbs, compressor etc)
Camera rucksack for my SLR and lenses
hiking rucksack (empty when stored)
hiking boots, coats and sticks
Camping stove ring, 2 gas canisters and cups and teabags
Flourescent battery lamp (for reading in the tent)
on back seats:
Airbed
2 sleeping bags
2 pillows
tent
picknic rug
Glove box:
travel books
It took a few attempts packing to work out what would fit where the first time we packed it but after that it was no problem although it needs a good clean now!
I'm already looking forward to doing Denmark and Sweeden on our next tour - over the 5mile Oresund bridge from Copenhagen to Malmo.
Edited by Widjit on Friday 10th July 10:53
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