Re: Open Season: Jaguar XKR Convertible

Re: Open Season: Jaguar XKR Convertible

Thursday 3rd February 2011

Open Season: Jaguar XKR Convertible

Supercharged, super-torquey and super-fun...



Lunging. It's the word that, more than any other, springs irresistibly to mind whenever you drive a Jaguar XKR. A combination of a sharply responsive throttle, lively six-speed ZF auto and, most of all, a prodigious 461lb ft if supercharged torque that's available from 2500rpm all the way to 5500rpm means that the big jag positively leaps forward even with the mildest of provocations.

Generally, this is a good thing - when you want to quickly and safely merge into faster-moving traffic on a multi-lane motorway, for instance, or if you want to leap frog several slow-moving cars along a country road, you can do so with no more than the gentle flexing of your right foot.


Occasionally, however, it can be a pain. If you want to accelerate smoothly but quickly out of a junction in damp or cold conditions, for example, the supercharged V8 can all too easily overwhelm the fat rear tyres and, even with the traction control on, you'll end up wheelspinning down the road like bit of a berk.

Once you've mastered the art of tickling the throttle, however, you'll find that the XKR cab is actually as fine a car for a cosseting cruise as it is for high-speed belt down your favourite road.

It's comfy, relaxing and makes a lovely grumbling burble. With the roof down it will keep you warm even on the coldest of days, courtesy of efficient climate control, heated seats and even a heated steering wheel, while your barnet should remain unruffled even at high speeds, unless you are exceptionally tall, or you take you coiffure cues from Jedward.


Roof up, apart from the sensation that the noises form the outside world are a little louder than they ought to be, you wouldn't know you were in a fabric-roofed car.

The XK's basic design is getting on for five years old now, but the cabin, if anything, is better than it ever has been, as Jaguar seems to have consistently upped both the quality of materials and the fit and finish of them. Okay, so the design isn't as brave as an XF's or an XJ's, and the touchscreen infotainment system feels a bit clunky to use these days, but it generally feels like a classy place to be - if not quite up to the standard you might expect, having just shelled out £83,900 for the privilege of owning one.


But what about the performance credentials? With 503bhp and a 0-60mph time of just 4.6secs, you might reasonably expect the XKR cab to be a bit of a B-road beast. And indeed the XKR is quite a hoot down a challenging road. But if you're expecting 911 GT3 levels of flingability, you will be disappointed.

The XKR is just too big, too soft for that. Task it with one of those clichéd jobs, such as cruising down to the Riviera for a summer break, and it would no doubt be a superb - if fuel-heavy - tool, but on your average British country road it just doesn't seem all that fast.

Curiously, though, this is in no way a criticism of the car. Yes it's big, yes it's soft, and no, you won't be able to go all that fast in it, especially on damp roads with the ESP switched off. But the thing is, you will have a hoot all the same.


The steering, although light, is deliciously accurate and quick-acting, the suspension settles the car quickly into a steady cornering attitude, allowing the braver driver to adjust the car's line on the throttle, and the ZF six-speed auto still works more intuitively and more effectively in a Jaguar than in any other application we've tried.

And with that gurgling 503bhp V8 and pleasingly little supercharger whine the straight bits are, of course, also marvellous, albeit over rather too quickly.

The XKR is, in short, a pretty brilliant soft-top companion. Just don't expect to be able to keep up with a Porsche.






Author
Discussion

rix

Original Poster:

2,769 posts

189 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
I must admit to frequently looking at the previous generation soft top XKRs as they're quite a bargain and beautifully elegant IMO, however never realised the prices of these new! Still brilliant.

Greenpis

302 posts

173 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Someone's nicked your title......

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

254 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Spooky....

JR

12,722 posts

257 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Greenpis said:
Someone's nicked your title......
Invisibility cloaking.

FranKinFezza

1,073 posts

178 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Wonderful cars.
Defiantly on my "to own" list
one day.

Greenpis

302 posts

173 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
JR said:
Invisibility cloaking.
I see (not) what you did there! wink

Greenpis

302 posts

173 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Lovely car, if I ever have space, and the spare cash, for a second/weekend car one of these could be it.

The mention in the article of taking it down to the Riviera made me smile though.
A mate had one of the early XK8s, and at 3 months old took his young family down to the South of France.
He didn't see it again for 3 months, after it cooked it's head, due to an incorrect diagnosis of a faulty thermostat by the JLR breakdown chap down there.

He still loved it though!

samuelellis

1,927 posts

200 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
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I have wanted this car ever since Tom gear drove one round gods county

chris_w

2,564 posts

258 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Had the pleasure of one of these on loan for 6 months, it really is epic and very hard to fault.

It's true that it's too large (and feels too large) to be a proper b-road blaster but with enough time in the car your confidence to hustle it greatly increases.

I did take ours to France but only as far as Reims, it would have been very expensive to go further and you would be stopping every couple of hours which would have been a pain; you cannot get more than 25mpg out of these no matter how careful you are.

Also took it to VMax where she did a very easy 168mph (GPS verified) before hitting the generous limiter and was solid as a rock. Roof up and roof down wink

Final mention is for the gearbox, it managed to convert me round to 'flappy paddles' and its hard to imagine I would have enjoyed the car any more with a manual, in fact, the ease of dropping a couple of cogs probably made me use the engine's full performance more often than if I'd been in a manual.

DSLiverpool

14,660 posts

201 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
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Huge discounts on these at the moment especially if you trade up from another Jag

monthefish

20,439 posts

230 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
I don't mean to cause offence, but that is an very poorly written article and I expect better of PH.


the article said:
But if you're expecting 911 GT3 levels of flingability, you will be disappointed.

The XKR is just too big, too soft for that.
Why would anyone expect GT3 levels of flingablity?

Why not also say, "If you're expecting Prius levels of fuel economoy you will be disapointed"

The GT3 is quite a specialist sports car and, although it is still a road car, is has a strong leaning towards track driving/settings, and therefore not a sensible car to be comparing against.



the article said:
Yes it's big, yes it's soft,
banghead
No it isn't.
Perhaps when compared to a GT3 it may be, but in isolation it is not a soft car.

the article said:
and no, you won't be able to go all that fast in it, especially on damp roads with the ESP switched off.
Surely that will depend on the driver.

the article said:
Just don't expect to be able to keep up with a Porsche.
Which Porsche on which road?
Your statement is far too generalist to make any sense.

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
monthefish said:
the article said:
But if you're expecting 911 GT3 levels of flingability, you will be disappointed.

The XKR is just too big, too soft for that.
Why would anyone expect GT3 levels of flingablity?

Why not also say, "If you're expecting Prius levels of fuel economoy you will be disapointed"

The GT3 is quite a specialist sports car and, although it is still a road car, is has a strong leaning towards track driving/settings, and therefore not a sensible car to be comparing against.
Goodness me. It's not as though this is an 8-page Autocar road test, just a fairly quick review, as with many of our Open Season pieces! As for comparisons with the GT3 It's simply a way of highlighting the nature of the car. It's often easier for people (certainly me) to get a grasp of what somehting is like by comparing it with what it is not like.


monthefish said:
the article said:
Yes it's big, yes it's soft,
banghead
No it isn't.
Perhaps when compared to a GT3 it may be, but in isolation it is not a soft car.
Yes, it is. Compared with a 911 Carrera cab, compared with an M6 cab, compared with an Aston V8 Vantage cab - it is softer than all of them, and they are direct competitors.

However, perhaps you misunderstand what I mean by soft - perhaps I ought to have said supple, because the XKR flows rather than jiggles, which makes it ideal for what it does best - fast, but not over-ambitious - country-road driving.

monthefish said:
the article said:
and no, you won't be able to go all that fast in it, especially on damp roads with the ESP switched off.
Surely that will depend on the driver.
No, it won't. There is simply a limit to how much traction it has, and the size of it, coupled with relatively supple suspension settings means that you won't want to chuck it around with gay abandon. Unless you wish to have a crash.

monthefish said:
the article said:
Just don't expect to be able to keep up with a Porsche.
Which Porsche on which road?
Your statement is far too generalist to make any sense.
Okay, I'll give you that one wink - It was a bit of a throwaway line intended to link in with the comments on the GT3 earlier in the piece...

edinph

386 posts

173 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Why on earth would any owner of an XKR want to keep up with a Porsche?

Nutkin

53 posts

186 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Fantastic car to drive, its very tight in corners and the power is just there instantly and when you want it. Amazingly docile when cruising but in tipical jag it just lights up when you hit the dynamic button.

anything fast

983 posts

163 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
HOT HOT HOT

thats what i call a proper top down cruiser (and its also a bit of a bruiser)

Everytime i see one i think why would you pay so much more for an Aston Martin? This Jag is STILL a bargain IMO..

cloud9

tvron

276 posts

247 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Had my 5.0l XKR Cab for year now and hard to fault and whilst not out and out sportscar it really does everything well and is more than fast enough for me plus ride comfort for long journeys superb(have done 600 + miles per day without any fuss)Only car I have had that I do not want to add or change anything on

monthefish

20,439 posts

230 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
Riggers said:
monthefish said:
the article said:
But if you're expecting 911 GT3 levels of flingability, you will be disappointed.

The XKR is just too big, too soft for that.
Why would anyone expect GT3 levels of flingablity?

Why not also say, "If you're expecting Prius levels of fuel economoy you will be disapointed"

The GT3 is quite a specialist sports car and, although it is still a road car, is has a strong leaning towards track driving/settings, and therefore not a sensible car to be comparing against.
Goodness me. It's not as though this is an 8-page Autocar road test, just a fairly quick review, as with many of our Open Season pieces!
All the more reason to be clear, concise and accurate.


riggers said:
As for comparisons with the GT3 It's simply a way of highlighting the nature of the car. It's often easier for people (certainly me) to get a grasp of what somehting is like by comparing it with what it is not like.
In terms of handling, it's not like a Fiesta.
In terms of comfort, it's not like a Phantom.
In terms of luggage space, it's not like an A4 Avant.
In terms of interior style, it's not like a Seat.
In terms of performance, it's not like a BMW 116d.

There, I've written the next article for you.
biggrin

Joking aside, would it not make more sense to identify the differences between it and its closest competitors?


riggers said:
monthefish said:
the article said:
Yes it's big, yes it's soft,
banghead
No it isn't.
Perhaps when compared to a GT3 it may be, but in isolation it is not a soft car.
Yes, it is. Compared with a 911 Carrera cab, compared with an M6 cab, compared with an Aston V8 Vantage cab - it is softer than all of them, and they are direct competitors.

However, perhaps you misunderstand what I mean by soft - perhaps I ought to have said supple, because the XKR flows rather than jiggles, which makes it ideal for what it does best - fast, but not over-ambitious - country-road driving.
Supple is a far more appropriate term. I have driver the XKR fairly extensively, and it is not soft.


riggers said:
monthefish said:
the article said:
and no, you won't be able to go all that fast in it, especially on damp roads with the ESP switched off.
Surely that will depend on the driver.
No, it won't. There is simply a limit to how much traction it has, and the size of it, coupled with relatively supple suspension settings means that you won't want to chuck it around with gay abandon. Unless you wish to have a crash.
Again, I disagree. Of course there is a limit to the traction, but these cars can be driven very fast indeed on normal A/B roads. To say that 'you won't be able to go all that fast in it' is absolute twaddle. I agree with some chap 'Riggers' who was quoted to have said:

"which makes it ideal for what it does best - fast, but not over-ambitious - country-road driving."

The car is fairly lightweight (about 300kg less than an M6), has a good chassis set up (front engined, RWD being typically 'easy' to manage) and has good grip and traction. 'Supple' suspension can be an absolute boost to handling on many British roads, due to its ability to soak up the bumps and ensure the wheel is in contact with the ground as much as possible. (Did LJK Setright not famously say 'what is good for ride is good for handling'?)

I respectfully suggest you have a passeneger ride in an XKR in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, and then come back and tell us that "you can't go all that fast in it".

drangular

240 posts

160 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
If you want to see mine in action last Sunday just go to PH region 'Scotland' 'Oban Run tomorrow....'. The vid. is taken from a 996C4S.
Judge for yourself - especially from 4 minutes to 8 minutes 30. Felt great from where I was sitting!
(couldn't figure out how to post the link sorry!)

Black S2K

1,459 posts

248 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
edinph said:
Why on earth would any owner of an XKR want to keep up with a Porsche?
Because the kindly German farmer with the vintage tractor had offered to tow him the the nearest Jaguar dealer!






I know; they're better than that these days.

Actually, the car is lovely & the idea of something not stupidly harshly-sprung and boorishly crass and therefore actually useable has real appeal.

Is there space for a small labrador on the rear seat?

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Thursday 3rd February 2011
quotequote all
monthefish said:
Joking aside, would it not make more sense to identify the differences between it and its closest competitors?
Hmmm. I'll reluctantly have to give you that one biggrin


I think we'll have to agree to disagree on the soft/supple aspect...

...but...


monthefish said:
The car is fairly lightweight (about 300kg less than an M6), has a good chassis set up (front engined, RWD being typically 'easy' to manage) and has good grip and traction. 'Supple' suspension can be an absolute boost to handling on many British roads, due to its ability to soak up the bumps and ensure the wheel is in contact with the ground as much as possible. (Did LJK Setright not famously say 'what is good for ride is good for handling'?)
I'm not saying it doesn't handle well! I'm saying it does handle well!

As for this one...

monthefish said:
I respectfully suggest you have a passeneger ride in an XKR in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing, and then come back and tell us that "you can't go all that fast in it".
I have. I presume Mike Cross counts as sufficiently able? The point I suppose I'm trying to make is that, on cold, damp roads - especially smaller ones with poor sight lines, the size of the XKR and the traction issues hamper progress. On wider, dryer roads, it's an entirely different matter...

Have a read of this and you'll hopefully see what I mean: http://www.pistonheads.com/roadtests/doc.asp?c=99&...