There are some amazing deals for new XKR-Cs available, so I decided to get this out of my system once and for all. I have always liked the XK, and have always imagined owning one.
I got this one this weekend for 24 hours:
XKR is a very accomplished car. The demo I had was equipped with the "Performance Active Exhaust" which really was sensational. Quiet when pootling, wicked and near illegal noises when vigorously flexing the right foot. Dynamically, it hides its weight very well, and flows beautifully once you get it in its stride through the corners with just the correct amount of throttle and weight transfer.
It feels a bit weird at first, but it sort of floats above the road .. this makes it feel very agile and athletic, like a much lighter and smaller car.
Overcook it though, and the mass comes flooding back.
Ride wise, it is firm and almost never crashy. It's a thing of wonder, considering it's on 20" wheels.
Power wise, it's as quick as the CLS if you are in dynamic mode. 6 speed box is excellent too, prompt changes, with some blipping on down changes.
Having said that, the Jag supercharged engine is not world class like the 55K engine .. remember that Jaguar introduced its supercharged engine about 3 years AFTER Mercedes pensioned off the 55K.
In isolation, the Jaguar 5 liter supercharged engine is a strong and high performing engine. What it does not have and does not give a perception of, is the 55K's relentless and near instantaneous urge and the 55K's sense of unbreakability and longevity. It's the perception of quality or the not quite there quality ...
My only gripes are with the infotainment system and the perceived quality. The touchscreen system is dated and requires too much back and forth, and the graphics are reminiscent of 386 processor PCs. The worse sin are the doors, they close with a clang, not a thud. And it does not make me feel that it would last the distance. The doors just ruin the whole experience for me -- all I can think of when I open or close the doors is how nasty and cheap they feel.
Interior quality simply isn't there; yes, much of it is covered in leather, but the standard is more Alfa Romeo than Mercedes. The leather on the seats are not a patch on my designo leather seats.
On top of all that, I don't like the seats .. too narrow and feel as if they are meant for a smaller car. Comfortable enough, but not seats you don't want to get out off.
The switch gear is brittle, light and mostly nasty .. some of it (the 3 rectangular switches just below the centre console screen) is worse than Fisher Price. Again, it feels cheap, light and just has no depth or feeling of quality.
It just does not feel expensive or that well constructed. It feels very average, and has no right to call itself an SL competitor.
Despite all that, it's a great car to drive and I can imagine flirting with one. I just can't imagine owning one, used or buying a new one even with a huge discount. I'm afraid I will tire of it much like a 2 year old moves on to his new Christmas toy when the shine of the Easter bunny has faded.
I had oscillated between wanting one and not wanting to spend the cash. But now, I know I don't want an XKR-C badly enough; the tech is too old, the quality is not nearly there, the seats are a compromise and most of all, I have no confidence in its engineering depth and integrity.
So, my old friend of nearly 4 years has again fought off another contender to its garage space
I got this one this weekend for 24 hours:
XKR is a very accomplished car. The demo I had was equipped with the "Performance Active Exhaust" which really was sensational. Quiet when pootling, wicked and near illegal noises when vigorously flexing the right foot. Dynamically, it hides its weight very well, and flows beautifully once you get it in its stride through the corners with just the correct amount of throttle and weight transfer.
It feels a bit weird at first, but it sort of floats above the road .. this makes it feel very agile and athletic, like a much lighter and smaller car.
Overcook it though, and the mass comes flooding back.
Ride wise, it is firm and almost never crashy. It's a thing of wonder, considering it's on 20" wheels.
Power wise, it's as quick as the CLS if you are in dynamic mode. 6 speed box is excellent too, prompt changes, with some blipping on down changes.
Having said that, the Jag supercharged engine is not world class like the 55K engine .. remember that Jaguar introduced its supercharged engine about 3 years AFTER Mercedes pensioned off the 55K.
In isolation, the Jaguar 5 liter supercharged engine is a strong and high performing engine. What it does not have and does not give a perception of, is the 55K's relentless and near instantaneous urge and the 55K's sense of unbreakability and longevity. It's the perception of quality or the not quite there quality ...
My only gripes are with the infotainment system and the perceived quality. The touchscreen system is dated and requires too much back and forth, and the graphics are reminiscent of 386 processor PCs. The worse sin are the doors, they close with a clang, not a thud. And it does not make me feel that it would last the distance. The doors just ruin the whole experience for me -- all I can think of when I open or close the doors is how nasty and cheap they feel.
Interior quality simply isn't there; yes, much of it is covered in leather, but the standard is more Alfa Romeo than Mercedes. The leather on the seats are not a patch on my designo leather seats.
On top of all that, I don't like the seats .. too narrow and feel as if they are meant for a smaller car. Comfortable enough, but not seats you don't want to get out off.
The switch gear is brittle, light and mostly nasty .. some of it (the 3 rectangular switches just below the centre console screen) is worse than Fisher Price. Again, it feels cheap, light and just has no depth or feeling of quality.
It just does not feel expensive or that well constructed. It feels very average, and has no right to call itself an SL competitor.
Despite all that, it's a great car to drive and I can imagine flirting with one. I just can't imagine owning one, used or buying a new one even with a huge discount. I'm afraid I will tire of it much like a 2 year old moves on to his new Christmas toy when the shine of the Easter bunny has faded.
I had oscillated between wanting one and not wanting to spend the cash. But now, I know I don't want an XKR-C badly enough; the tech is too old, the quality is not nearly there, the seats are a compromise and most of all, I have no confidence in its engineering depth and integrity.
So, my old friend of nearly 4 years has again fought off another contender to its garage space
.
