Is The Jaguar XKR Really as Good as an Aston Martin V8 Vantage... For Less?
Today I'm driving a Jaguar XKR - a 2009 model with the 5L V8. I last drove one of these a few years back, and was unimpressed. Now, the cars are a lot cheaper - so is it time to re-evaluate the big cat?
@JaguarUKPR #Jaguar #XKR #Review
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The 4.2L engines are absolutely bulletproof. 203,000 miles and counting on my 09 XK. Absolute best daily driver hands down.
Yes naturally aspirated engines are not however the most reliable in comparison to supercharged cars
Mate my just went down the shitter. Well pkay, it wasnt the Jags fault. My Mechanic thought he did me a "favour" and put some expensive racing oil into it when he changed the oil back in summer. Unfortunately that oil was to "thin" and ran out of the pump over night. That caused, that for the first few rotations when I started the engine, the oil pressure wasnt really there. The chain adjuster for the control chain and the adjustable camshaft rely on oil pressure, and therefore the control chain jumped a tooth or two after short time. Its nothing actually broken, but to get it back right is more expensive, than what the car is worth...
did you have to change shocks or wheel bearings or bushings. anything. is it convertible. did you have to change top.
@@bekabeka71 he just said he got over 200000 miles naturally aspirated. what do you mean not reliable
With the NA motor I’ve saved $2k by not having two of the 100,000 mile supercharger services, so there’s that 😂😂 bushings have been the biggest service item. I’ve got one strut that’s weeping, not a big worry but they’re not too horrible price wise to replace. The suspension bushings are really the thing to look for over 150k miles, it can rack up quick because the parts aren’t quite as readily available as Mercedes or BMW.
Great! Now it's time to hit the Autotrader and waste time looking for used Jaguar XKR...
Goodbye evening
Please dont...
That is if you find this rare Beauty.The XKR is the only Jag that have the speed and looks that will actually give your worthless life any meaning
Doing it as well lol. Finding way more XK’s, but still a lot of car for the money.
Im watching the video while checking CarGurus. Bunch of them less than 20,000
Bought a 2013 XKR 3 weeks back, carbon grey. I'm 27. Loving it :D
half a year later, how do you like it? and how reliable is it?
Nice car bro. How has it been?
@@benlowe578 He's probably killed himself by now 🤔🚗🙁
That noise was enough for me to start searching. Purely glorious
Gorgeous greenhouse and rear haunches, as well.
@@rickc2102 it's got loads to love, but god that noise
I've had one of these for about 7 years now and absolutely love it. The major selling point for me was that other V8 rivals like the M3 at the time had a wonderful engine, but you had to be at 5000 rpm plus to get to the special bit, and these days, where can you drive at those engine speeds without looking like a complete t**t? The XK-R has a V8 that is much more usable everyday with it's low down torque and a sound that you can enjoy anytime. It also gets a far more favourable reaction on the road than a BMW or Porsche. I had a BM for years before the Jag and got used to just waiting to get out a junctions and often found myself caught out in the Jag as people actually stopped to let you out. On a road trip down to Italy and back it was brilliant, including the Stelvio, and in dynamic mode sounded great. The only downside really is the SatNav, which is just hopelessly out of date now. The rest of the infotainment still does ok, it's got DAB and I have an iPod plugged in and I'm not sure you need much more. Cooled seats are great in the summer, and the ride is superb. No major faults to speak of, and running costs are reasonable for what is a 500 bhp car., and there aren't many of those around at reasonable money.
That’s a pretty good assessment, I have the M3 V8 and agreed the power comes above 5000 rpm. But it does sounds sweet at 8400 ;) As far as the Jag, I had an XK8 convertible for a longest time. absolutely loved that car. I have been looking at the xkr 5.0 I like to pick up a convertible., Or an F-Type R in a coupe in some cool color
It's a beautiful machine, thinking I'll get an 07 XKR coupe just as soon as it's sensible to do. The one and only downside for me is the tax. I'm currently in VED band B, paying £20 a year which is nothing. Unless I'm mistaken, XKRs are in band M, making the yearly tax £630. That's quite a punch in the wallet. We all make sacrifices though I suppose.
I am so happy to count myself amongst the Jaguar XK owners. Love driving by it!
thanks for the Jag showcase! enjoying them all
An XK is exceedingly rare over in here the states, especially in my area. Its always a thrill to see one in the wild.
They’re not exactly common here in Blighty. For the masses, it’s mainly Mutti Merkel Metall, my friend. My XKR is the best car I’ve driven.
A decent review. Having owned Astons and Jags - there are few issues with Astons. Their servicing costs are ridiculous. Not sure about the V8 but the V12 Vanquish and DB9 service intervals are 6,000 miles and Aston will take between £1500 & £4000 off you for a service. If you get your aluminium Aston dinged - that's another £2,000 to £4,000 depending on the extent of the damage. Aluminium Jaguar bodies seem less stressed and cost less to repair. Aston seats are less comfortable - in fact the DB9 is about the least comfortable car I've sat in. Finally, much of an Aston, in, in fact, Jaguar! The convertible hoods, engines and almost all ancillary components are made by Jaguar. BTW - the Aston V8 engine is a Jaguar AJV8 Gen II, whereas the later XKs have the AJV8 Gen III - which is more advanced. Astons are a 'right-of-passage' and once you've owned a few, you 'see the light' and end up buying a Jaguar.
Very accurate information, thank you for it. Aston Martin places itself above Jaguar in terms of pricing, but I genuinely believe Jaguar makes superior cars for less. Plus, when it comes to branding...a Jaguar is much cooler symbol, brandname and imagery than "Aston Martin".
But you can’t shift a manual in a Jag
And the sportshift in the Aston is shite.!!!!
@@Celestias no one cares about the newer cars because they're all garbage, but people put the older astons above the older jags because they're better cars, actual transmission, better sounding and more unique engine, better looks, better legacy. Sure the jag could be a better daily, but there's no reason to daily a big 2 seater v8
There is no comparison once you have driven both. Aston feels so much more special! That said, jag is an absolute steal in today's market.
I have an XKR and I would say that was a very accurate and fair review. Well done JayEmm. To answer the “maintenance” question, I have just had mine serviced at a Jaguar main dealer for £250, yes, I repeat two hundred and fifty quid.
That's pretty awesome
28 and just bought my first car 2007 XK coupe 4.2 naturally aspirated, take out the rear muffler with after market and you have gr8 sounding v8. Slate grey, ivory seats and burr walnut cabin. 20 inch Senta wheels. Been detailing it past 2 months. Learn as you go. The lines on this thing are second to none! makes you feel proud to be British. 🇬🇧
You’re nailing this at the minute James, you and Harry about the only car channels I watch content start to end 👍🏻
Thanks bud, glad you are enjoying the content
As always awesome video looking forward to the rest of the videos cheers mate
The best thing I love about my RRS is the 5.0 V8. These jags aging really well heading to autotrader now.
Jag Week! Excellent idea! Nice review.
Nice review I love my 2013 XKR. It’s a daily driver and along with those oh so gorgeous looks, it’s a joy to be in. I’d say it’s more comparable to.a DB9 in terms of its intent and purpose than a v8 vantage. Nice review I shall look forward to the rest of jag weekend :)
I've had an xkr for a few years now and I love it. It's absolutely amazing for daily driving and showing off. It's 5 litre V8 is fantastic and the exhaust sound is better than most.
Thanks for posting the review, I`ve one of these lined up to buy, can`t wait after watching this.
Great review Jay. Enjoyed that. Always loved these. Especially in black ;-) Am going to look at the long term reliability now..
Super car. Superb video. Thanks Jay!
Always liked XK design. A classic indeed. Happy to see that it is well on the road too.
my late father had a 2006 XK4.2, was as you say better as a grand tourer - managed to get my bike in the boot once with both wheels off after some juggling, always felt strong with a lovely engine but uninspiring auto gearbox - however it always felt huge, heavy and hard to place or drive quickly on anything but wide roads.
Great video and review. I've had mine for a little over a year now, and I love it. Everyone loves the looks. It's a great touring car with good space in the trunk, and it will GO when you want it to. It's exactly what it it looks like. I haven't had any maintenance yet, but tires and brakes will probably run $2k, which is not good. But, it's practically a race car, so I'm ok with that.
I had one of these in 2009/10. Wish I'd never sold it. You're right, it was very tail happy in the wet but otherwise a lovely car. That sound is still incredible.
Awesome car. Great video. Keep up the good work.
Great review, you should be on the tv. Nice to see more north Essex countryside on the screen. The Wethersfield to Sible Hedingham road is quite a good drive so long as farm vehicles haven't dumped most of a field on the tarmac.
I’m always all over these jags when I see one, and the sound... I always said, every drop of fuel going into these engines is a blessing of god. 😃😃
Such good looking cars, classically beautiful. I think it looks better in a regular subdued color, I like that bright blue but I don't think it really fits this model that well.
Very accomplished presentation style. Puts some TV presenters to shame
Great start to the week thanks
Absolutely Love these, I've been watching "Beard & Cars" ' Great channel ' & i can see me buying one of these, Superb video James as always !& a Happy New Year!
I own a 2009 black on black Jaguar XK I love this car almost more than my 2014 Stingray and the looks I get from people whenever I park the car is phenomenal
Great channel you and Harrys garage are now my 2 go to car channels I've watched you on my phone my x box and my pc to get you more views also I've had a couple of jags love a jaaaaag!
Michael Ainslie mine too
Solid review. I have a soft spot for these myself.
Nick Hall you are not the only one. 😃
Funny enough I was looking at these recently. Even more convinced now to keep my eyes open for one
I have a XKR and this review is the most accurate out there i'd say!
I have 1 too😁😁😁Check my instagram @LCameemo86
This fella didn’t get the brief on what the XKR is, it’s a fookin GT. A grand tourer.
@@kevinmartin9775 you're right
Hey James. I've recently been thinking about getting an XKR. The idea of owning such a raucous, British mark is hugely appealing to me. I've also noticed models I would want are appearing approved used in my price range. Then I thought, I bet James has a video I can watch. And here I am!
Ooh cool a new video about xkr's I recently bought the 2011 with only 22k miles and was thinking of making a video myself for anyone who is thinking of getting one because there is so little new content around these days. I'll be taking it to Germany on the autobahn next week so I can really appreciate it. One thing I can say is you are absolutely right to be concerned about that rear end. I have banned myself from driving this thing even slightly riskily when it's wet now after experiencing a couple scary fish tail moments when not even using anywhere near all the power it has. It's just a shame I bought the car at the start of autumn and the British roads have been wet nearly every day since.
Pussed out and bought the 2010 XK, while it was an awesome ride in it's own right, I just couldn't handle not having the XKR. Sold the XK last week and the one that wants to kill me will be here in two, can't effin was wait!!
I was looking at one of these and love the noise when you press the starter button. Very Aston Martin like. However I needed the use of the back seats so went for a Mercedes CLK 500. A more useful coupe......................but its far too quiet I need to release the 5 litre v8 growl. Great review as ever
Do they throw in a date with the gorgeous Angela Merkel with every Merc?
I wish there was a video on the X100 version XK - the prior generation. That body style is so gorgeous and still feels fresh
That’s the XKR I have, the X100. I prefer the looks to the X150. Seems classier, simpler, less fussy. Makes me feel special when I drive it. Always a smile on my face.
Review is accurate. My 7 yr old XK has not required any repair outside of routine maintenance. Best driving car I ever had. I can only imagine how the R is my XK on steroids. The only negative of car was the display panel and infotainment system. Needed some modernization for sure. Big mistake for Jag to stop production of one of the most beautiful autos ever made.
Is it true it feels like a mustang with irs and suspension upgrades+ a supercharger (obviously put together in a much better manner with superior materials in most cases) but FEELING/chassis/driving experience wise?
Great review Jay! I use my 2010 XKR as a daily commuter (in good weather) and now have 229,000 km on it. It has been an excellent GT with room for the kids too. Cheers
I have a 2010 did you ever change your transmission oil. what other work did you do please let me know
Bigsal I have not changed the transmission fluid. Just injectors, plugs and regular oil changes and filters. The rest is just wear items like tires and brakes. I also had one issue with a coolant leak that was a cheap part but 8 hours to correct.
@@JimPakeman I had to change my supercharger belt and the water pump was leaking.
Bigsal that’s good to know. I have heard of water pump and transmission issues. How many kms on your car?
A car dealer said to me once, an Aston Martin is just a Jag in a party frock, not too sure I believed him but they do seem to have improved over the years, and the Jag is a nice mover, I remember being more than impressed many years ago after driving a new just announced XJ6 and they still look good today.
Great review. I traded in my Aston for the XKR, and having just completed my first year with the Jag, i can look back and say that I made the right choice. The XKR can be best described as the Gentleman Pirate.
Gentlemen pirate I like that,that will cut your head off if you don't respect the power.im shopping for one now.🍺
@@davidgreen1504 I have had mine a year. The car is bullet proof, and when unleashed it has more power than you will ever use. You are going to fall in love.
Glad to hear that Henry I'm currently driving 2015 Audi s8 I picked up 6months ago outstanding car 39000miles,have a Good Holiday to you and family.
Thinking of part exchanging my xf for one of these, is there any reliability issues and what should I look out for .
Agree with you 100 percent regarding revvy engines etc. I set out to buy an s2000 thinking of love the high revving engine. In reality though I found it to be frustrating and the lack of torque made it feel slow 90 percent of the time. Porsche flat sixes can suffer a bit from this when driving below 4K rpm, but not as badly as the vtec’s.
Looking forward to this series. Always liked the idea of one of these but wanted an NA 5.0. I had and xjr once but I never got along with the supercharger noise. The whine didn’t feel very “jag” (if that’s a thing)
Others have mentioned a 4.7L Maserati Granturismo from the same era as an interesting GT competitor to the XKR. I would like to see you do a review comparing the two!
I used to drive these new, plus the F Type, XJ, and XF, and my favourite modern Jaguar was always the XK 5.0 V8 Coupe, non R. I always felt that the XKR broke loose too easily, but the 380hp in the vanilla V8 was the *perfect* amount of power, and you lost only the slightly sexier noise of the supercharged engines exhaust with the NA V8 which could be easily solved with an exhaust swap. I've always felt that a GT style Jaguar should be capable but not overtly sports focused, and that's exactly what this XK is. I'm all for Jaguar supercars and sports cars in their line up, but this GT is in my opinion excellent as a GT, and I'd take one over an Aston Martin any day (and I drove plenty of them too).
Phil Atkins I own the 09 XK with 380hp that actually just Broken in for Lack of Road use 52,000 miles. I had been wanting an XKR for performance but after a 700 mile road trip it’s WOKEN UP and I have Changed my mind , I FREAKING LOVE THIS CAR!!!! It’s Perfect Now and since I am now 65 it’s Time I Grew Up , I think I‘ll keep it another 11 years . Great assessment.
Please tell me which you recommend. 07 xk or 2010 xk with 5 liter
@@gordonrettmann8302 2010 without a doubt. It is a delightful engine, just test drive both types and you'll see exactly what I mean. The R models are sadly incompetent at putting down power and it really saps the enjoyment, so stick with the "mere 380hp" that the 5.0 naturally aspirated one has. It is an absolute dream
@@gordonrettmann8302 I know you didn't ask me, lol, but if you're talking just "XK's", I'd say the 2010 as that extra 80hp over the 07 is definitely worth it, and like Phil said, it's way useable and fun hp! Good luck in whatever one you choose!!
@@joannaatkins822 "The R models are sadly incompetent at putting down power and it really saps the enjoyment" Haha, sorry to differ with you my fellow Jag man, but, I have a 2015 XKR and there is nothing "sad" or "saps the enjoyment" about this car, IMHO, lol. Had a 2010 XK and it's definitely fun, but nowhere in the "enjoyment" range, for me, in comparison. The XKR with a good quality tire puts down the power just fine and then some! I will say, any temps under 50 degrees she can be scary no matter the tire. But I love scary along with waxing 99.9% of most cars on the road! Apparently it's still not scary enough for me as she is getting a tune and smaller pulley to take her to nearly 700rwp. But that's what makes life good in that we are all not the same, lol.
My friend in Australia had an 6.6 supercharged xkr. It's was a beast.
Great review as always, I enjoyed that😁 Yep, my every day car is a 2008 xkr, love that bloody car. Got an after market exhaust on it that really shows of the auto rev match on the down change. It's my first jag and I love the thing.
Same here my daily drive 09 xkr convertible with smaller pulley, hiflow catalityc with cat back exhaust ! I just passed 100,000 miles last month! Just love the car it is a head Turner for sure
@@benladiajr I'm thinking of buying a 08 xkr with 100k miles, should I be fine as long as I get it inspected first. Heard mixed things about reliability
@@elmerfapp7804 did you buy it?
How is your car holding up all these years later?
Still one of the best looking cars on the road
i remember seeing a normal 4.2 convertible about a year ago thinking how cheap it was and how modern it still looks for its age. if i could afford a second car and that v8 running cost i would seriously consider it
Lovely looking motor!! Peace From London. 🙏🙏
I love these cars. That exhaust note made my boy bits tingle.
Beautiful car..... Enough said!
Great Value Car my only gripe the head room being 6ft3 ..
Had mine since 2017, love it. Had the Xkr upped to 560bhp, by putting a bigger cog in the supercharger. Fitting sports exhaust and getting it chipped. Really head turner ( sound) when I put my foot down. But always keep the traction on, helps stop wheel spin plus keeping it in a straight line. But don't floor it until you have the wheels straight - or the big cat will bite you !!!
The first XKRs without the flims and flams and wing extensions was absolutely gorgeous. The later versions (in my opinion) detracted from the majesty. Reasons to go for the cheaper 4.2l XKR I guess. =)
My former colleague has a 4.2 and he loves it and its not hard to see why.
Spot on review. I bought a XKR 2009 3 weeks ago. I love it, had a bit of trouble with it a the begining on wet roads. You really have to be gentle with the gas pedal ! Infotainement is rather dated to say the least but you don't buy a XKR for that. Rear seats are more an extension of the boot than for passenger though my 11 years old daughter can endure it for short period (no more than 20 mn) before complaining. My biggest gripe with this car is rearview wich is awfull but all in all it's a minor inconvenience compared to the tons of fun I have with it. Thumbs up for your review and the XKR.
How did you resolve your trouble with the wet roads? Just not go quick?
Bought my 2013 XKR on the strength of this video . Very happy I did. Here in Australia the roads in central Australia are autobahnish
Just bought an XKR Convertible and even though it has a few issues I love it! I have driven hundreds of cars but this is the best!
I have an xkr it is still a great drive even though older and still turns heads.
A new to me XKR in my future. Tail end lively? I drive a supercharged 7L Z06 daily driver.
Enjoyable video/review thanks :-) I will have to have one of these Jaguar V8s in my life for a bit at some point, whether it's XF, XK or F-type or possibly even a big old Range Rover I'll have to wait and see! :P One thing I'm not sure about - you say you have it in dynamic mode "because you may as well", then lots of commentary about how pulling away it's breaking loose all the time, well... dynamic/sport/whatever aggressive mode puts so much throttle in so little of the pedal travel, it's hardly surprising? I obviously don't know if you had it in dynamic for all of the footage in this video but you didn't say otherwise. In cars I've driven with "driving modes" the normal mode whatever it may be called is invariably the most enjoyable to me even for enthusiastic driving. To me the most aggressive modes are rarely enjoyable to drive on the road or probably even the track, having more control with your right foot is only good to me (i.e. a more linear response rather than loading all the power into the first fraction of the pedal travel)
I agree, Jaguar as a brand is criminally overlooked. They have achieved so much through such a relatively limited number of vehicle models. The XK120 fastest car in the world, the E type generally held as the prettiest car in the world, the XJ220 fastest car in the world, the 1997 XJR the fastest 4 door saloon car in production of its day, the D type an incredibly successful race car. They achieve so much, more than many other companies with a far greater model history but yet seem to see so little recognition. It's a shame they became lumbered with the old man image which no doubt bogged them down.
You are right apart from the bloody headlining falling down. Every Jg I have owned thee headlining has dropped inc my latest the XF which was a nightmare the windscreen and rear window had to be removed to fix the headlining. Tip here. If this happens to your XF store the car in a cool place overnight have the windows removed first thing in the morning nd the windscreen won't break. If you do the job on a hot day the screen WILL break. Because of this I will never buy another Jag. They know what the problem is which is using the wrong glue and the wrong foam which they are too mean to fix
@@algail44 I own a 1998 Jaguar XJR, there are replacement aftermarket headlinings which can be folded so that all you need to do is lower the seat backs in order to get it fitted, no windscreen removal. If that is really the only major problem you have had with your car then you would be foolish to avoid the brand entirely due to one oversight.
It's the inside that lets it down,. First generation XK8/XKR are what Jaguar were all about. Wood and leather and great styling. I wouldn't compromise my old generation just for the superior performance of the later generation. If possible I would drop today's engine into the old model.
It's a taste thing. The leather is pretty much the same in both cars but the veneer trim in the 150 is more constrained than in the 100, but I lways felt, that for a GT, there was too big an area of veneer in the 100, that dash and cubby box is too deep, it has even more veneer than the XJ. But like I said, it's a matter of taste, we are all different (fortunately)
The XKR is a very beautiful car. I still drive my Jaguar XJR and made maintenance videos on my channel.
That sound at the beginning as you pulled out of the layby oooooo. Lovely video.
Sounds amazing but not sure that's for me! Great car thou James
What are your thoughts on this XKR vs the M6 V10. Very different or similar to drive?
I don't know if it's "as good" but the XKR is much better looking. That's one hell of a good looking car. Cheers!
Had a 1998 Lotus Esprit Coupe, faster, handed like a dream but lacked many interior niceties. Now have a 2010 Jag. R, can’t complain about the power, the sound makes the stereo irrelevant, handling is terrific, interior is perfect for an old ‘gent’ + will hold a hockey bag full of kit!! 🇨🇦
From Roger, Jay thanks for this review on XKR. You on a damp road surface make mention of car’s apparent inability to hold the power down on the road, rear end break-a-way. But may I just add comment that on my 2013 XKR Coupe owned for 15 months which when I bought I put new Dunlop Sport Max’s on all round. That because these tyres have prematurely hair line cracked around the entire circumference of the tyres in the valleys between the tread pattern. I have now taken them off for return to Dunlop with 5,000 miles on them. Have replaced with Michelin Pilot Sport 4s all round. Whilst I thought on performance grip etc Dunlop’s were doing ok. I know realise they were not that great in comparison with The Michelin’s. Which much better turn in and grip responses on wet and dry surfaces. Not sure whether you were on good rubber when you did your road test, but might have made a big difference to how the car felt.
The US version was still 420hp until 2010 which then hit 510hp and I've watched stock 420hp cars hit mid to high 12s.. The 0-60 is off. The XKR with 510hp ran 0-60 in 4 seconds and a 12.3 1/4 mile. Car and Driver. I ran that in a non-supercharged 2019 Camaro 2SS with the 10 spd auto with 455hp and 455 torque. All kinds of variables can change these numbers. A 2010 XF Suoercharged runs 60 in 4.2 seconds.
The f type is a competitor to the Vantage. The XKR is a competitor to the DB9
Fun fact is that they're aren't competitors since Ford owns both brands and they are simply different flavors.
@@AlwaysExtraCrispy in 2008 Tata motors owned Jaguar. Ford had sold this brand by the time of this cars introduction.
@@nickstrain3482 I believe this was the case when they acquired Land Rover
@@AlwaysExtraCrispy The company is called Jaguar Land Rover.
Fantastic GT and I agree the shape is better than the F type (especially the later RS variants) the F is great but does look a little odd from some angles though the dash is nice in the F (in my personal opinion)
They sound awesome !
I bought an 08 XKR a year ago and LOVE it.
Reliability issues?
How is that going?
Astons are a 'right of passage' - when you can afford one you buy one. Then you realise their limitations and you buy a Jaguar... Having owned several Astons, including a Vanquish, DB9 and V8, I now drive a 2012 XK Convertible and love it! (For those interested, the 4.2L XK rides better than the 5.0L) BTW - the Aston V8 is fitted with a Jaguar Gen 2 engine with an Aston head. The last XK's had a Jaguar Gen 3 engine which is much superior and slightly more economical.
How come a 4.2 rides better than a 5.0? The latter got a serious update of the suspension as far as I know... Thanks in advance for the info!
No, you buy the 911 when you want a better car then the Aston
Great job as always! You didn't mention the best version of the car...the GT :) I have one, and they have done a MUCH better job of getting the power to the road.
Pretty rare thing the GT
@@JayEmmOnCars 43 in the world. Mine is the only one in Japan, and also the only black one :)
Big fan of the XKR although I'd suggest its rival would be closer to the DB9; whilst the Aston has 4 more cylinders, power, size and shape are similar to the DB9 over the V8V. Being a V8 Vantage owner, I'd have that all day long, the noise alone makes it more desirable for me, then there's the exclusively and its looks. The V8V is strangled on power by its awful exhaust manifolds and very dense catalysts. Aston's Sportshift is absolutely fine and gets a very unfair rap, when you get used it and use it as intended, a manual gearbox with automated clutch, it's a great system. Read the AM guide and it helps you understand the system (yes, it's without its quirks), but it's good. 'Hypershift' actually makes quicker gear changes than the traditional manual box. I prefer it to a torque converter for example. I like it as much as a traditional manual and I've always been a 'diehard' manual fan, but the SS system bridges that gap between automatic and manual and is perfect for fast road driving. Get used to the system and understand it, and it's highly enjoyable. Autoblip on downshift is also a neat function - the best system for the roadster on long continental touring trips, I'd not use it on the track for example. Nevertheless, Aston aside, the Jag XKR is a beautiful car, I've always loved them and would definitely have one if I had a bit more space!
How weird, another automatic Aston trying to justify his laziness on buying a shit transmission. I’m sorry the jag is an auto because it is a grand tourer, the Aston was made to compete with the 911 ergo it’s supposed to be a sports car.
Agreed!!
Great review! I messaged you on Pistonheads about my Jaguar XFR but sadly heard nothing back. Would love to hear you opinion! All the best, Tom
Tom, email me on talk@jayemm.com
I put Firestone-Indy 500 tires on my jag and they absolutely brought the car to life, dramatically improved how planted the car feels and gave much more rear end confidence and balance (even in the wet!)… it’s incredible how much the right tires can bring a car to life! Yes, they are unfortunately an American brand, but the Jag is very much an American style “hot-rod” (big, heavy, powerful and automatic).
did they make it quieter?
Gotta great exhaust tone ☺
me too.
Have a 2011 xk with 60k on the clock. Absolute perfection i fall in love with her every day. Cleo
Jaguar could have the F-type and the XK in their line up. The F-type being a sports car, while the XK being a GT. At least they could have made a new XK based on the XF.
Best Jag ever made from a performance point of view
As an owner of an '07 XKR, couldn't agree more. I love the Aston's, but try and find a shop to do a single thing. Small thing, but my iPhone XR still Bluetooth's in....sure wished the music played though .... overall, gets looks everywhere and grins when you hammer it.
Just bought myself a manual V8 coupe, sadly not one of these, just couldn’t face the running costs, or the auto box or the ‘old duffer’ image, but this is definitely a heart purchase car. Got to love a jaaaaaaaag!
Jabber 1974 I have 229,000 km on my 2010 XKR and use it as my commuter car. They are reliable
I've had the thrilling pleasure of owning three Jaguar XK8's, Oh My, the thrill of driving this sweet car is truly an endless love affair. Jags best fan
I own a 4.2 XKR coupe 2008 .I always find Jaguar over bling the mid term updates of their care of including the x150. I have owned a 2001 S Type and 1998 XK8. All their launch designs are the purist form. OK there are often mechanical upgrades that accompany the facelift but these cars are ALL about the look yes? When I bought my XKR a guy at the same dealership was finalising a deal for an AM Vantage at 2.5x the price of my car.He called me over to verify the driver's door was out of line whilst the salesman was there--it was massively out -I was shocked how poor the finish was on a premium brand but I guess the guy was in love... The salesman involved in the AM sale said to me he would always buy Jaguar over AM because of reliability and finish.....
Which engine option on the XK is the best in terms of reliability and running costs?
Ive been cross shopping this and a Maserati Gran Turismo. Thoughts?
The price on these has rocketed since this was made, I bought mine in June 2021 and it’s now worth 8k more than I paid 😄 happy days 👍
Hi all considering getting one but have heard a few stories and issues about rust !! any advice?
I love the xk's and the xkr.
These are perfect companionship on a trip to the riviera. Not the fastest on Nurburgring but surprisingly agile and capable and gives a soft supple ride. And that’s what I want 99% of the time. Tired of overdamped nervous cars.