Jaguar ALIVE Driving Experience

[Merc1]

Jaguar put on a show here this weekend and I must say I have new respect for Jaguar.

They had all their cars there, the XFR, XKR, XKR-S and all the XJ models including the Supersport.

I now have more respect for the XJ. I drove both the Supercharged version and the Supersport version. On real roads and out on a slow speed track. This car has the premium, hushed feel that I expect out of a premium car. The XF simply doesn't drive like the XJ. It doesn't have that expensive feel to it

There was a 0-whatever mph you can get it up to event also. This is sheer fun in the 550hp XKR-S. Cramped car, but man is it fast and sounds like a proper British sports car should. Too bad the design is kinda dated. Still though this makes perfect competition for the SL63 AMG.

No pics. Sorry lol.

I then drove the XK convertible. Really nice, but the SL550 will kill it.


As they stated in the lecture portion of the event, Jaguar is being heavily invested in and should be more competitive than ever before with the Germans in just a few years. The XJ already has the feel and build quality, just needs a tech update. Jaguar's V8 is a gem in both n/a and s/c form.

Dare I say I'd buy a Jaguar someday?



M

 

[K-A]

There's a guy on the MB Forums who was looking into an E Vert. He then got interested in the XKR and it turned out to be somewhat of a dream car to him, enough so that he decided to spend multiple times his initial budget and go for it, as he loved it that much. He ordered it, waited for it, and couldn't stop gushing about it. We then didn't hear from him for a while....

.... He just showed back up, with an order for an SL550, and a tag under the title of his Jag in his Sig: "Lemon". Sadly, it's not the first time I've seen this happen with somebody who's bought a Jag or Aston (leave the M-B, go to Jag, come back after poor quality and Dealer help to top it).

I like where Jag might be going, but they need to prove the quality can compete with M-B and BMW, and not only in reliability, but tactile feel and solidity, etc. My Cousin has an XF Diesel in Paris that is a total work horse, though, and he beats the sh** out of it and it runs and serves him perfectly, so obviously not all Jags are spoiled.