Jaguar XKR Convertible 2007 Review

Road Test

How is it that when winter arrives at Carsales Network HQ, so do the convertibles? In recent weeks we've played host to Audi's TT Roadster and an Alfa Spider. In the carpark as this is tapped out there's a Carrera S soft-top and the new Peugeot 207CC.

The Porsche has turned heads as you'd expect. The Audi was a favourite among the rank and file, given its machined from billet modernity and a pricetag that is almost achievable for the mere mortal. The Alfa's delicate alloy wheels and simply elegant lines won it fans and the Pug -- well, that's a hit purely for the fact it offers open motoring at not much more than hatch costs.

Eclipsing the Porsche for outright star status, however, was the other convertible we've driven since the rain started -- the Jaguar XKR.

Plenty of flash motors get 'airtime' at Carsales HQ but few get the reaction the XKR engendered. Perhaps it's a function of the rarity of Jaguar's performance flagship Down Under. While Porsche sells around 50 911s per month (346 YTD July 2007), an average of just 12 XK and XKRs find new homes.

Perhaps on the other hand it's the unmistakable, uniquely feline lines of the big Brit, for whether you're a fan or not, the XKR could be nought else. Jaguar has a mortgage on certain long, swoopy lines and the XKR uses all of them.

Powered by a supercharged 4.2-litre V8 that's essentially carried over from the last generation XKR (and the S-Type R), the big cat can muster 306kW at 6250rpm and a Fordson-rivalling 560Nm of torque at 4000rpm. According to the maker that's enough to push the 1715kg soft-top from 0-100km/h in a blink over 5sec and on to a top speed that would be in the high 200s were it not for an electronic limiter.

Let loose, this engine is a cracker. It builds revs and momentum with consummate ease and when the throttle's buried there's an amazing blend of Spitfire and NASCAR that emanates from under the long sculptured bonnet.

Keep the lid on your enthusiasm, however, and all that fire and brimstone can be metered in surprisingly small amounts. Indeed once you get over the desire to turn the big rear tyres into clouds of blue smoke, the XKR can be quite frugal.

Over a mixed few days of freeway, city work and quick country jaunt we managed to get the XKR's average down to around 13.2lt/100km. Pretty impressive for car capable of staying with all but the very fastest of supercars to well over the legal limit.

The XKR's long, loping gait positively swallows miles on the freeway but turn onto the twisties and it sharpens up its act. The sometimes at odds requirements of body control and ride are well balanced and the brakes have every bit of the power and longevity you'd expect from a top notch performance two-door. Steering has solid weighting but lacks feel -- on a tight and challenging road a 911 it ain't.

By the way, we love the way the engine management system blips the throttle when you manually downchange the six-speed ZF auto gearbox, too. (Given the base unit is closely related to that used in the humble Falcon, can we please have the same on the Orion GT? And, while we're at it, the wheel-mounted paddles as well!)

Away from racer road, the XKR's cabin is inviting and the front seats generously sized and shaped. The low seating position is pure sports/GT and is just the thing when you're enjoying the open road but it also mean that some owners will be less than comfortable manoeuvring the car in tight confines.

The poor rear three-quarter vision that's par for the course with four-place soft-tops doesn't help the situation.

We're not keen on the carbon-weave alloy highlights the optional sports luxury interior brings with it however. It simply looks like the car's interior team was trying too hard.

And despite the overall impression of quality at first glance, there are glitches. For example, at night the main gauges have annoying reflections and 'bleed' light adjacent to the illuminated tacho and speedo needles that cheapens the effect. Meantime, the touch-screen multimedia and satnav system that dominates the dash's centre stack is often unreadable when the roof's down and sometimes when it's up. At least the system is intuitive and easy to use.

And while we don't normal grizzle about audio, for a $250K car the XKR's tinny reproduction simply isn't up to scratch.

The XKR's boot is next to useless -- just like a 911s! Audi's little TT does this part of the roadster equation better. You'll have to pack light if there's two of you travelling in the Jag.

Mind you the Audi doesn't deliver rear seats. The Jaguar has two but they sit a rear-seater bolt upright and are little more than token. There's no room behind even a short driver so like a 911 the XKR is really a 2+1 at best.

Roof down, the buffeting is quite strong -- again the TT's one-row cockpit and electric wind deflector means it does a much better job of controlling the airflow. Our experience with 'our' 911 Cabrio tends to suggest that it manages the airflow better than the British car, too.

Meantime roof up, even a casually car-proud owner will notice there's an appreciable gap between the base of the roofliner and the cabin side on the interior of what would be a C-pillar on a coupe. It's hard to see a Benz or Porsche owner putting up with this sort of detailing.

Indeed, it's this sort of shortfall that erodes the Jaguar's overall desirability.

As noted above, the donor XK coupe and convertibles' lines are nothing if not traditional. Less traditional are the various grilles and apertures the stylists have added in creating the racier R model. Although the car turns heads and elicits amazing reactions, we're of the belief that the add-on grille detailing, extra vents and rear spoiler are all a little low rent.

AMG and BMW M Division and the S gang from Audi seem to be able to tread the line between class and crass with their add-ons and pipes, but when push comes to shove the XKR looks like it's the work of a heavy-handed aftermarket mob.

Put it down to experience, but we'd like to see the enhancements a little more subtle.