Ever since Tata Motors purchased Jaguar and Land Rover from the Ford Motor Company in 2008, diehard Jaguar enthusiasts have worried that the Indian automaker might fail to fund the stately British brands in pursuit of other projects. Showing that they are good to their word, Tata has allowed Jaguar to continue to grow and thrive, despite tough market conditions.
Perhaps the best manifestation of where Jaguar is going can be found in the XKR convertible, a luxury 2+2 convertible that is as bold as it is beautiful, offering top down fun rivaling the best of what Europe has to offer to the rest of the world.
Redesigned And Ready To Go
Jaguar redesigned the XK line recently, to create a high fashion, high speed engineering achievement. Powered by a supercharged 4.2L V8 producing 420 horsepower and mated with a six-speed automatic transmission (with shift paddles), the XKR moves the convertibles rear wheels with precision, relying on stability control and a computer activated suspension system to keep the Jaguar on track. Performance ventilated disc brakes and an anti-lock brake system ensures that the cat stops on a dime, every time.
Though seating is for four, the rear compartment is best occupied by small children or by no one at all. With front seats pushed back, precious little room is left for anyone else, making the rear area much more suitable to use as supplemental storage space to complement the woefully tiny trunk compartment. But, no one buys the XKR for its rear room or storage space, choosing to red-line this baby and enjoy its segment leading ride quality.
Luxury, In And Out
On the outside of the XKR, the oval grille is offset by a pair of bi-xenon headlamps which blend into the sweeping curve of the hood. 19 inch Sabre or optional 20 inch Senta wheels give the XKR a bold appearance, with the lines of the coupe sweeping back to a nicely tapered trunk deck. The Thinsulate roof is power-latching and self-stowing, providing a robust contrast to the rest of the Jaguar's body.
Inside, luxury touches abound from the burl wood or satin American trim to the leather wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob. Soft grain leather appointments can be found on the doors, instrument panel and center console, the leather trimmed seats generously employ the same material on the seating surfaces. As expected, sound quality is class leading with an eight speaker Alpine audio system offering surround sound listening quality along with an audio USB unit.
Accessories For Your Jaguar
What Jaguar isn't best enjoyed when certain accessories are selected? Your Cat can be customized by choosing prime alloy wheel options, integrated noise-reducing wind deflectors and a host of other options, just the sort of distinguishing features to help you personalize your convertible.
Of course, if sun drenched excitement is too much for you to handle, the XK series is also offered as a hard top coupe. But with the siren call of the road beckoning, how can you resist folding back the roof to begin your sun sprayed adventure?
