2009 Jaguar XKR Convertible
The cat's meow
There are lots of pretty kitty words journalists use to describe Jaguars — feline, ferocious, predatory, prowl, pounce, purrfect. All good words and all apropos. The 2009 Jaguar XKR Convertible is so pretty, so sexy, that it’s one of the few vehicles that will garner stares and comments wherever you may go.
Dubbed on its press site as “the most visually dramatic production Jaguar ever built,” it would be hard to argue that it’s not stunning. What you could argue is that it doesn’t look terribly Jaguar-y in a traditional sense, aside from the grille; we better get used to it, though (poor us), because the company says the debut of the XK in Frankfurt in 2005 heralded a new design language “that will be reflected in all future models.”
In addition to a lot of drooling, several people asked me what it was, and conveyed mild surprise when they found out.
Then they resumed their drooling.
The “R” tells you that this is no “ordinary” (if there is such a thing) Jaguar XK. It gets its power from a supercharged 4.2-litre V8 that puts out 420 hp, taking it from 0 to 100 km/h in about five seconds. This is an engine of such astonishing refinement and power, it accelerates so seamlessly, you’re almost unaware of it — except for the telltale sign of the surrounding scenery’s being rendered a surrealist blur alongside you.
It’s mated to an equally smooth six-speed automatic, paddle-equipped with sequential mode. It growls rather than purrs — music to soothe the savagest of breasts. A sport setting gives even faster shifts.
Unlike some other performance editions, the “R” also shows off considerable smoothness in its ride quality. Engineered first as a convertible, then as a coupe, it is notably lacking in any of the instability to which its breed can be prone.
In spite of its very civilized road manners, it also delivers some decent road feedback, and its handling is as good as that engine.
Braking is also excellent (is this getting old?) — really grippy without the harshness that can sometimes accompany such stopping power. Even tromped on hard, the brakes seem to just glide you to a stop, albeit in an impressively short distance.
The long front end culminates in very low ground clearance, which means you have to be especially careful around curbs; fortunately, standard for 2009 is front park assist, which shows visually on the computer interface screen and also beeps at you when you’re getting close. It’s a bit sensitive and lasts a few beats longer than it should once you’re back in drive and moving forward, but it’s a good system.
The computer interface itself is marvellous. It’s a touchscreen system that controls climate, phone (my Bluetooth-enabled phone was very easy to sync up to it) and audio (iPod and USB connectivity are also newly standard). The connector jack is nicely located in the centre binnacle, where your iPod can be tucked as well — you won’t need it, as all playlists are easily navigable from the touchscreen. A very savvy, easily used system worthy of the car.
Inside, one of the first tactile delights to confront you is a totally impractical but gorgeous pale suede headliner. The seats are well padded and well bolstered with adjustable side bolsters that let you leave them wide for cruising, or, with the touch of a button, move them into super-hug position. Smart controls on the door allow 16 ways of adjustment to the seat. I’ve had less accommodating boyfriends.
Gauges are uniformly pretty, with the exception of a bizarre digital display of an analogue clock front and centre in the gauge cluster - a tiny misstep among otherwise perfect surroundings, including all the dials, wee wheels and buttons used intuitively and simply to control all this technology.
There is one of those annoying luggage cover thingies in the trunk so prevalent with convertibles, but it’s less intrusive than most. I didn’t even realize it was there until, one night at Costco (you want to see some puzzled looks, try driving $125,000 worth of refined engineering into a Costco parking lot); I stuffed a 50-lb. bag of dog food under it and tried to put the top down. Its trunk volume is 10 cubic feet, into which you can cram more than you’d think. It’s shallow, but wide.
The top goes down with barely a sound, and it all stays low to the car, so you don’t have to worry about banging overhead pipes in a parking garage. With the top up, rearward visibility is impeded by a tiny rear window, and the long nose and high-ish beltline mean you have to be careful turning into tight lanes, but with proper shoulder checks and due care, none of it was a problem. It did get a little windy with the top down (there’s no wind blocker), but I had trouble caring.
The backseat is nicely upholstered and cushioned, but really tiny, especially in the legroom department. I crowbarred my five-foot-11 brother in there one day (which would have been impossible with the roof up) and even five-foot-four little me had to pull the driver’s seat uncomfortably close to the wheel.
It is a shame to have to park ’er at all, but when you do, the side mirrors fold in prettily.
From first glance in the driveway to roaring about on the open road, she is, indeed, very nearly purrfect.
Summary:
Strong Points
Weak Points
- - incomparable styling
- - neck-snapping acceleration
- - smooth, smooth, smooth
- - space is limited
- - price is high
Editors Rating:
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