The XJR-100 is compared against the Merc E55 by Richard Hammond.




XJR vs. BMW 540


A random 1998 XJ8 review

 

If I didn't know any better I'd agree with him, the veneer in the XJR-100 is unusual to the extent that it seems fake in my opinion. I'd never own an XJR-100 just on the basis of the veneer, It looks terrible compared to walnut burl and of course it would be a terrible shame to change out the veneers since it's such a limited production car.

 

I think the door wood in my brother's XJ8 is plastic. It is cracked in several places, vertical cranks. I think they are there because he or the PO pushed on the wood to open the door as they pulled the latch. Real wood would give to the stress.

 

The XJ8's have real wood....it's just very thin ;o]
UNderstanding how this is assembled gives you a better idea.
Jaguar uses a very thin veneer vacuum sealed onto a metal subsstrate and is then laquered over the top.
It's not the wood that cracks, it's the laquer layer that gives up due to climate
and heat.

 

Ok, that is what I told my wife. I have read/seen info on how they use wood from the same tree to insure the pieces fit together, pattern wise. She said that she would have to look at a few cars to see if the pattern in the wood was an exact match, as if it was printed off a plastic sheet or something. LOL

Sad to see the cracks, makes it look like cracked plastic.

 

Love the XJR 100 vid with Hamster.

Btw the XJR 100 and XKR 100 have Grey-stained bird’s-eye maple veneer .

Iso walnut.