I believe this is likely the first review on this forum about a manufacturer of aftermarket exhausts for the 5.OL X150. I purchased this exhaust in good faith, after hearing a few youtube videos. I was told it kept the original sound of the XK but amplified it up. It replaced a standard active NON-performance exhaust on my XKR with the 2 front silencers and the rear active bladder which I found too quiet for such a muscle car....Please excuse my ecstatic nature. Most of you know me on here and I bitch, moan, rant, rave, and yehaww quite a bit.

Well let me just tell you... ITS FREAKING AWESOME!!!!! I own a stock XKRS and I have NEVER heard ANYTHING as good as my XKR now. The XKRS is fuming in the garage with JEALOUSY!!!!

1- The components were amazingly packaged, they were of the highest quality and the welds were perfect and already done. My dealership said, looks like everything is just bolt on and ready to go (install was 400 bucks).

2- I got the non-active exhaust. But you can get an active exhaust that has the flaps closed when your in non-dynamic and fully open all the time in active. It is more expensive and links right into the cars computer system. Considering I always drive mine in Dynamic mode I just said heck with it and got the cheaper non-active system - I am VERY VERY pleased.

3- No drone at 60-80mph on the freeway... very quiet listening to radio. THAT BEING SAID. GETTTING ON THE FREEWAY IT HOWLED LIKE A FREAKING FERRARI!!!! TEARS OF JOY!!!!! TEARS OF JOY!!!!!!!!!!

4- The Cracks and Burbles and Gurgles that are on the F-Type R are HERE IN OUR XKR... I MEAN TO TELL YOU ... Wow I couldnt hear them on my XKRS like this... This has some SERIOUS SERIOUSLY Good Overrun. Oh the Joy

5- Its like falling in love your XK all over again... Im going to go out and drive it again. Anyone who owns a 4.2L or 5.0L XKR and wishes they owned a XKRS - its abotu 3000 installed with shipping... Its worth it. GO NOW.

6- OK Back.. nope.. heading back out to drive it again...

Google Spires now.... They have Facebook page as well and you can message someone and chat about the system. Thats what I did and he took my email and I bought it straight from them that way via paypal without having to call England. Shipping took 2 days.

More later. Cant stop driving the XKR!

*I received no request to do this nor was I given a discount by Spires. But they are very friendly when you message them on Facebook. The guy that makes the exhaust texts back pretty quickly. Very good Man named Matt!

Lothar52

 

Good to hear about your experience and glad your pleased with it. Post an audio if you can--would love to hear it.

 

Here is a great video of what a 2012 XKR sounds like with the stage 3 spires. This young lad has a 12 XKR that had the non performance exhaust and he upgraded it to the Active Spires Stage 3. Mine is non-active - its always loud.

 

He actually made this video for me to really get the most grunt, pops, snaps, and scream out of the car. Its the most guttural sounds I have ever heard DGL. Really makes the Jaguar XKR-S and its performance exhaust sound somewhat...civilized....:O!!!

 

The pops and snaps and overrun THAT WE KNOW ON THE F-TYPE... are on our XK's at about the same level but more natural sounding... alot less forced like they sound in the F-type.

 

Sounds great! Just what I needed another project for my XKR.

 

Tberg... SOUNDS PHENOMENAL!!!!! Even his video can NOT deliver how awesome it really sounds.... the startup is UNREAL.... OH THE JOY OF NOISE.

I wonder how the Spires Coilovers do on the car??? Id like to adjust the ride height to that of the XKRS (10mm lower).

 

Lothar,
Can you tell us what package you specifically ordered and the cost (before installation)? Spires website is somewhat confusing as it offers a range of pricing.

 

Via PayPal I paid 1689.14 (2642.xx dollars) pounds shipped 2 day from UK to states the:

Spires XKR 5.0 Stage 3 non-active system.

 

I am amazed at the pops/snaps/crackle/backfire this exhaust allows the regular XKR to make... I had the quite system and never heard any of this racket before. Its quite amazing but not over the top like the F-Type. Its usually at the end of a Rev not the whole thing. I must watch when I start my car now.. on startup its absolutely 10x as loud with much deeper growl. Anyone wanting their Jag to sound like a racecar would enjoy this system. However I still feel it is more refined then the F-Type system?!?

 

I am very tempted to order a 2nd system for the XKR-S... however I want that car to stay stock factory fresh so decided not too... For what its worth the spires 3 is a much louder system then the performance active exhaust in my opinion (dynamic mode flaps open too!).

 

sounds great ... enjoy