Are their many XFRS's available in your locale?

 

I began doing detailed record keeping when I had a crankshaft bearing fail on my Aston Martin DB5 in 1978. A frighteningly expensive engine rebuild turned into a full restoration over a period of more than ten years and it was essential to keep an accurate record of where all the bits were and how much money I was pouring into it.





I sold the DB5 after owning it for thirty four years and it's the only car I ever made money on. However, nowhere near as much as I'd have made by keeping it. Selling was the worst decision of my life .... so far.

The Continental R next to it was the last of the 'real' Bentleys. Massive and solid in every respect. Robust and reliable but withering depreciation.

Graham

 

Graham, seeing and reading about your past cars makes me feel even more satisfied with my current one… if it’s good enough for you after those beauties!

 

I thoroughly enjoyed my two X100's but the X150 is another level. You don't so much drive it as wear it. The car is a great fit with everything where it should be, superbly comfortable and it just looks so beautiful from any angle. With no hint of an equivalent replacement from Jaguar, I'll be keeping mine unless something disastrous happens.

The rear view is often the most challenging for designers. There's many cars look superb from the front or the side but ugly from the rear. The Continental GT isn't exactly ugly but the rear is nowhere near as successful as the XK.



Those rear quarter windows should have been longer - they certainly impede the view. The rear wing and boot design is curvaceous but looks 'heavy' rather than graceful.

Graham

 

Remember the NA 5.0 was dropped from all Jags including the XF in 2012 when it was replaced by the AJ126 V6, so if you are looking for a NA 5.0 XF then you are restricted to an older "pre-facelift" version. Relatively cheap but also fairly rare and usually higher mileage.
I reckon you would be better off going for an XFR and especially a later "facelift" one post 2012 with the 8 speed ZF instead of the 6 speed. Bear in mind though that the early facelift XFR kept the 6 speed for a year. Also the XFR is a different beast to the 5.0 NA, 510 PS vs 385 PS.
Of course the ultimate XF would be the XFR-S which IIRC first came out in 2014 but they are rare as rocking horse droppings in Oz and you pay a premium for one.

 

ALL Jags????????
....
Uhhhh............

 

As I read all this, I would think an XJ (X351) would be exactly what you need...coupe with 4 doors and enough space. If not the L(arge) version.

 

Maybe, but the XJ X351 is a sedan not a coupe.
And only one single V8 X351 for sale in all of Oz atm, this one: https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...-7359369/?Cr=4
At least it's the SC version of the 5.0 V8 albeit the detuned 470 PS version.

 

I stand corrected!
As far as I can figure out the NA 5.0 soldiered on in the XK and only the XK until it was discontinued in 2015.
But it definitely ceased in the XF and XJ by the 2013 model year.

 

Jaguar specifications can be a minefield with options/combinations varying across their World markets.

I usually rely on Nigel Thorley's Jaguar - All the Cars for well researched information on specifications. He indicates the 5.0 X351 was still available in the UK in 2016MY and the X250 until 2015MY. Of course, they may well have been discontinued or not offered in Australia/New Zealand and other markets before then.

My 2015MY XK 5.0 was the end for X150.

Graham

 

But with the looks of a coupe and the grace, pace and space like it was ment by Sir William Lyons... ;-)
I love the looks of the Continental GT but I don't like two door cars that much. They're missing a lot of comfort. Every time you take people in the back you have to get in and out yourself too, to let them get in and out, something that is easy to solve with the XJ.
I drive the SWB/SC, it's is big enough and powerful enough too, just give it a thought, good luck!

 

I rather love the XJ also, that is one really nice car. The interior so very much a distinctly quality Jaguar coach interior like the XK. The XF not at all. I feel like I have to be significantly older to drive an XJ though.

 

Currently x2 xfr 5.0 and only .x1 n/a 5.0 the second n/a just sold this morning . In regards to xfrs rare as hens teeth over here just like the xkrs.

In respect to the xj whilst I find the the interior well appointed and they do look extremely good in the Navy I do find them a little long for my taste, on top of that there's a total of 7 available Australia wide and that's a mixture of diesel, V6 SC and a single V8 SC .

 

So update

Ive fitted the standard resonated mid pipe , rerurbed the wheels and it's currently on xk springs front and xkr springs in the rear .

Whilst the handling isn't as crisp as the eibach springs the ride is so much more nicer and not bone jarring anymore however it still does handle quite nicely, the raspiness is also almost gone from the exhaust (don't forget I have 100cel cats).

I'm kind of taking jahummer suggestion about keeping and also thinking about a rear LED conversion that would surely set it off .

Maybe a cheap Japanese run about and also considering a passat r36 as a second car as they've come down in value and still have plenty of grunt to get around.