My 2009 XF Supercharged just crossed 11K miles this weekend. Sadly, aside from the occasional trip into the mountains and "quick" jaunt to Vegas, it spends a lot of time at the airport.

Since the resale value on this unit ought to be quite good, I'm considering an "upgrade." That's code for "midlife crisis, need a new car."

I'm considering the XKR. I love the 470 HP of my XF so I'm looking for something reasonable in that range the XKR seems to hit all my right buttons. I don't need the 4 door sedan so the 2+2 would work well.

However, I'm reading that the XK line has been discontinued "this summer." Am I out of luck? Is what's out on the lots it? Is there no option to place an order or one?

My next question is specific to Jaguar or XK owners: the gawd-awful touchscreen. Has it improved at all? The tech/infotainment system of my XF is the worst I have ever owned. That alone may make me consider not getting a Jaguar as my next vehicle.

If the XK is truly gone I guess I have to pick up whatever in the showrooms and maybe snipe a deal. Otherwise, it'd be another XF (I'd like something a little sportier) for an F-Type. I think my wife would kill me if I came home with an F-Type.

Thank you for your council.

FWIW, I live in snow country and 4-5 months of the year do have to put on snow tires. The XF Supercharged has performed admirably, even as a RWR only vehicle.

 

Yes, the XK is now out of production, though I expect there will still be a few unsold ones at dealers. There have also been a few used ones with very low mileage floating about, with the bulk of the warranty still in place.

Unfortunately, the touchscreen is pretty much the same as your XF, i.e. poor for a car of its quality. Since I don't use the nav system and the audio works fine with my iPhone, the shortcomings of the system don't bother me that much.

Performance-wise, the 510 BHP engine in a lighter body makes it significantly quicker than your XF. The 5.0 XKR has a 'Winter' mode which softens the throttle response and modifies other maps to make the car more drivable in slippery conditions.

 

I have a very hard time picturing using an XKR in snow and ice. Can it be done...probably, would it be enjoyable...I seriously doubt it. Used selectively when the roads are fairly clear...enjoy!

 

I had the first gen touchscreen (blue/grey) in my first XF, then the black and white HDD model in my second XF, now for the XKR I'm back with the blue one. Really, it is massively better than the black and white one IMO because :
1. the HDD model takes ages to boot up - no music and no reverse camera for probably 20 seconds after you start (first world problem...);
2. I'd rather a 6 stacker CD changer than having to upload CDs into a hard drive. Really, what a waste of time! But the USB is my favourite anyway;
3. I found the layout on the HDD screen too busy. It was hard getting my finger on the right button. Even though the first gen has more screens to get through, at least I don't push the wrong button.


That said, the first gen doesn't have streaming music from the iPhone, which some people would probably use (I don't).


So if you want to fall in love with your blue touchscreen, drive a new model for a few days. It will give you a completely different perspective.

 

I really don't see anything terrible about the infotainment system in the either of my XKRs I've owned (2011 XKR 175 and current 2013 XKR). Yes it is a little slow but it works good and is easy to navigate. I also have a 2013 Merc SLK 55 AMG and a 2012 Volvo AWD T6. IMO, the XKRs infotainment system is just as good or better than the ones in my other cars. It's not ipad Tesla quality but it's very adequate and easy to use.


I live in snow bound Nova Scotia, Canada, and never drive my car in the snow. The combination of cold weather, snow and a car with high torque is not an easy drive. Although I love my XKR I'm trying to sell it to purchase an AWD performance car to replace it because I find myself setting and looking at it in the garage too much in the winter (LOL). However, I refuse to sell the XKR cheap because IMO it is such a great car.

 

I recently bought my missus a V40T5 CC which has the thumbwheel operated screen. At first I thought it was a bit primitive not having a touchscreen, but it is a really sweet system and quite easy to use. I'd prefer the jag touchscreen, but the Volvo setup is pretty good. And the screen quality is amazing.

 

Interesting side note: According to JD Power most complaints with new vehicles deal with the infotainment systems. My point here is that evidently almost all of these systems are cursed out by the owner/drivers.

While the XK system in my 12 does everything a little slow by my reckoning, I find the operation to be intuitive and easy. And once one learns a few input tricks the nav system is about the same speed (responsiveness) as it is on our Lexus.

 

The only drawback that I have found after owning my XKR for 4 months is having o go back to the home screen to get to other features. My 2010 Lexus has buttons on the side of the nav screen that allows you to go to other features. Other than that the system is easy to use and unlike the Lexus I can have the passenger change the nav destinations while we are driving. As I don't use the sat or iphone/pod or USB feature they don't present me with a problem. The audio system is great with the top up but not as good with the top down. Fortunately it allows me to hear the exhaust note better. The BT phone feature is very good and with my phone all of it's features work as they should.

 

Did someone say drive an X150 in the snow?

This is how my X150 did on a flat surface with Hankook Ventus V12 Evos on just a dusting of snow!


Of course, with proper snow tires, I'm sure an XKR would be perfectly fine driving on the snow.

 

I recently sold my XKR and bought the FtypeR... when I had the XKR is was pretty good in the snow and we get tons of it here.
Bought 19in. coventry wheels and Yokohama snow tires.. I've had the Pirelli snows and these Yokohamas are much better. I went with 19in. and taller tires due to the rough winter roads, rather than the standard 20's.
The XKR has a good differential and in 'snow mode' I could drive it in snow pretty well up to the bottom, but no more. Its a low car so you won't get far ahead if you try to go out in half a foot of snow, especially the soft snow.
Not sure I'll take the F out in the snow.. my main problem is that I live on a gravel road and the snow tires pick up stones and fling them up the side of the car, so I'm likely to park it.
Lawrence.

 

Where I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia the city conditions the road with sharp small gravel for traction in the winter. Driving on it is like using a sand blaster on the side of the car. This is why I refuse to drive my car in the winter. Once the road is treated I'm done driving the XKR. The XKR front fenders turn in behind the wheels leaving no protection from the small stones destroying the paint on the sides and no mud flaps are available. I had the sides clear wrapped 14" up when I bought my car. Mulmur, you must have experienced the same problem with your XKR. I hate having a car I can only enjoy for half the year--it's like the utilization cost of ownership is doubled because the car stays protected in my garage only to be admired.

 

Thank you to everyone for your input. At the very least if I drive and like the XKR it sounds like I might be able to find a good deal.

The snow in Utah isn't horrible; certainly my snow tires for my XF Supercharged were plenty to keep me driving all year round. I hadn't considered wrapping the lower part of the vehicle to protect against sand; that's a great idea.

My question around the touchscreen infotainment system was had it improved? The version in my XF is so slow it's a pain. Navigating the iPod has me taking my eyes off the road for so long. Plus there's lag. Makes iDrive feel like a dream. Does it show cover art? Will it do split screen? Anything that I take for granted when I rent a 5 Series on a business trip?

I'm praying the current models are better or, better yet support Bluetooth A2DP streaming natively.

 

I would not purchase a new or new near XKR unless it is a fantastic deal, too hard to pass up. F-type makes more financial sense unless the "back seat" is a must have. Either one should handle similarly in the snow.

A lot of improvements made to F-type along with just being a new design and era for Jaguar.

 

Can't comment on speed vs. XF, as I've not used the XF system. I find it a bit sluggish, but I tend to do my music setup on the iPhone (e.g. selecting playlist) before I drive off, and then just use the controls on the wheel to skip tracks, etc. The main issue I have is that it 'forgets' my Mix (random play) setting if I don't drive the car for a few days, so I have to re-select it.

There's no cover art, no split-screen. But recent models do have A2DP (MY12 onwards, I think)

 

Oh, and it's not just the 'back seat' that differentiates the XK - it's a bigger car, with more space for luggage and just a larger feel generally. If you like a bigger car, the XK beats the F-Type.

 

I thought that the HDD system (MY12 onward I think) was slower than the blue screen version, in the XF at least. The sat nav was no quicker to input, and there is a lag before it all boots up from start which seems to be a minute but is probably 20 seconds. It **** me no end, though the functionality of it all was pretty good. Go and test one, it might be better in the XK. I wouldnt make it a dealbreaker, the cars are awesome and the tech is good, but it isnt perfect.

 

Yes, I should say more about my winter driving. I generally only took the XKR out under these two conditions:
..If fresh snow, I live in the country with gravel/dirt roads and they are not plowed and sanded all the time, so if it was not enough to 'high center' the car, I felt fine taking it out with the snow tires and it was actually a blast and this did not do any damage to the paint.. the gravel was under the snow.
..After a snow, I only took it out on the paved roads once the snow had been completely cleared and the road was just generally white with salt residue, but no sand left to speak of. The snows are necessary at say -30 as the summer tires are too hard and dangerous in the cold.
I did not use it around here as a daily drive.

The FtypeR has a much better design around the wheels and I have done Xpel behind the wheels as well, (and front to protect against stone chips) so it would be better than the XKR.. yet snow tires do pick up some gravel and yes the XKR did have stone damage behind the wheels, same as yours. My guess is the F would fair a lot better than the XKR concerning sand and stones... if I lived on pave roads, with the xpel, I would likely go ahead and put the snows on...
Mud flaps, even custom made, would be one way to go, and remove them after the winter.
Lawrence.