Since I started this thread, I will add a couple of comments, slightly off topic, but continuing with the Jaguar xk theme. BMW 6 series convertible looks better with the top up, than it does with the top down. When the top goes down, it looks a little like a family car.

Kudos to you guys for your comments. I posted a couple of questions on the 2009+ SL550 on the R230 section of the Mercedes forum BenzWorld.org but no responses. No responses in almost a week.

 

Jaguar drivers are not short on Passion! Just try asking how long you should go between oil changes!!!

 

I was at a British car show this past weekend and they've really nailed timeless convertible styling forever, and it's been hit and miss with the coupes, IMO. Some of the verts with detachable hardtops are great looking as well. Just about every Mini, MG, Austin Heally, and Triumph model ever built was there, quite a few Jaguars including several E-types and XJS, and a few Lotus, Caterham, Dailmer, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce among others.

I was reminded at the show that I've always much preferred the XKE in convertible form. It's still one of the best looking cars of all time, and whether you prefer the more modern XK series coupe or vert, their styling isn't too far behind!

 

My vintage 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 is a convertible I have owned since 1977, so my 1997 XK-8 was purchased because it is a coupe in my favorite color. To me its one of the nicest body styles to ever grace the American highway. These years in coupe form are exclusive. All opinion of course. I am trying to get used to the newest body styles. A bit pricey to boot. I was at the dealer the other day. Nice new coupes go 100K. YIKES! But I also would strongly recommend that owning ONE convertible at all times is a must. Mental health considered here for sure.

 

Being without one convertible at least would be a lonely proposition. Even happily married.

 

Sorry if I'm repeating any prior posts. I own a vert. I like the looks of the coup slightly better but I live in Norther Cal and you can pretty much drive it with top down almost year round. (this year totally year round) The only issue I have with the vert is with the top up the visiability is really awful. I cant compare to the coup, but it has to be waaay worse. I would definitly drive one and make sure you can live with that unless you are going to put the top down and keep it that way. If I lived in a place where I had to drive around with the top up a lot, I would definitly think twice. Its not claustraphobic per se, only the outward visiabilty is the issue. I think the top on my car has been up maybe 5 times since I bought it. If its cold or raining I drive the truck.

 

My feeling too. Soft top, sure but only if I lived where the climate would allow it. But big "no go" is that rear seats are even smaller...

Ps prefer the lines of the coupe..

 

Incorrect. The rear seats are MORE usable. This is because the convertible roof is actually higher than the sloped roof of the coupe. The increase in headroom is even more apparent with the roof down...

Personally, I don't find the convertible's chassis to be as rigid as I had imagined from reading a lot of posts. If you are really pushing it through some sharp curves on rough pavement, the rear end seems quite unsettled, and you can feel the chassis flexing that may be contributing to this.

Also, under heavy acceleration with the top down, all you have to do is look at the rear view mirror. The reflected image is fuzzy!

That being said, the convertible is really how a British grand tourer is meant to be enjoyed!

 

Cant'say which is the best ,AS I see it it's personal opinion. Myself I love a convertible but if it was my daily driver in winter here in central BC I would go for a Coup.

Im lucky like others that I have a 4 wd for winter and also my caddy coup for summer and of coarse my XKR Convertible , and with my rear seat conversion and Toneau cover it provides me with lots of luggage space , and with the new (jag wrangler ) remote top and rear side windows able to be up when driving or parked and the Toneau cover in place it is quite safe to leave articles in the back Also gives me a feeling of driving a two seater when the top down.
Cant wait until the Igloos have melted and tops down for summer.

 

?

 

My 1st 3 cars (TR3A , Vette , Daimler SP250) were verts and then came the XKE coupe followed by a Vette T-top and the XJS coupe. After that it was all coups or sedans ending with the 308 GTB. So as I age it is time for the vert again. We have 3 driving seasons here where I can use a vert so it won't be a problem. As I mentioned I do like the likes of the coupe but time for the vert.

 

The serenity of driving down the NW Florida gulf coast beachfront in my xk with the top down on a perfect summer evening couldn't be matched in any coupe, just sayin'. and my girl's *** is beautiful

 

As far as a jag goes, a coupe for me all day long.
For drop top days I have a Vette convertible.
Never drove it last summer

 

Tragic, but understandable. Even if you sell the Vette you still won't have a vert for your top down days unless you replace it with a car you enjoy driving.
Hang on, I've got it...upgrade to a nice 5L XK/XKR/XKR-S convertible

 

I'm going to end this thread right now. It is a scientific fact that the vert is better, better looking and faster. It also handles better with the lower center of gravity









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seriously though... If this were my only car then I would look hard at the coupe and may even go for a 5.0 XK and not an R. If its a second car then go for the convertible. After my first drop top I became addicted and if all I could afford was a 15 year old, 1500$ miata then I would have one for the top down experience. That being said - I live in the south and am 2 hours away from the mountains and 3 from the beach. Geography should play a role but if you can enjoy the top down then you'll never regret getting a convertible - you may regret not getting one.

 

I'd agree for a primary car. Especially the security that others have mentioned.

 

R_Rated, I fully agree with you. Besides, Steve's Remote Drop Top thingy would make quite the racket on the coupe.

 

Sadly, I don't think you could get a Miata for $1500 anymore. At least not one that runs well.

I sold my '94 Miata in 2009 for $3800. I doubt I could ever get one like
that for that price again!

 

I don't know about the X150, but Jag made twice as many X100 verts as coupes. XK8: 19,748 coupes, 46,760 verts, XKR: 9,661 coupes, 13,895 verts, according to Nigel Thorley, who seems to know these things.
I'd expect a similar strategy for the X150 range.

 

I went in to the dealership thinking of getting a base XK coupe. Then I test drove an XKR vert from prior model year (2012, 800 miles) they had in showroom. The top down experience was sublime and the 510hp sealed it. I thought, "sure, I will drive it in winter... It has a winter button, heated seats, heated steering.." then a funny thing happened... I simply did not want to subject it to a Canadian winter. I am driving my Snowbird Mom's Buick while my XKR sits in my garage, covered, and plugged in to a CTEK 3300 battery maintainer. (Thanks to advice from this forum).

Would this be the case if it were a coupe? If new, I suspect for me it would. At the same time I now find myself keeping an eye on auto-trader for a bargain XK coupe circa 07-09 that might just prove to become my daily inclement weather driver. So I can keep the vert for years and years of just right driving conditions and still enjoy the daily driving pleasure I am now 2 months and counting behind...