Still torn on the plain aluminum for everything else. Love the spun look but feel like it should be everything aluminum or nothing. The piano black and spun aluminum looks good.

 

I had the spun aluminum trim in my 1964 Impala SS. Spun aluminum done went and got uppity.

 

Yeah, I loved it on my Mustang II's and 70's Firebirds / TA's. Only design I liked better was a the '85 Mustang aircraft cockpit style gauge surrounds. Form follows function there. Plasticized wood just looks and feels plasticy to me on these cars. My glove box side panel is cracked. Same on my Lincoln LS, cracked twice. PITA to deal with.

 

There should be no plasticized wood in Jaguars. Maybe in the early 2000's

I used to be in this business. The art, craftsmanship, and materials involved is like no other finish in the world. And it is the most sought after by those who know. People get entire rooms done this way- and it cost a king's ransom. There isnt a luxury yacht built that doesnt have this floor to ceiling.

Only a very few trees remain that even have the art and pattern. It has to be very old. And it takes a master's master to match the grain. Its so difficult that companies like Sea Ray use printed veneer. So a pattern like African Mahogany is printed on a real patternless wood veneer like poplar. Its not cheaper than African Mahogany, only easier to match.

The finish that looks like a mile-deep glass is extremely difficult to do. For instance on car paint, or piano black lacquer (not to be confused with very rare Lacquer de Chine) you simply apply few coats of 2k polyester. And then lightly polish imperfections in the final product. In lacquered wood veneers, that 2k poly is twice the cost and contains far more solids. Look up Ilva. There are several coats applied, 3 times as much as a car to build the mile deep look. However, its wet sanded and highly polished between each layer, and then the final product can take hours.

Its truly a celebration of art made by nature- highlighted by man. Brushed aluminum, radial swirls and jitterbug are done on a time-saver when you dont have artisans and can be done anywhere in the world, even Afghanistan. Fine lacquered veneers is distinctly British, not unlike Lacquer de Chine is distinctly oriental. I believe its a 20 year apprenticeship at Rolls Royce before they will let you touch the veneer. And for the record, Jaguar always positioned itself as a poor man's Rolls.

 

I just popped the panel off the kids LS, it does look like a paper thin veneer applied on ABS plastic and then a ton of reddish orange clear applied to it. There are polish marks in it where it looks like it was buffed by hand on a wheel buffer. His clear clear has cracked, did it on a winter day a couple years ago. I remember when I got it that the pattern wasn't the same but the colors matched pretty darned well so it makes sense that it's not a paper applique.

My XKR has the same problem but it looks like it took a knee to the panel.

 

British autowood in Altamonte springs FL. He is English if that matters.

I bet Jaguar loves it when folks order spun aluminum, its cheaper than diamond-plate.

 

Yuk! The spun aluminium just doesn't do it for me.

 

Me either.

 

Not in my 2000 XK8......real wood

 

Sorry but wood in a sports car doesn't gel for me

 

To me, its a bigger leap to believe our car is purely a sports car.

 

Chrome on the exterior....leather and wood on the interior.....'nough said !!!

 

Sounds good on an XK. 'Racing' based XKR not so much. I think the XKR's interior should be more business minded and less luxury. That they chose plain aluminum inserts for both interiors makes defining them separately with other metallic's for the 'R' version difficult. I think the engine turned looks good, maybe a little heavy. I like Q+C's idea of subdued process that has depth vs. the coarse turned process they chose. Heck, even a satin brushed look would look good if they had done the plain silver parts the same.

Our interior choices seem to have been hamstrung by design...

 

I am big fan of the spun aluminum or spun stainless... Adds that extra artisan touch and fitting for a British car. It's nice when there is a mix of metal and wood like on a Muliner Bentley.

 

Anyone know the part number for the window control switches? Looking to get the spun aluminum trim for my 09 Portfolio but that's the only one I couldn't get part numbers for.

 

Spun aluminum trim for door panels:
C2P14698 - right
C2P14701 - left

 

Its cool. Make sure you add clear vinyl wrap to all of those trim parts or you will be really upset the day someone scratches or overpolishes the spun areas.

 

I think the look is great on certain color combinations. I just finished up a 2009 XKR and am considering the spun aluminum since it is a bright silver with black interior, although it would look just as good on black on black. It gives it a much higher end non earthy look which fits the supercharged model much better. It kind of brings it into the league with all of the modern carbon fiber interior models out there. I do agree that for most colors ... and especially for the lower powered XK, that wood looks the best and is best suited for a luxury sports touring car
If anyone wants to trade their set for a flawless wood set just PM me.

 

My car, my money, I like it!

 

The Spun Alum dash is unique and I never had any worries about coating the dash with anything. I would not suggest doing that.

Keep the car in factory condition as possible.

Enjoy the XKR.

Richard in New Mexico