We just completed a 1200 mile round trip from central FL to Western NC and back. The car is an 07 XK coup with 45,000 miles on the clock. Here are some facts and observations for interested parties.

!. Best observed mileage off the trip computer was 32.1 MPG. One leg was all freeway, 65 to 75 MPH at 90 degrees F using 87 octane gas. A second similar leg using 91 octane was 32.1 MPG as well.

2. Tires are Continental Extreme Contact DWs with about 10,000 miles on them. Great quiet tires. Powerful grip.

3.Very twisty mountain roads (Hwy 221 from Marion to Boone) are not for this car. I did well but it's really too big a car for the narrow hairpins and switch backs encountered on this road. A big Healey or XKE is called for.

4. The paddle shifters were a Godsend. The first time I have ever found any practical use for them.

5. The car found it's sweet spot coming down the mountain on Hwy 321 Boone to Hickory. Lots of sweeping up and down hill curves that could be taken at speed. Loved it.

Takeaway: The car is a marvelous GT car, as advertised, not to be confused with a sport car.

 

Beautiful country, and great time of year to drive it. Thanks for the write-up.

 

Not to be confused with a sports car, for sure! I wonder how an XKR handles compared to a regular XK in this regard.

I use the paddle shifters all the time-- it makes for a much more engaging drive and allows for engine braking.

IMO, even on TRAC DSC setting, the traction control cuts in a little bit too much for my tastes. However, I'm too afraid to turn it off completely during a hard drive out of fear that I will put myself into a tree!

 

Well if you really want to make your spirited drive more engaging, that's exactly how you do it! Great way to get focused on the task at hand. The stiffer suspension, electronically controlled dampers and limited slip diff on the XKR would make quite a difference in the twisty bits.

 

On the road in question - in no instance was power lacking or more power called for. I didn't do any power slides as the road sides were rock faces, deep ditches, shear cliffs or 100 year old trees. The issue was no so much the car as my life. Call me crazy but this is not a road for finding the car's or the drivers ultimate capabilities. Not prudent, as GHW Bush likes to say. I doubt an XKRs add'l power would have added to the experience.

BTW I forgot to mention, The brakes on this car are are superlative.

 

You 5.0L guys are spoiled. I have no limited slip diff.

 

And banjos, don't forget banjos.

 

Don't confuse this area with the movie version of North Georgia. Most of the Summer residents in the Western North Carolina high country are originally from New Jersey up from their Winter homes in Florida. lol

Seriously, I'm originally from this area and there are few traces of the old mountain culture left. The affluence of the area (Asheville to Boone) is astonishing to these old eyes. No kidding, some communities have passed laws against building condos on ridge lines to preserve the vistas.

 

This site has lists of nice driving routes in that part of the country. It's geared towards motorcyclists, but is still quite useful.

Tail of the Dragon Touring Routes and Descriptions for motorcycle and sport car tourism serving Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap, Cherohala Skyway, Moonshiner28, and Devils Triangle area and beyond.

 

Be careful on the Cherhala Skyway. When I was there, there were helicopters monitoring traffic speeds!

 

HAVEBROOK- Now you mention it there were lots of motorcycles on this road (221 Marion to Boone). They were having a ball. The road is well suited to motorcycles and small sport cars if you want to get the most out of the experience.

For you young and young at heart dudes, the number of coeds walking around town center Boone/Western Carolina University was a nice surprise. I guess Summer session is well attended. Would that I was 18 again.

 

I'm teasing, of course. I spent many happy years in Appalachia. (Go Mountaineers!) My parents still live in Eastern Tennessee. I remember driving Sam's Gap (Johnson City to Asheville) before the highway was built. The mountain folk would sell homemade quilts along the roadside to anyone brave enough to test the pass, and no one was in a hurry.

 

I just completed another run from central FL to NC and back. On the way up I ran a pint of Chevron Techron in the first tank of fuel. I was on a 65 mph restricted Interstate and got an astounding 33.2 mpg on the car's computer.

Who knew the car was capable of that kind of performance? Dang!

 

I live a few hours from that area and will be making the trek again in about a week. The difference in the XKR is night and day although the XKR is still a GT over a sports car. My last car was a 2001 BMW M Roadster. It had the S54 like a E46 M3 and I had a bigger rear along with a 6 speed (stock was a 5 speed.) Also KWv3 coilovers and about 400bhp in the 2800 pound car. I have to say that for driving though the intense turns this was the perfect car - better than an S2000 even. The S2000's handle way better but the Bimmer was a pure & primitive sports car with no electronic nannies and a very dated rear suspension. It was so much fun! The problem is that it is so uncomfortable, loud and smelly with the catless headers. Getting there to experience the Nirvana was not something my wife enjoyed doing with me; certainly not fun from central Florida...

Coming from a car like that, the XKR is smooth, refined, comfortable and okay in the turns. Vs. an XK the limited slip and stiffer suspension help a lot but in the blown 5.0 the torque also helps to push through the turns very - very nicely. I find myself driving in winter mode to "push" a little harder but also to not worry about the gravel and traction as much. For a 4000 lb car its really nice but a 1995 miata would be better for the twisties. The R's do have significant increase in capabilities in this environment over the XK but that's not to say you would't simply enjoy the view in an XK. Remember that most people from those parts of the country drive big trucks or jeeps that are heavier and less capable in the turns.

 

Heh. On my trip to Germany & back, I got 14.5 mpg - Imperial. That's 12 mpg US. 'Bahnstorming is thirsty work...