Bruce, you know I'm biased when it comes to Viper, but congrats and commendations for getting your TA right out on the track where it belongs. And having wet track for your first sessions in the car is absolutely the best way to shake hands with it.

The Gen V's integration of stability and traction controls bring the Viper into alignment with the expectations of virtually all customers at this point; you can still switch 'em all off if you want to experience raw Viper hissstory ;-)

I'm glad to hear you'll be attending the VOA homecoming this summer; you're going to be astounded by the access granted to our club by SRT... I spent Saturday night's pre-race dinner (IMSA at Laguna Seca) talking with Dick Winkles, the father of the Viper's V10. Tommy Kendall and Justin Bell stopped by for a few words, as well. I can't make the homecoming, but I know you'll have a fantastic time immersed in all things Viper.

That said, I feel like I have the best of both worlds with the XKR-S and a track-ready Viper. The Jag just pushes all the right GT buttons, and gives me a bit more room to drive comfortably.

Enjoy the snake, my friend!


Rich

 

Thank you very much, Rich. I've already been astounded by the personal attention through at least 20 emails and phone calls from SRT execs regarding getting this car allocated to Canada for me, delaying its build and shipment until spring, and various details with the plant manager. Ralph and team really likes that I track my cars. We've been invited to join them for the Tudor Series race at Mosport to meet the team and drivers.

The Viper team is just a small group of dedicated, passionate, and hard-core performance enthusiasts, and it's remarkable that they can even exist within the Fiat/Chrysler group. They're a class act all around.


Bruce

 

We will miss your expert advice and evolved sense of humor. Enjoy that beast and check in on us from time to time.

Skeeter

 

Thanks Al, and will do.

 

Hey Guys! I've missed the XKR, sharing with you guys, and thought it was a good time to drop by. I was hoping to get the scoop on a possible future successor to the XK but haven't seen anything so far.

So for now I'll just update you on my first 4 years with the Viper TA! Still in love with the look of it inside and out.

I gave you a glowing review after the first 7 days and now after 4 years, 54,000 kms and many, many days on track, I've enjoyed it immensely and honestly can not think of a single negative aspect to report. I did have some mostly minor warranty repairs done, which the dealer did quickly and expertly, including a transmission synchro replaced. When the factory warranty was ending I purchased an extended warranty covering out to 7 years and 100,000 kms (60k miles) which cost about $4000. Today's cars have very expensive electronic and mechanical components and I think an extended warranty makes sense if you want to continue to drive it without concern for repairs.

My priority for this car leaned more in the direction of track performance over luxury and it delivered that in spades. The first summer I took my time getting used to it, and getting used to running much quicker lap times. While previous generations of Vipers have a reputation for being difficult to drive at the limits, this final generation is extremely well balanced and mannered.

This is a video of 4 laps around my home track during my second season with the car. The first couple of laps is weaving through some traffic, passed by and following a 700 hp tube framed full-on race car with Corvette bodywork. We clear traffic on the front straight and then open it up. He takes off and I data-log my personal best lap of 1:31.988 with the car bone stock right down to tires and brake pads. That's a fantastic time for this track.


We loved how comfortable the XKR was as a GT for longer trips. The Viper has been surprisingly good in that regard as well, and we've done many road trips ranging from 3 to 13 days with "just" enough cargo space for all the essentials (including helmet!).

My wife actually did a track school/day at our home track and loved it!

We drove to NVE1 Homecoming in Detroit, NVE2 in New Orleans (6000 kms!), and were planning to drive to NVE3 in Las Vegas later this month but a bit of a back issue means were now flying instead.

SRT/Dodge Team Viper have indeed been fantastic. I was also invited as their guest to the IMSA race at Mosport where all 3 Vipers had podium finishes.

So all in all we could not have replaced the XKR with a more worthy sports car for our track and touring pleasure. It's sad that both the XKR and Viper has ceased production, but that's what happens to exceptional and expensive cars with a very focused market. The good news is there will be excellent examples available for years to come...and with any luck we'll eventually see worthy successors to them!

Any whispers of a new XK in the works?

Cheers,

Bruce

 

Hi, mate, glad to hear from you. It sounds like you've found a good match for your track requirements, but that is also 'liveable' on a day-to-day basis. I looked at the Nissan GT-R when I was considering new cars, but decided against because I couldn't deal with the hard ride on London streets. Although the 75 is 30% stiffer than a normal XKR, it retains enough compliance to be comfortable.

No sign of a new XK, though there have been mutterings about an all-electric or hybrid 'flagship' model which might or might not be an XK replacement. It looks like Jag has been focussed on bringing out its SUV family, which is going to be a big part of its revenue stream ongoing. The F-Type is satisfying the sportscar market, and the grand-tourer segment is never going to be a big volume seller, so it's not really a priority.

I can't play that video, by the way; says 'unavailable'. I'm guessing you may need to make it public on YouTube.

 

Hi Ngarara!

Oops, I've just made the video public. Let me know if it doesn't work now.


Sorry to hear no news of a return of the XK. I loved my E-Type back in the day when I didn't need to carry anything as large as even a helmet but now the lack of space in the F-Type would seriously limit my ability of use it.

Glad to hear the 75 is a comfortable fit for you. A buddy has an '09 GTR and it is pretty rough, then a C7 Corvette which was comfortable and roomy but an epic fail on track, and now an AMG GTS which is both comfortable and capable on track and has a usable cargo area for two travelling.

I always keep a lookout for the eventual next fun car but combining style, rarity and blistering performance at less than the cost of another home remains a challenge!

Best,

Bruce

 

Ah, that's better - nice lap! You need a trip to the 'Ring sometime...

Yeah, I could live with the F-Type but it would limit a few things - notably the annual pilgrimage to Silverstone, loaded to the gunwales with camping gear. The 75 is a great fit; it's big enough and comfortable enough for normal use, but has enough 'edge' for at least my level of track driving (not in your league!). The average XK owner might find it and the other Dynamic Pack cars (including the R-S) a bit firm, but it's a reasonable compromise for me.

 

That yellow 'Vette just walked away from you in clean air! And why does this track have passes made on the right?

 

And Bruce was hitting 150!

 

Yeah, but that yalla thing was a custom race weapon that only looks like a 'Vette.

 

Evidently you've never been on a US Interstate. MOST passing is on the right, partly because of all the SLOW-*** people who park themselves in the left "fast" lane.
Infuriating.

 

Bruce,
When my former business partner got a Viper TA right around the time you got yours, my rides in it led me to a couple of conclusions. First off, the interior compared to previous viper generations is downright Rolls Royce; actually quite attractive and luxurious. Secondly, the ride is hard, not unlivable, but wouldn't be my choice for an everyday driver. The sound is not the sweet v8 burble that Jag (especially F-type) owners are treated to, but that's a personal preferance. Performance is obviously outstanding! Next Friday appears to be the date that I get my Pantera back after 3.5 years. New engine, new leather interior, new headers and exhaust, new flush glass, and suspension components, new respray. And now with more than 500hp and 550ft lbs on tap in a sub 3000lb. car, it should make for some very fun driving. Although I had decided against ever tracking it again after 2 spin outs at Sonoma Raceway on a wet track, I think I'll have to stretch it's legs at least one more time to get a feel for its capabilities. It sure sounds like you've enjoyed your car for the past 4 years, and what more could you ask of a vehicle. That's great. Enjoy!

 

Hey Bruce!

Nice driving! Particularly nice that you are keeping the car intact as you're coming up to some serious speeds. That takes discipline and restraint, qualities that I was obviously lacking when I tracked my street cars and crashed them :-).

A couple of months ago I sold my XKR to the local dealer. It was an instant decision when I got my CA yearly licence pay notice and realized that CA doubled those licence fees. As my XKR was pretty much a garage queen, the idea of paying those new high licence fees (plus insurance) kind of offended me. Called the dealer, asked him what he would pay me for my car and he gave me a figure. When I actually drove the car to him and he evaluated the car, he raised his offer by $2000. The car was that good!

So, my daily drive is my '15 Stingray. Has 8k miles on it, suspension all retuned, different shocks, springs, sway bars, lowered, wider wheels with RE-71R tires for superb handling and the cooling issues are solved with an additional added radiator. Something GM should have done in the first place. Enjoy whipping it around my local canyon roads but, since I crashed those two cars on the track, no chance that any street car of mine will see track duty again.

My wife's XF got traded for a new Audi Q7 SUV with all the available safety features. As we move up (way up) in age, we're finding that those driving aids are becoming more desirable. Drove versions of the Jag F-Pace SUV and, sadly, was not impressed at all. We found the Audi the far better car for roughly the same price. So, after owning 5 Jags in a row and 3 at the same time (the dreaded XJL with its horrible ride) no Jags for us right now.

Wish you well, continued fun and success at the tracks, and hope that you will keep that Beast off the walls as well as you apparently have... :-).

 

So how much did you sell the XKR for. About the Audi hopefully you didn't get the 2.0L 4 banger. Although they say they fixed the oil consumption class action problem it still seems that at around 30K miles it starts to consume oil. Good luck.

 

I walked away with a check for $31,500. We got the 3.0 engine in the Q7. Test drove the 2.0 in the Q5 and was surprised how smooth it was and how strong it was. But, at the end the power of the 3.0 won out. Sad to say but, the 2.0 4-banger in the Audi was smoother than any of the V6 variations in the F-Pace.

 

Yeah, but Audis are piles of garbage that break down a LOT.

 

I thought it was high time to check in with my old XK friends and I hope all your automotive adventures have been going well!

The love affair with the Viper TA continues, and long after I had expected I'd want to sell it (before the 4 year factory warranty expired).. I ended up extending that warranty out to 7 years, which ends in the spring, and once again I can't bring myself to part with it, now with almost 70,000 kms (~43,000 miles). I still miss the XKR with its classic and impossibly good looks and glorious grand touring nature. I ended up satisfying that longing by ordering a 2019 Porsche Turbo S....classic styling, gobs of power and remarkably handy rear seats again, and in the exact same color as my XKR! It even sits within that brand similarly to how the XKR used to in Jaguar's. Hmm, it would seem I can't seem to get over the XKR either! Unfortunately neither are convertibles like the XKR, and I still miss that, but that was the compromise I made for my tracking passion. I wish Jaguar still had an XK touring offering, perhaps unlikely ever at this point. Look after and save your XK's guys, they will become collectibles..

When I bought the XKR as a corporate car with some miles already on it I had it out on the fastest circuit race track in North America within 24 hours. With the Viper I had exactly one week to put on 800 break-in miles before putting it on the same track. With the 911 Turbo I had just over a week to rack up 1800 miles before a track day at Le Circuit Mont Tremblant in Quebec so we did the grand touring thing from Ontario to Bar Harbor, Maine with our holiday gear and a helmet. We finished racking up those miles just in time to do the track day in Quebec on our way home! Timing is everything And I love to fully explore and appreciate a fine sports cars performance safely and legally on a race track. I'm sure some of you have been able to explore the performance of your beauties through some twisties as well.

Now you're probably wondering how the 911 Turbo S with 580 hp and 7 speed DCT transmission stacks up against the track record setting Viper TA with 640 hp and 6 speed manual. Pretty well as it turns out. Cars keep getting quicker, the DCT trannies are brilliant, and a number of newer offerings have beaten the TA's lap times at Laguna Seca, including the Turbo S by a hair on regular Pirelli P-Zero tires. I swapped on a set of Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires as used on the 911 GT3 and RS more track focused cars and it became a real track animal. About a second a lap quicker on a 1:32 lap, which is huge, and an incredible 15 mph higher top speed on the straightaway. That mirrors Randy Pobst's experience with both cars on track, and is just stupid fast for a grand tourer with a back seat, never-mind only 6 cylinders! ..

So that's what I've been doing since my last update in 2018, but what about you guys? How have your XK ownership experiences been going, and what new sports car adventures are you on?

And how's the Pantera and Corvette C7 been treating you guys?

 

Hey Bruce. Good to hear from you. Those are some pretty sweet rides. I remember the day you got the Viper. Good to hear you're living the dream in these times. Funny, I almost bought a 2017 911 turbo convertible because of the ultra classic performance and, yes, the back seat storage area--it sure comes in handy. The "S" is a step up and considerably more expensive. Have you given the new C8 (or C8 Z06) any consideration?

I'm on my 3rd and final XKR. I'll have it for a very long time.

 

Hey DGL, Glad to hear you're enjoying a long-term relationship with yours, an XKR 75 special edition if memory serves. (Edit...I see I'm way behind, it's now the Dynamic R in your signature!). I probably should have kept mine, but that applies to a list starting with the XKE.

A Viper TA track buddy actually brought and tracked his '17 Turbo S vert one day and insisted I drive it around town. I was so impressed...and so nervous given the value. He kept wanting me to give it the full beans but even a half stab exceeded any acceleration I had experienced before. I finally did a full launch in my own one day with a buddy and it messed with my stomach and head. I mentioned that a bit later and my friend said he felt the same but didn't want to say anything. I had my wife drive it with me on her first time at the wheel and thought I should prepare her for when she'd do a passing maneuver. On a clear highway I tell her to give it full throttle. Well holy s..., it must have instantly dropped from 7th to 2nd and scared us both. It's hard to get your head around just how fast they accelerate, from any speed. With AWD it's nutty. On track the Viper holds a "slight" edge in feedback, handling characteristics and driver involvement, but the 911 Turbo is still enormously rewarding to track and wonderful for relaxed all-day motoring. If you're considering one I highly recommend it if you want that kind of performance, but otherwise some of the other 911's are certainly a better buy and outstanding for normal use.

The C8 is once again impressive for the money, and on track, but the angular shape, creased edges, tacked on appendages, and disconnected styling somehow just doesn't work for me...apologies to the 40,000 annual buyers and countless enthusiasts that love it. I'm all about organic and flowing lines where design elements are seamlessly integrated. Jaguar and Porsche wrote the book on that and the Viper pulled it off rather nicely as well. One track buddy has had 6 Z06 since 2002, with 3 bought back by GM due to unresolved issues...so there is that along with other track friends horror stories It would likely make a perfect daily driver or weekend car though for anyone who is drawn to it.

Happy motoring, and Happy Holidays!