I did a track day yesterday at Le Circuit Mont Tremblant in Quebec. This is a former Grand Prix circuit, and it's situated in a spectacularly scenic mountain ski resort area north of Montreal, and a major tourist destination has built up in the areas around the historic track. LeCircuit.com

It's about a 7 hour drive through highland countryside on mostly smaller highways, with frequent views of small lakes... and a constant view of trees turning to fall colors. I had a round trip of 3 days behind the wheel of the XKR with the best fall weather imaginable...and it was about 800 miles of pure bliss! There's a long section of remote and particularly
exciting highway threading through a mountain area that's as challenging as any track when driven well above the posted speed limit. You're just as likely to see a deer cross the road as see another car. This section is a nice warm-up for the main track event.

This was a rather special and relaxed private track day put on by the chief driving instructor of a local Porsche Clubs of America chapter, and the attendees were mostly his Porsche instructor and race friends driving some of the fastest Porsche money can buy and modify to go even faster...including several GT3 RS. There was lots of interest in the XKR parked in the paddock, a few asked to sit in it, and they were happy to see something other than another 911 there with them...fresh prey perhaps!

I feel compelled to describe the XKR's track performance in this setting because it really is very remarkable. I have done several other track days in it. I took two track buddies out for a 25 minute session each, and they just couldn't get over what a capable car it is on track. This is their home track, and they have years of experience there in a variety of cars.

Now I'm not going to tell you the XKR is competitive with a 911 GT3RS, and it definitely isn't, but I will tell you this...none of them had any more fun than I did. Most were on racing slicks and trailered there. I was on the stock Dunlop Sport Maxx. 50 degrees in the morning, 70F in the afternoon.

Here's what the car does well:

Tires: The Dunlops heat up well and then grip like crazy. They don't over-heat and get greasy like street tires typically do. When being pushed hard they give lots of warning before breaking away, and when pushed beyond they lose grip progressively giving the driver the ability to maintain control while dialing things back a bit. These nearly 4 yr old tires have several track days on them and are as capable as the first day I tracked them. Fronts have lots of wear on the outside edges from all the hard cornering (but otherwise lots of tread left), and the rears are almost down to the wear bars due to higher normal wear for the rears. Stock pressures are 33f and 36r but hard cornering dictates hot pressures of 36f to stiffen the tire against rolling over, and lowering the rears to 34-35 hot psi softens the sidewall a little to assist rear grip under hard acceleration, yet is enough to prevent edge wear. Most would be surprised just how sticky the tread feels when hot, and complain about lack of grip when cold. Cold high performance tires are like that...which part don't you get

Braking: Phenomenal! Very powerful grip that hauls down that weight in a hurry. No discernable fade after really beating on them. Fresh brake fluid within the last month. Original pads and rotors with 15,000 miles.

Steering: love it. Very precise and nicely weighted I think. Enough feedback to be effective, the gravelly feel of front tires being pushed to the limit clearly telegraphed to the steering wheel, and it's easy to place the car exactly where you want. Able to steer through a 180* hairpin without moving hands off the 9 and 3 wheel position, or lose ability to use paddle shifters.

Auto Tranny/Paddle shifting: The gearing is very effective for the range of tracks I've driven. This track only needed 3rd and 4th, even through the hairpin, but I'd usually grab 5th on the back straight where I'd hit 130+ mph. Paddle shifting on the track has some definite advantages, but full auto isn't too far behind. Paddles are mounted exactly how they should be for high performance driving (rotating with the wheel), and being made of plastic doesn't seem to slow the car down at all!

Handling...Dynamic Mode, Trac DSC, Auto-Sport: They've just nailed the handling on this model, and it's impossible to fault on heated tires with a capable driver. There's not even a hint of understeer on the track, nor over-steer unless you're over-enthusiastic with early throttle application coming out of a corner. I can even trail-brake deep into a corner without the rear tires getting too unweighted and stepping out. The car rotates well in tight corners, handles fast corner transitions through "esses" well, and the limited slip diff is effective for putting down all that torque. Aerodynamic downforce is good for handling and grip, and while this model of XKR doesn't have aggressive aero fittings, the car does feel planted even cresting slight hills at over 140 mph at my home track. Suspension soaks up and deals with track conditions as well as it does for street use. Very stable under hard braking, cornering and acceleration. I wouldn't change a thing on the suspension. Stiffer isn't always better, and while it can raise the cornering limits, it can also make the car more difficult to control at that limit. Like they say..."if it ain't broke don't fix it!" But if you want to improve handling just figure out how to shave off a few hundred pounds!

Comfort and Controls: Seats, pedals, steering wheel, paddles and all controls are positioned well. I would personally like to thank the Jaguar engineers for the larger gear indicator displayed in Sport mode that's easy to see when you're constantly shifting, and for the purposeful dead pedal that you need for bracing your body when hauling back down from triple digit speeds every few seconds. I start with seat memory 3 adjusted to all the way back, lock the belt with a quick tug and hold, press memory 1 to pull seat forward to my driving position... and that locks the belt tightly against my body to hold me securely in the seat. Left knee pushed against the door in hard right corners helps too!

Final thoughts...

There's always going to be a faster sports car to buy, but the 5L XKR really is as enjoyable and capable to drive on the track as it is on the street. I'm told it's actually not a sports car... but if you were in the passenger seat yesterday dicing it up with a bunch of Porsche 911's you'd have had a hard time pressing that point. It was however uncharacteristically comfortable for a sports car driving 7 hours there and back, so for me it's just a blast!

Bruce

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts--sounds like you had a great time! Interesting strategy to lock you into your seat!

 

Thanks for the write up. After spending a good bit of time tracking my previous Porsche 996 turbo, I was really impressed with my time behind the wheel of a Xkr at r academy. The handling/acceleration were really good and braking was phenomenal. It's really a sleeper at the track

 

I forgot to mention a couple of other things that I like:

Engine and E-Differential: Anyone whose ever driven one knows this 5L supercharged engine is a beast on the street, and it's absolutely the same on the track. The powerband is just so strong, broad, flexible and immediate that you can make up some lost time in the corners not long after apexing, and carry the advantage of stunning acceleration all the way down the straight. You can steer through the tight bits partly with your right foot. Power doesn't fall off at high rpm either, nor have I ever noticed it fall off in high temps from lack of intercooling capacity (heat soak).

The electronic limited slip differential deserves a lot of credit for its stellar job of converting all that power into forward thrust. You can sometimes feel the e-diff doing its thing, and it's brilliant. Once the tires are up to temp you can gently roll on the throttle as you cross the apex and sometimes feed in full power before fully straightening the wheels and exiting many corners without engaging the DSC/traction control. You can rarely do that on the street unless you can drive it hard enough to get enough heat into the tires to make them grippy enough...and if you do then you're probably about to be arrested!

There's countless factors that combine to determine the ultimate performance abilities of a car, and they've all been beefed up to handle this stunning engine.

Chassis: I'm pretty sensitive to body flex on the street and track. Convertibles and targa top cars have been notoriously bad for this in the past, and the flexing is felt as a shudder through the seat over rough pavement, and even seen as the windshield A-pillars move before your eyes. Manufactures have put a tremendous amount of effort into making their cars rigid, and I have never felt even a hint of flex in the XKR convertible, neither on rough roads or under demanding track conditions. That's quite an achievement that pays off dividends in ultimate performance.

Tossability: I hesitate to mention this as I expect a healthy dose of disbelief from many...but no more than from even myself initially. This car weighs over 4000 lbs, and it seems to defy physics...but dare I say it...it is tossable! And at this point I think I would make a distinction between tossable and nimble. A car running an autocross course needs to be both tossable and nimble, but out on a high speed road course being nimble isn't as critical. While the XKR isn't nimble, it is actually tossable under these conditions on a racetrack. This was the impression of my seasoned track buddies on our session together who both mentioned that sports car hallmark as being such a surprise to them, and I'm sure the 911 driver that was so reluctant to give me the pass-by signal, and it continues to amaze and delight me.

The XKR walks a near-perfect line between my interpretation of a Sports GT and a Sports Car, in classic Jaguar bodywork, and where street driving and long distance cruising showcases its GT credentials, I think the track brings out its sporting XK heritage. I bought it to satisfy both passions...and I couldn't be happier!

I'm a bit disappointed that the next and reportedly enlarged XK series will likely fall squarely into the Sports GT camp, but those who want both can still snap up the current model at an ever increasingly affordable price. Or you could even buy one of those new F-Types...and UPS your helmet to the track if there's not enough room in the car

Bruce

 

It is good to see that you are taking advantage of the full capabilities of the XKR and having so much obvious fun in the process. Sounds like you have the handling figured out entirely, giving you all the confidence on the track. Importantly, you seem to be disciplined enough to not exceed the limits, even when pushed by faster cars.

During the '80s I took my autocross championship winning modded Mustang GT to a Porsche Club event where to the dismay of the Porsche owners my car set the fastest lap of the day. From then on, only Porsches were allowed on Club days.

On a slightly different note: I took my XJL to the dealer yesterday and while there I spotted this white 2013 XJL with all chrome blacked out with flat black paint and some awful looking flat black 22 inch wheels. I asked the Manager as to who would do that to an XJL? He whispered the owner's name; one of the best known and highest paid American football player's. I said that this guy had a great taste on selecting the car but, debatable taste for mods.

Albert

 

I'm sure it took many track days to discover how to wring out the 911's performance, and the XKR/RS would be the same. On my home track I'm comfortable enough to turn off the DSC/traction control, but set it to Trac DSC on this less familiar track. There's a huge difference between those 2 DSC settings, but you need the seat time to safely shut it off completely. I focused on pushing the "friction circle" as hard as I could without it engaging, because once it does engage there's a delay before it let's you get back into the throttle...and even a second lost feels like an eternity. I think once able to do that it's possible to turn it off and use a little more slip angle than the DSC would permit to good advantage.

There would be a huge gain to switching to a grippier R-compound track tire, but I don't want to get drawn down that road with this car. I suspect that your RS's stiffer suspension could really take advantage of R-compounds without needing any tweaking other than a more aggressive alignment.

Bruce

 

Man, I haven't driven my XKR to work the last 3 days and you're making me really regret that!!!!

 

Pffft, as to your coments on the F-Type... the XKR is still a faster car even though the F Type may be slightly more fun to drive on a track - mostly from the exhaust sound track. The F Type has the same problem as a BMW 1 series in that it is not that much smaller and lighter - as they both should have been IMO.

 

Interesting - I left-foot brake, something I taught myself to do ages ago when I found myself driving mainly auto-box cars. Gives that unused foot something useful to do, and gives me a fraction of a second reaction advantage. For some reason, I don't have a problem switching back to manual boxes; I think it may be I've wired myself to associate clutch with gear lever (no reaching for the stick, no foot twitch for the clutch).

Mike Cross said he designed the XKR 75 (and, presumably, the R-S that followed it) to "drive to the Nürburgring, do a few hot laps, and then drive home again." I think the same applies to any XKR.

 

Well next time let us know you're going... I'm in Ottawa and I'd love to visit the track with my car's siblings.;-)

 

High performance driving is such a passion. It's never been about competition for me, but rather all about understanding vehicle dynamics and mastering driving techniques. It's a joy to track such a well sorted car, and know its handling allows you to balance the car right on the limits of grip all the way around the track...and catch it if you should wander over those limits. It sound wierd, but the car actually feels quite light on its feet as you approach those limits. Very rewarding to drive at speed...and actual lap times just seem rather unimportant.

Bruce

 

Okay, I'll try to remember that if I go back.

Bruce

 

Here's an excellent comparison of the new Ferrari and Stingray being compared to this year's Motor Trend Best Drivers Car winner...the 911C4S.


Test numbers don't tell you nearly enough about a car on the track, but the comments do. I'll use theirs to relate more info about the XKR's track manners:

Where the GT Ferrari didn't transition to track use very gracefully, rather suddenly leaning over considerably, the XKR suspension takes to the track's hard cornering loads seemlessly. Very little body lean, and no pitching from side to side through back to back 90* right and left corners.

They commented that the Stingray had a mid corner understeer, which the XKR doesn't seem to have, although I think my line and corner entry may have induced on a few occasions, but steering correction wasn't required. There was no drama, and I never felt it would bite me like they found with the Vette which they found to generally have a loose tail that demanded attention and respect.

They liked the 911 for its all-round competence, and confidence that it would capably handle whatever situation it was thrown into, and that's absolutely the way the XKR behaves on the track.

Bruce

 

While, of course, I am by now must be known for my absolute distaste for any rear-engined Porsches, I have enjoyed this comparison. Not for the comments of the testers but, for what I saw there. Which is that a 2 wheel drive, entry level Corvette beats a $140K 4-wheel drive Porsche and only looses by 0.2 sec/lap to a near $400K Ferrari.

I can imagine what the Vette would do with a good 7 or 8sp auto transmission and with the dropping of the ride height by about 1". The roll and pitch that the testers were talking about would be greatly reduced. If needed, an inexpensive set of aftermarket roll bars would definitely do it. Dropping the ride height in the Vette is a 10 minutes adjustment, no spring changes necessary. Those simple changes should drop easily 1 full second/lap at Laguna Seca, probably more.

My obvious choice, price independent, would be the Ferrari. Ok, it it barely beat the other two cars on the track but, it is a heavy, dedicated GT car, just as the XKR is. It weight 4003 lbs, very close to the XKR. The engine is superb, the car is gorgeous and comfortable.

Price dependent, no doubt in my mind; the Vette. While no American journalist will make it the outright winner over a Porsche any time soon, it has a lot to do with snobbism. After all, the Vette has a reputation as a "blue collar" sports car, while the Porsche has an image as a more "stiff upper lip" car. The fact that a base Vette consistently beats this car, has superb street or track adjust-ability, great MPG, looks kind of like the Ferrari, great interior now, safer handling, changes no minds in these circles. I am looking forward to the even higher performance versions of the Vette that will absolutely destroy anything less than dedicated track cars costing tons more. I just wish GM would make the higher performance, more expensive versions look exotic enough, visually sufficiently more different from the base model. I think it is a marketing mistake when the average person can not tell the difference between a $52K base and the $130K ultra-performance ZR1 models.

Albert

 

I have never found anything desirable about the Vette and all of the published hype about the new model in the last 6 months, but not much has changed....still the agricultural one out of the group, like the Viper.

What amazes me even more, the V8 F type sprints 0-60 significantly faster with the same hp and the extra 500 pounds of weight. Just to show you how old the technology is in the car.

Anyways, sounds like you had a good time at the track. I enjoyed driving the XKR at the driving event and my initial impressions were very good. What I liked the most about the car, is the ability to provide a lot of comfort even being thrown around corners.

 

While there is nothing wrong with your personal preferences, as my own dislike of the 911, you are incorrect in stating that the Vette is somehow older tech than, for instance, the F-type. If you read up on the electronics and the various suspension and chassis designs of the Vette, if anything, it is quite a bit more advanced than even the top F-type.

The 0-60 can be easily explained by the F-type's excellent close-ratio 8sp transmission alone. It also has about 40 more horses and a supercharger that works real well for 0-60 speed ranges. But, on the track the base Vette will comfortably out-run and out-handle the much heavier top of the line F-type. Notice that the Vette is over 2.5 sec/lap quicker at Laguna Seca. That is a rather significant difference on the track. (Vette 1.38.28 vs. F-type V8 1.40.81 as measured by Motor Trend 2013 Best Driver's Car contest)

I never owned a Vette but, I may get a version of the new one. For what the V8S F-type sells for, one should get one of the new higher performance ZO or ZR Vettes that will easily outrun the F-type V8S as well as many of the high priced sports cars in all performance categories. Sure, it will not have the exclusivity but, that only takes me so far. Again, if GM does it right, they will make the more expensive versions look more exotic than the base car. The new Vette is so good by all tester's accounts that it deserves to be given a more exclusive looks for its higher-end models.

Albert

 

That's a very good way to put it Albert Although, I have to say, my views of 911 used to parallel yours.

But, Porsche has been gaining my respect more and more in the last few years, as I was never an enthusiast either. When it comes to quality, performance, luxury, exclusivity, Stuttgart knows how to engineer them. And, I applaud them for it.

The F type does have extra 40hp, but for it to still sprint to 60 faster, carrying extra 500 pounds of weight, is just magnificent. I personally prefer a car that would be able to put power down on the street, daily driving, than one that would have faster lap times on the track.

If you do test drive one of the new Vettes, keep us posted on your impressions of it, as I would be interested in it.

 

Porsche has my respect as well for making the 911 as good as it is now. I just don't have much respect for the layout, the rear-engine design.

Most likely, like 90+ percent likely, I will not buy the new Vette but, I do like to comparison "shop" by reading the various comparison tests. I hate to say it but, my interests in actually driving super fast sports cars, have dropped off precipitously. If so, then why bother with an other sports car when I have one parked at my house that does not even get started up for 6 months at a time?

The XF these days pretty much satisfies my performance driving needs. The car is awesome on the XJL wheels/tires. Both for handling and, even more surprisingly, for the fantastic ride quality on the tires that gave that terrible ride on the XJL. That XF was purchased outright vs. lease on the XJL. I am already thinking how I could return the XJL at the end of the lease and keep the wheels/tires with the XF? You think they would notice?

Albert

 

A good reason to buy a car like that, or 911 or XKR for that matter, would be because you just love the way it looks, drives, sounds, features, comfort, makes you feel, etc. Maybe you just want a change of pace and go with a convertible. Lots here buy the XKR and never use any where near the performance, and don't need to to justify owning it.

I would think a gently used XKR would scratch the sporting itch better for you than a new Vette for the same money...maybe when you turn in the XJL. It's everything the Vette isn't, and the difference in power and handling over your old XK would surely put a wide smile on your face every time you descend your mountain...and that's priceless. It's also a comfortable long distance cruiser for your longer trips, as would be the newest Vette by all accounts if it pushed the right buttons for you.


That's easy...because you modified the RX7 for outragous performance that makes it completely uncomfortable for the street. Years of great memories that you've kept for that reason only probably. Let it go and make room for the car that will thrill you now. Dont think of it as an end of an era, but rather the start of an exciting new one!

Bruce

 

Looks are first and foremost to me. If it does not look pleasing, I could care less how fast it is or if it slices bread...