will someone please explain to me what's the difference between each car's target market? i'm 30 years old.

i look at the F-type and think....yeaaah design-wise it's better than anything in the market, it's sexy, it's small, it's new and cheaper than the XK...but then i think f**k i'm not gonna buy this **** it looks like it was designed for rich college kids.

i look at the XK and think....you.are.just.perfect....XK is by far the most underrated car in the market right now and i dislike XKR and loath XKRS.

 

The F-type is a sports car, the XK is a grand tourer. That right there means they are two completely different target markets. The XK is designed for the avant-garde man who is driving from a meeting at work to pick up his mistress and then escape into the shadows for surveillance, in style. It's more of a daily driver than the F-type, it's a bigger car, it's more practical-ish.

The F-type was designed for the person who wants to be in touch with the road, sporty, athletic. Perfect for the rich 30+ year old or the midlife crisis man who wanted something more impractical and unique than a 911, its main rival.

Either way, they're both elegant cars and you can't go wrong with either of them. Just test drive them a decide for yourself. Evaluate what you need and what you want. Break out the yellow legal pad, evernote, or even Excel to decide between the two, or, be emotional and buy the one that strikes your fancy the most. You can be emotional, and you can be logical, but you can't be both.

 

I can't see that the F-Type is anything more than a redesigned 5L XK without the fake back seat. Jaguar plays the E-Type card as it should help sell more cars, but the E-Type also came as a 2+2, and the F-Type is also refered to as a GT. Labels like "sports car" and "GT" aren't particularly helpful in distinguishing their character, and I can't think of any definition of "sports car" that would include the F-Type and exclude the XK.

So it really comes down to which model appeals to you most, regardless of how Jaguar marketing tries to spin it. Buy the one that appeals to your senses and fits your needs best. Either can be driven as a sports car when desired, or as a luxurious GT...you get to choose!

 

I was looking at the new Jaguar 2014 F-Type very closely, completed a build sheet well before the cars hit the dealers last month. Once I got the call from the local dealer that 2 F-Types had arrived at the dealer, I immediately drove down to the Jaguar dealer. Prices for the 2 different F-types available were $103,000 to $105,000. The car is small, fancy yes, but very small cockpit.

The dealers will NOT budge from the sticker prices and dealer invoice is about $8-9,000 under MSRP. The car is a hot car right now, so almost all dealers I contacted are at MSRP, NO DISCOUNTS.

In the dealer showroom sat a 2013 XKR convertible. I loved it. Nice size, fits almost any size driver in the cabin, and pure luxury, performance and speed. It was awesome. Priced at $108,000, dealer invoice was $98,500 and best they would come down was to $103,000.

Then I completed lots of research, I found that the Jaguar brand depreciates at a very rapid rate for the first 3-4 years. Thus, once paying $103,000 for the 2013 XKR w/ Portfolio Luxury package, within 12 months it is only worth $80,000.

You can find many Jags on eBay or Autotrader a great prices. It does not pay to buy these cars as new, fresh out of the dealer showroom. Edmunds.com does a great job in estimating the cost to own.

If you're looking to buy an XK or Supercharged XKR, I suggest to complete lots of research and watch eBay or Autotrader.com as most cars are sold through Jag dealers and there are some private sellers. Look at KBB.com, NADA.com and Edmunds.com to get trade-in values, private party values and retail values. If you take your time, you can find low mileage Jaguar XK's and XKR's at or near trade in prices.

I recently purchased a $105,000 MSRP 2009 Jaguar XKR "Portfolio Edition" (only 200 imported into the USA) in showroom condition, with 13,500 miles from a dealership in Florida for $46,400. It is practically brand new. The style of the Jaguar XK and XKR has had little change from 2009 to 2013. Engine size went up slightly from 4.2L to 5.0L, interior is virtually the same. I see that one can find a very nice $100,000 + Jaguar XK or $105,000 XKR 2010 to 2011 for under $60,000 to $65,000 with ultra low miles.

I see no reason to buy new when these Jags depreciate at such an enormous rate. First year off the lot expect a decline of about $20,000-$23,000 respectively.

While the F-Type looks great, compares to the Aston Martin in design, style, and performance, I would imagine that in mid 2014, you will be able to find a used 2014 F-Type with low mileage in the mid $70,000 for the S-Model, the base V6 probably around $55,000 to $60,000. This model will not hold the value.

So if your willing to take a beating on depreciation to own new F-Type of XK-XKR, you should have some deep pockets to throw money away.

The best values are Jaguars that are 3+ years old with low miles at a 40%-50% reduction on price from the original MSRP. Do your research, take time, check out the car history, and I guarantee you can find a beautiful Jaguar with low mileage without spending the high price.

I am so well pleased with my recent purchase and am new to the Jaguar brand. The XKR is one awesome car and with only 13,500 miles, I expect it to last a long time, and most of the depreciation is already out of the car. Don't make the purchase of a new F-Type or XK or XKR convertible as an impulse purchase. Settle back and research. I looked at over several 100 Jags for sale (XK and XKR Convertible) before finding my new beauty. Sellers are always willing to deal.

Happy hunting for a XK or XKR. You will not be sorry that you made the leap into this brand. Pure luxury, pure performance.

A link to the photos of my XKR are in the signature.......sit back relax and enjoy the ride.

 

How much storage space do you need? My impression is F-Type is harder sprung and wheelbase difference is going to give you a more lively diving impression. If I could spring for a new F-Type, my money would go for a used XKR-S instead.

 

To not call the XK or XKR a "sports car" is a mistake, I think. What other purpose does it have? No, it's not a "race car", but most real race cars are 240 SXs with a corvette engine and spray painted numbers on the side.

Some people participate in sports by competing on the field, some by standing with the fanatics and painting their faces, and still some choose to sit in the box seats.

 

I agree...Ive always bought new cars and understand the loss of value. I am not rich nor do I have money to throw away. I emptied almost half my bank account in the downpayment to make sure my car payment was reasonable. I bought the XKR-S understanding the loss in value praying I could keep her in better shape then would be otherwise possible if I had bought a used one a rich boy had flogged at the track to show off for his 50,000 girlfriends. It was peace of mind for me, as ive never bought used before.

The power of this car, the XKR-S, is intoxicating. I SOOO want to take it to the track or just take it out on long country roads and put the pedal to the medal... But I bought her new...to keep her new... and feel like I should not do this. I am so conflicted!!!!! I also spent that much money to buy a perfectly new car - to find out - its not perfect! I had the chirp issue that hopefully never returns and is finally resolved. I feel like I want to keep it as a showcar - adored for decades. Am I wrong? I already know Im crazy.... lol

That is why, in the next few years, I may buy a low mile XKR175. The 2010-2011 models just look....MEAN. At 510HP is more than enough...and I can have fun with it. Now just to wait a few years and hopefully there is one being treated well in someone's garage right now that they will be willing to part with it in 2016-2017.

Loth

 

I'm sure my opinion is the opposite of most, but to me, there is nothing that separates the F-type visually from all of the other cute little sports car verts out there. At first glance, they all pretty much look the same to me. However, when I look closer at the F-type, I really dislike everything about the back end. It looks Japanese cheap to me.

In contrast, the XK/XKR is a timeless piece of visual art.

 

Speaking of the "fake" back seat in the XK--I had two 5'1" women in my XKR yesterday and they fit fine. Even had 2" of extra knee space! Of course the back seat is a little bit upright but it's doable for up to 30 minutes!

 

I have to agree with Bruce here.

It comes down to taste and what appeals to you.

Having driven both the F type V6S/V8S and the XKR, they are both in the same category, but the F type feels much more lively. It goes around corners with less effort and stress on the car.

 

Lothar52:

Just a suggestion on running your new XKR-S on a track. I raced open wheel high performance race cars for many years. On open track days at my local track, I saw many individuals bring out the Nissan 360's, the Porsches, the Ferrari's, etc, and after a day on the track, these cars do take a beating in brake usage and tires. Although most of these cars above are designed for race tracks, modifications to the stock car usually needs to be made. In addition, if your new to running a car such as the XKR-S on a road racing track, there is a good likelihood that you may NOT stay on the track. It is easy to create suspension damage to a stock street car especialy if spinning and off track experiences

If your serious about keeping the XKR-S in top condition, find some nice windy/curvey roads to drive and enjoy. If you run the car on the track, be prepared to buy new rubber (tires) and replace brake pads much more often, especially if you run the car on a road course. My formula race cars are on display in the link, in the my signature below. If you want to view what I was driving, enjoy the ride. These cars are built for race tracks only, and once again, keep your stock car off the race track.

Just my .02 cents worth of opinion.

 

Personally, I wonder how someone could think that the XK is "by far the most underrated car on the market" but "dislike" the XKR...

The looks are pretty darn close, and it's hard to argue with the performance advantages of the XKR.

The fact that I own a 2010 XKR has almost nothing to do with my opinion in this regard

 

Now you're just bragging!

 

Inflatable women don't count Pics of 2 real women in the back, and 2 real men in the front, "fitting fine"or it didn't happen. No photoshopped women either.

 

wel yes they are close but i don't like the sporty look of the XKR, i prefer the XK...i also prefer some of the interior features of the XK like the seats over the seats of the XKR.

 

I understand your desire to keep the car in virginal condition, but that's not what she wants, and definitely restricts your enjoyment of the car dramatically. Treat her with respect by avoiding poor weather/driving/parking conditions, but enjoy her to the fullest by enjoying a good romp every now and then, and don't worry about saving her for the next guy, or future generations

I've had too many speeding tickets and seen too much crazy driving on public roads to consider that a safe place for higher speed romps, and much prefer to enjoy the performance of sports cars on the track. I feel safer there with trained and focused drivers that aren't multi-tasking at the wheel. BMW-CCA has terrific driver education and track events that are highly controlled for safety.

Choose a car that you'll be comfortable learning high performance driving techniques in, and once you've got that skill you may be comfortable doing that in the XKR-S the odd time. I very much rely on the occassional track day for my continued enjoyment of the XKR, and those few opportunities allow me to keep my driving safer on public roads where I don't feel the need to race.

Bruce

 

Exactly. There is nothing like a few serious hours at the track to burn out any instinct to cowboy on public roads.

I come home with a central nervous system thoroughly toasted, brain wired, puttering in the right lane at 60 mph.

 

I agree too. It's unwise and frankly impossible to use half these cars' power on public thoroughfares. I actually think they have too much power for most purposes, but I know that's blasphemy to state on a car forum

 

Your logic is spot on...Most new Jag XKs or XKRs are lease vehicles where the driver is simply paying the first 3 years depreciation.

I bought a 2010 XK Convertible, Portfolio edition..had a bit over 25,000 miles and was Certified Pre Owned (CPO) with warranty to 100,000 mile or 6 years from original delivery date. I had to go to Detroit to find it at a decent price as Florida and California pricing was stupid. I've put about 4500 miles on it since March and I love the car. I paid $50k for the car and am very happy with it and the price I got. I found mine on Auto Trader after looking about 3-4 months and contacting several dealers to see if they would negotiate. Detroit was the only place that would talk...I guess they don't see many convertibles, in Michigan, in the middle of winter..LOL. They had sat on the car since September, 2012.

I bought a Jaguar because it was unique and you just do not see them very often (especially the XKs and XKRs). I looked at Lexus, BMW, MB, and Porsche. There were just too many of these cars on the road for what I wanted. I can drive for a couple of weeks and not see another XK/R in my part of Dallas-Fort Worth..I love it.

Happy driving.

 

As far as over powered is concerned...well, I can see where an XKR with 510 hp could be difficult to control on public streets. I followed an XKR almost to work, one morning. He was gingerly applying the power at red lights...as do I when leaving a red light...but sometimes, it's just fun to apply a bit more power and blow all the other cars away...LOL. I can still get 19-20mpg in town, IF I am a good boy and not show off too much...