Went to the Charlotte cars and coffee with a buddy of mine this Saturday. It was a gorgeous day. The buddy was driving his 2007 Porsche 996 turbo and I was rolling in the 2011 XKR.


Well it would have been rude of me not to take my buddy up on a little spirited competition on the battle of the cars. We got onto a remote section of rural 4 lane highway and both got into the "go pedal" as hard as we could.


The turbo Porsche was pulling slightly away from 0-60. The XKR reeled him in from 60-100 and it was a horse race to 130. I'll say that the Porsche is slightly faster but the Jag was no slouch. My buddy commented that not many cars can keep up with his.


Since it was early in the morning, and traffic was light to non-existent, we decided to stretch our legs on I-485. The amazing thing about the XKR is that at 110, my hat didn't even come close to getting blown off my noggin. In fact it was actually pretty calm in the driver's seat.


At Cars and Coffee there were not many Jags there. I saw 3 others. An early 80's V-12 coupe, a late model XK and the E-type in the picture. My buddy was lamenting that with his Porsche he didn't feel like his car was very special. There were 5-6 996's same vintage as his.


Mine was the only XKR I saw there. So I did feel like my car was special...not special like needing to take the short bus to school


Here is a picture of mine next to the E-Type. It was so cool to see the heritage in the Jaguar line.

 

Way cool!!

 

Nice to meet the family.

If you don't have one, get yourself a wind deflector, really cuts down the draft at the under 100 MPH speeds.

 

Sweet pic! Congrats on giving the P-car a nice workout.

 

I can't tell a 993 from a 996 or a 911 or a 997 or a 991. Or a 1997 from a 2016.

XKR's a better looking machine. So you win!

 

Drive a 993 TT and you'll see why they are now going for over $250K. Agree they don't have the looks but they sure do drive like a race car

 

Leeper...for sure. The new Porsches are amazing purpose built cars. I don't know of many $250k cars that are not awesome.

 

The 993 was the last of the air cooled Porsche's production stopped @ 1996. That car costs @$125K (about the same price range as a XKR -S) then seen some going for $600K now. The last of their true sports car designed 911. Very different car than the water cooled ones of today

The new ones are hard to beat in terms of performance even when compared to Ferrari's and McLaren but I've grown tired of seeing that body style like was said earlier... changing the headlights and taillights a little bit isn't getting people excited. Now the starting price for a turbo (they are all turbo but once that carries the turbo badge and performance) is @$240K... pretty crazy!

 

I watched a Wheeler Dealers rerun a week or so ago. Mike bought a 1996 993 for I think £19,000 and ended up selling it for £25,000.
Course, the Island isn't the States, but I can't see a HUGE difference in prices (Since it's not Australia or NZ. UGH!).

 

Porsche 911 Turbo Coupe 2 Door | eBay

Light weight, not many nanny electronics, last of the water cooled engines, drove like a go-kart with a rocket engine attached, 4 wheel drive. The air cooled Porsches go up in value, the water cooled plummet badly. Started at roughly the same price as the upper level Jag but two VERY different cars so no comparison other that they should command a level of respect for their performance and price appreciation which so very few cars enjoy

 

Has anyone owned or driven an SL550 and how did that car compare to the XK?
Both are similarly priced in used market.

 

the SL is plagued with mechanical and electronic issues, the depreciation usually more so than the Jag, and there are MANY more of them and their look-alikes from previous years. Also you get no back seat to store/carry stuff like groceries or double amputees. The 550 is similar in power/speed to the XK, the XKR is FAR faster/quicker more comparable to the SL63/SL65. SL is much smaller inside also. Take a look at the various forums with regard to the electronic suspension going out, various electronic issues, tranny issues (the cars not people)... very costly stuff.

Something my Lemon Law attorney said when I was going against Porsche... I asked who the best and worst mfg's were in terms of lemon laws, he was quick to say "Mercedes was by far the worst", their belief is "we don't have problem cars, we have problem owners". I don't care to support companies with that attitude towards clients.

I briefly looked at both, both were roughly the same on the market, but with JAg's being exceptional in terms of reliability and Merc opposite it was an easy decision. I've driven MANY mercs (ex works for Beverly Hills Mercedes) I've never been impressed

 

Never doubted the performance or it's capabilities.

I owned a 944 and it was a great car. Dare I say I loved it. Very reliable. So I'm not averse to Porsche.

It's just a homogeneous design. The differences are subtle unless your a Porsche nut. I never found the 911 series a particularly pretty car and we've had 50 years of the same shape. I have a friend with a 07 4WD turbo with the overboost. It's epic! Leaves me for dead. No one gives it a second look in the Porsche row at the local big car meet though and my Jag is popular. I always make it a point to say it's a badass Beetle and he always asks if I'm going to need a jump start! Given my battery is 3 years old it sure will be embarrassing if I do! He has one redeeming quality. He has an 05 XK vert. (yes, we rib each other a lot!)

Everybody is different and that's what makes the world go 'round! The best car in the world is the one you're happy with.

 

I have a client who has had one of the first of the shape since new (1969, I think) and still drives it most days. Check out the lush interior! I was looking at it the other day, seriously it isnt that much different to the current shape.

 

The 911 loyalists will not allow the body to change dramatically.

I will give it to Porsche, they aren't stupid. If it ain't broke don't fix it! They are riding the strong sales from that body design for as long as people are willing to buy. And they are extremely willing.

For all that you say you won't buy because of that aged design there are 32,000 more who fork out double-digit profit prices to get one.

 

First back to the OP. Nice pic and that is one gorgeous XKE! Totally timeless in design.

Now to Porsche... I also commend and respect their decision making. Just before 2000 they went water cooled and introduced the Boxster which made the purists cringe but saved the troubled company. Later they jumped into the SUV fad which again horrified the purists but made them a ton of money (Jag is just now discovering this). They've kept with the 911 design on the exterior and the purpose for which it did and are still there to challenge Lambo, Ferrari, McLaren, etc. Smart business, smart people

 

Coincidentally, the early E-Type roadster is the model I wanted when I started my search in the early 70s. My "spirited" driving and the resultant tickets and points, precluded my owning a roadster. However, the underwriters did cover me in a '67 2+2. That's the difference between a chic-magnet and the family version. So, to satisfy my mid-life crisis (at 67) was seeking what I refer to as my 2+2's great grand child....the XK-R roadster.
Be mindful when using that "go" pedal......