XKR or Mustang GT
 

Greetings. It's time for me to buy another car for myself. I bought a 2005 XJR in 2010 and owned it until 2018. It was by far the best car I've ever owned. I had very few issues with it mechanically, and most of them I attended to myself as I rather enjoy working on cars when all the parts are in the correct place (V8 engine in front, rear wheel drive, etc.).

I survived a harrowing bout with cancer (sarcoma in my thigh) in 2017. My XJR sat for almost 6 months, and then when I survived and got better, it needed a good bit of work to replace worn out suspension bits and air suspension woes to attend to. I didn't have the strength to do the work myself at that point, so we traded her in and we bought a Honda Civic that we're going to give to our 16 yo son when he gets his license next month.

Some may scoff at my having narrowed my potential choices down to an XKR or Mustang GT (convertibles, BTW), but when one looks at their dimensions and specs they compare nicely, and by that I mean either a 2010-2015 XKR to a 2018 and up Mustang GT with the Performance Pack 1 option box checked which includes a Torsen diff, 6 piston brakes up front, 255/275 staggered 19's with summer only rubber, and some other goodies that turn the pony car into a serious contender.

Look, clearly the interior of the XKR is on another level (especially the obsolete when manufactured infotainment :D), and the Mustang is N/A. One of the factors I'm mulling is the thing about when peak torque is available. I love how SC cars have max torque available at such a low rpm (465 lb-ft at 2,500 in the XKR 5.0), but the N/A dual cam Mustang motor, with peak torque (420 lb-ft) coming higher in the rpm range at 4,400, is a joy as well, having spent time driving them myself as well.

Clearly the Ford ownership experience is a big plus as far as having manufacturer's warranty and lower overall cost of ownership.

So, I'd love to know your thoughts. Thanks for weighing in.

Go for the Ford.

The 5.0L XKR is a reliable car. It will not be free like a new Mustang, but it will be more enjoyable on a day to day basis. The supercharged engine has instant torque at any speed and is shockingly quick when you get on the happy pedal. Obviously, the infotainment is ancient but if driving pleasure is more important than animated graphics, and ride quality and solidity of that ride is more important, and with the unbelievable depreciation that has made great examples of the 5.0L XKR available in the mid $20K range, you might enjoy the Jag more. I would suggest driving both for an extended test drive and then making your decision.

The xkr is always going to be the more exculsive of the two and in terms of performance they're pretty much on par (providing the mustang has the 10spd)

In terms of the aftermarket world it's a lot harder to come by in the xkr world .

Just standing in a regular parking lot and I have already spotted 3 Mustangs so that also plays a big factor for me personally

No wrong answers here. Objectively, the Mustang is probably the “better” car and will certainly be cheaper to maintain. However, it’s not a Jaguar. I think the Jag is the better looking and more plush car. The mustangs back seats will be almost useable.

Real question is if you are driving the Ford and see the Jag will you have some regret? If so, the answer is clearly the Jag.

Best health!

Some good side by side comparisons

Not sure if the the thigh is an issue with using a clutch, but here's something crazy that you might not hear on a Jag forum. Get the Ford. Specifically a manual ecoboost version of the Mustang. Guaranteed to have lots of teenage fun, add a V8, and you’re still in the same skin with a different beast. The XKR is sophisticated, and aging, but the design is somehow fitting in well with todays hypercar and supecar scene. Ive been feeling the love on the road lately! Yet, if you want tons of fun with warranty, get the ecoboost and go against the grain. You can beat on it and do it again day after day. Its such a fun car with some good spooling, but too many guys overlook it because they want a V8.

The other thing with the mustang is you could always add a supercharger to that as well. Drive it for a while stock, then when you feel the need for more grunt, add the sc. Sounds like a win win.

That at being said, if this is going to be your only daily driver, I think the Mustang makes sense. If you want to tinker a bit more and can afford to be down a car for chunks of time, get an XKR. And while the aftermarket scene isn’t as big as the mustang one, since there are far less out there, there are still parts to get that R up to R-S hp specs, and without much damage to reliability, or huge customizing.

John makes a very good point and I briefly touched on the fact that there isn't a huge amount of go fast parts for the xkr although at 500-600hp it's more then enough .

With the mustang yes bolt up a supercharger and you well and truly past the 600hp mark easily ...but having said all of that it's not always about the horsepower or potential horsepower available it's about the experience and how the car makes you feel .

One thing I notice myself doing is once parked after a few steps I can't help but take a quick glance back at my car.

Personally I couldn't imagine myself doing exactly that with the mustang which seals the deal for me right there .

Also worth mentioning is the M4 is a brilliant vehicle with a stack of lightweight components including lightweight calipers , two piece rotors , carbon fibre roof & prop shaft and enough power to run low 12s in stock form or 11s with a simple tune .

But like I said before I wouldn't be taking a look back at this vehicle either once parked

I considered trading my 2010 XKR for a 2016 Mustang GT in 2016. I took several of them for test drives, and while it was fun to do, it didn't have that "Grin Factor" that my XKR still has.
I also tried a 2018 Corvette Stingray this past summer, but again while a fun little trip, it still did not meet what I now expect from a vehicle. Even if it would have been an even trade (my $30k Jag straight up for a $65k Vette) I wouldn't have done it if selling for profit wasn't factored.
When I bought my second Mustang in 1995 (GT Convertible) it had lots of the Grin Factor, but it wore off fairly quickly and became 'just a car' after a couple years. I still HAVE that car, but it's been in the garage for..... oh hell, 12 years now.

For exclusivity alone go for the Jag, unsure where you'll be able to do an extended test drive (as Tberg recommends) as they've not been in production for almost 5yrs.

Here in the UK the Tang is far more exclusive and that will be reversed stateside, that said washing the beautiful lines of a XK is a pleasure, the tang am not so sure about?

If I were you I'd go for the Ford, it will never make you grin as much as the XK but it'll (IMO) be your wisest choice.

PS: It certainly sounds like you've done your homework Trav...that is always a pleasure to see :)

I was upsold to a 5.0 litre Mustang rental when I was in Seattle in January. It was great fun to drive and felt heavier and more of a brute than my '10 XKR.

I got a bit of a fright when I pulled out of a shopping mall car park and left parallel lines on the road as the rear end squirmed about. I wouldn't have had the same drama in my XKR.

I wouldn't totally discount owning one but as I have been driving Jags for over 30 years it would have to be something a lot more special than that to take me away from the marque. It is a great rental car though!

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...33ae8fa394.jpg


The next stop was Hawaii so I changed my rental car to a convertible Mustang as I had enjoyed the one in Seattle so much. I was disappointed to find when it finally arrived that it was the Ecoboost version and it took a few days of fiddling with the settings to make it more enjoyable to drive. It actually wan't too bad once I had got it sorted but in a different league to the 5 litre.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...a33ff69ec5.jpg

I found the gearbox to be very uncivilised on both, quite clunky and I didn't realise how heavy the steering was until I jumped back in to my XKR when I got back to NZ and nearly went off the road when I took the first corner!

The problem with Mustangs in Australia is the simple fact of them being sooo common and the drivers acting as if they are behind the wheel of something super exotic unfortunately the brand has been tarnished over here which is a shame as they are put together very nice

A few pics of a mustang engine I removed ready for rail repairs

In the end it all comes down to what "floats your boat". I had the same dilema years back and almost pulled the trigger on the Stang but my bride asked the simple question.....will you have regrets? We're in our 2nd XK now but you may see it differently and that is OK!

My bride told me I had to big of an ego to buy a Ford or a Chevy and I agreed . If I had the funds I would be in a GT40 but that wouldn't be a typical Ford. Buy what makes you happy as you have to drive it.

This is like comparing a fine 6 course gourmet meal with a hot dog and fries. :icon_slap:
If you want a quick fix to your transportation problems go with the Mustang.
BUT If you want an unforgettable driving experience then the XK would be the car to drive. :icon_biggrin:

I love the stang interior but am not a big fan of the exterior proportion. The stang's tires are too skinny for its mass and it's too boxy looking. The XKR just looks svelte and ready to run fast. Plus my little '07 4.2l has eaten a couple 5.0's.

If there weren't a bazillion of them on the road I'd like to have one. BTDT and someone's always faster or better looking. With the Jag, it's a pretty well done package. Other than the infotainment disaster the car is very complete.

I loved the '15 I test drove before getting my XKR but the $35k price was ridiculous for what it was.

Ranch good luck eating the new breed of Mustangs with the 10spd they're good for high 11s and 120mph ...this does make them very enticing but as you said the jag is a good total package and there are millions of Mustangs getting around

Unfortunately, this is the case here as well. While I like Mustang GT as a performance vehicle, I don't want to be seen driving one outside the track, so I am not mistaken for one of "those people".

Take a drive on a Sunday and count the number of Mustangs and XKRs you see. Buy the one you see the least of. :)