Just placed my order for a new 2023 P450 (RWD) coupe. Caldera Red with tan full extended leather package. Basically ordered "fully loaded" except for the optional alcantara headliner (about 1300 in Canada). But now I'm wondering if I should go for the upgraded alcantara headliner (its in ebony in Canada).

Question: for those who ordered the alcantara headliner, do you like it ? For those who didn't, did you later wish you had ? Any comments would be appreciated. Pros/Cons ?

Also, at least in Canada, while I could (and did lol) get the Caldera Red with Tan leather fully extended leather package with performance seats, the ordering guide, while allowing it, also said "not recommended" to have tan with Caldera red exterior. I thought this odd since it's a classic combo on Ferraris and I personally think it looks sharp. Anyone know why Jaguar would say this combo is "not recommended" ? Thought it was a strange notation.

Thanks !

 

I bought mine used so I didn't have to pay for the Alcantara headliner specifically, but I do really like it. It makes the car seem just that much more luxurious and special.

 

I got it on my MY21 P450 and love it. It adds an extra 'tactile' quality to the car. It runs down the pillars at the edge of the windscreen too, in case you weren't aware.

Is it worth it? For me, yes, but I got a 20% discount on the car and all the accessories ordered at the time. It was galling that they bumped the price up, for MY21 models onwards, to £1000 in the UK, when it was <£800 for the previous models.

 

Appreciate above feedback. For Cluck, congrats on the awesome 20% discount from MSRP ! Here in Canada (Toronto area) the best I can find (on a factory ordered car) is simply MSRP with NO discounts. In stock cars (there are very few and I don't like the specs on those I could find) you MIGHT get around $1500 to $2,000 off full list. Kills me to pay full MSRP on a 6 figure car but thanks to Covid supply issues and resulting supply/demand impact that's just the way it is. I'm not keen on the final 2024 models (at least based on what I see on the UK Jag website and I can only assume it won't be much different in North America) - appears to be VERY limited colours available and I'm not crazy on the 'special edition" features - 2023 model year will be the final chance (to get specs I want) to get a new F Type. I always liked the cars and was hoping to buy one in another few years but I've had to make a decision now.

 

That was back at the tail-end of 2019 when I ordered, pre-pandemic. 20% was about the most you could get anywhere, although if there had been a car already in the dealer network with a spec I wanted then I could have got 23% off list. Those levels of discounts have long since ended, even through the scheme that mine was purchased through.

 

That makes more sense - although even then 20% discount is outstanding !

 

We often use Ultrasuede (it's just a brand name of the same product) on our aircraft headliners. The idea is that it absorbs high frequency sound, and is less reflective than a vinyl or cloth headliner. I am not at all sure what the Coupe comes with in stock form for a headliner, and whether Alcantara would be better from a noise point of view, but in aircraft, it is wonderful, as it provides a nice "feel". With about a 3 dBc reduction in noise. While that may not see like a lot, it's enough to notice.

 

Having lived with Alcantara in my Nissan 370Z I'm generally not a fan due to the way it wore on the armrests. However wear wouldn't be an issue on a headliner and I agree that it would look nice. But $1300 is a lot to spend on something that you probably wouldn't notice most of the time. I ordered the full leather upgrade on my 2021 R along with some other options so I was already stretching the budget and an upgraded headliner didn't seem like a good place to spend more money.

The standard headliner is something called Morzine which sounds exotic but is actually a polyester material made from recycled plastic bottles ! However it looks nice so I have no complaints. The noise reduction characteristic of Alcantara is interesting, I had not heard of that before.

 

I had the alcantara in my Porsche and it was nice. As a headliner it would be worth it if you see the value in it. I agree with Dwight that I do not think it "wears" well but being a headliner it would be fine. I see so many people do their steering wheel is some portion of alcantara but that I think would be a bad idea on how it typically wears in commonly touched areas.

 

I also think alcantara is brilliant as headliner material. As said, having it on areas like the steering wheel and seats is idiotic because it really doesn't wear well, especially on steering wheels. I once had leather/alcantara seats in an Audi A6 and after a couple of years the leather parts still looked like new but but the alcantara areas were just impossible to keep pristine.

I had the suedecloth/alcantara headliner in an XF years ago and loved it. Kids loved it too since they could draw stuff in it with the fingers in the back seat. It looks great and I'm also sure it adds to reducing noise, especially in a car with a big headliner surface like the XF. In the F-Type coupé, especially if you have the pano roof, it would probably make less of a difference sound wise. The standard morzine is actually really nice for a standard headliner though and the alcantara option seems a bit overpriced - after all it's just another type of synthetic fabric - so I'm not sure I'd spec it.

Red with sienna tan sounds great btw. I just wish more areas like the full dash and headliner would also be in sienna tan with the extended leather package. Mine also has the whole centre console and cubby cover in tan which they strangely seemed to drop later.

 

Over on the XK/XKR forum, and as an XKR owner, I have supplied many dozens of X150 owners with an alcantara replacement headliner suede called Passion Suede that is nicer quality, thicker, just as luxurious feeling if not better, and a fraction of the cost. Having used thousands of yards of this microsuede over the last 20 years or so as well as about the same of Ultrasuede, I actually prefer the Passion Suede in most respects. and Passion Suede costs1/25 of the price of Ultrasuede. For an X150 it takes about 3 yards of fabric to do the headliner and if you're doing the pillars an extra yard. I give forum members my cost at $5.10/yd, so in other words for between $15 and $20 and about $200's worth of labor at an auto upholstery shop, you could have the suede headliner you seek while saving about a $1000.00 dollars. If you look at the X150 forum and do a search for headliner replacement, there should be many pictures from forum members who have either done their owner headliner replacement with this suede or had someone do it. Everyone loves it. Let me know if I can be of any help.
If you search "Replacement suede for headliner" in the search box, the second post is from forum member Big Otter. He includes pictures of his redone headliner and a description of the work. He and his wife did it themselves and it looks great. If I knew how to link it I would. Sorry.

 

any owners with alcantara on the steering wheel......thoughts/opinions??

 

I changed out my sticky leather (from PO) to alcantara and like it a lot. there is more maintenance to alcantara from what I read but I don't have much mileage since the change so no experience but not doubting that.

 

I have the leather headliner as it seemed right for the upgraded leather interior back in'14.

 

I have Alacantra in my wife’s 370z Nismo, and had it in my Camaro ZL1. On surfaces you touch everyday, I will never have it again. Period.

To the OP: Ive always chalked Alacantra up to a fad that’s sold for more margin for these days. I’ve honestly never/rarely ever paid attention to the headliner in any of my cars, but if you see the appeal and value in it; get it! Enjoy the purchase and the fantastic new ride!

 

only good for 1-2years then you will wish you hadn't

 

Agree 10000%
One opinion on this material...