Leeper, don't take this wrong, but it seems quite ironic that someone driving a Jaguar XK would cast stones at the "conspicuous consumption" of someone else? Regardless of the fact that you bought a highly depreciated vehicle there are other people who probably look at your choice exactly as you would look at those Hummer or Bentley drivers. An arrogant driver shoving his success in the face of others? There are a whole host of folks who can never afford your car regardless of how much it declines in value. As you know once it gets to a certain point the upkeep is a price of admission that many cannot handle.

Perhaps in your area what you say is true, all the folks driving Jag's, Mercedes, Porsche and whatever else pass judgement on the Bentley drivers as Nouveau Rich punks. In my area they are still people who are rich. Nouveau or otherwise. I don't fault them for their choice, Bentley, Ferrari, Lambo, if they can afford it I am not upset. Even if they are poser rap stars or investment bankers, in your mind not real rich just fake rich. I guess I get it, the Bentley is a car associated with elite status, so when a person hits it big for the first time it is the purchase that shows they have arrived.

You probably bought your XK because you have a passion for quality cars. The Bentley is also a quality car, why crap on the folks that choose to feed their passion differently than you?

 

I actually love the Bentley GT. If they cost the same as the XKR I'd probably have a hard time picking between the two, although the Jag is much prettier. In fact given the hard ride in the f type I've thought that the GT is probably the only place for me to go if I ever get rid of my XKR.
But even used the GT still costs a bomb (the 4 doors depreciate much faster here). Here is a local review of the 2016 turbo V8. 2016 Bentley Continental GT V8 S Review | CarAdvice

 

Bruce

I love the 2+2 arrangement hypothetically if someone needed to purchase a new 2+2 coupe what options do they have -
Maserati GT, Aston DB9, Bentley GT, SL /CL / S coupe merc

Jaguar has worked so hard over the last 10 years building up their brand, without a new xk on the market where do we go as Jaguar owners ? (F-Type ..really)

It would be an absolute disaster to lose these 'new' Jaguar customers simply due to the fact that they haven't built one for us .

 

In that class of luxury GT cruisers there is also the BMW 650. The Audi owners would say the A5/S5 also but to me that is not to the level of your list.

I suppose the 911 could be thrown in but certainly is not a Grant Touring style car like the others in your list, but it is a 2+2.

 

Even though the Bentley is considered a GT the styling to me represents more of a sedan. As for the 911 it in my opinion doesn't fit and the Audi's also remind me of a sport sedan. Somehow I can't see the AM or XK in the same field as these other cars. Just my opinion

 

I hear you and I did mention that the Audi is not in the same class, but since we are making massive leaps by mentioning an XK in with Maserati or Aston Martin I figured we could just keep on stretching. And to compare to a Bentley even further away. The XK at a starting MSRP of $84k is a great car but the others are from $120k to $200k plus.

The reality is that direct comparison in style, quality, cache, and price the XK matches with the Mercedes SL and the BMW 650. The Aston/Maserati/Bentley are heads and shoulders above all three of these cars in price and exclusivity.

To the OP, if you can get a Bentley, go for it. It is a great car!

 

In Australia the prices are the following in coupe variety
S5 - 135k
Xkr -- 227k
Xkr-s - 321k
Maserati gt MC - 324k
Merc s500 - 344k
Db9 -- 376k
Bentley Gt - 411k

Mark as you can see Jaguar is quite exclusive in Australia and price wise it's definitely up there with competition I put up there .

If were an xkr-s buyer the Maserati and Mercedes are a direct comparison so great we lose a customer that use to belong to Jaguar .

If you were an xkr buyer which is the best value for money your stuck in limbo as its a middle runner with no direct competition .
You wouldn't go down to a S5 or a 650i as you would want something more a little more exclusive and In terms of going up to that next bracket it would be too high of a stretch were does that buyer go ?

The sooner Jaguar can build another 2+2 coupe for us the better ! it fits that particular hole in that market very nice

 

I understand where you are coming from, we will have to agree to disagree since I don't see it the same way as you do. Not saying you are wrong, just that I differ.

The 650 is a direct comparison to the XK here in the US and from what I see in Australia. You are comparing the 650 to the XKR or XKR-S. You should be looking at the M6 against those vehicles. When I look at the price in Australia they are:

650 - 178,300 XK - 189,000 MRLP
M6 - 308,000 XKR - 277,000 XKR-S - 321,000

I like to compare BASE model to BASE, then the special edition high-horsepower variant to the high horsepower equivalent on the other brand. The XKR-S is in a class of it's own since it is so race inspired. Despite that the M6 is in the same price range.

In the end the XKR and XKR-S are a X150 vehicle. The fact that it shares the same body with the 189,000 base model takes away from it's exclusivity (my opinion for what it is worth). The Aston Martin DB9 is what it is, a car with a 376,000 price tag that doesn't have a lower version of that model being driven around town for half or a third of it's price. Same with the Maserati and the Bentley, there is no cheaper version of those diluting the model's exclusivity.

 

I see where your coming from Mark in that respect, being the base price for Aston / Maserati & Bentley all share that higher starting cost yes that does make sense and I would put the xk mid-range then .

However the main issue I have is what happens if you dislike BMW / Merc & Audi as they are too common yet still want a vehicle with exclusivity ( I can count the amount of xk's on one hand that I have seen in Australia ) where does one go

 

Agreed Steve. Personally I cant see myself buying Porsche, Benz or BMW (dont appeal, I like something "different") and over here the price jump for Aston (and the GT for that matter) isnt justified, even used. And Maserati just dont do it for me.

I've bought my missus an XE and aside from the power (177KW), it is the best car I've driven. The driving position and steering are pretty much spot on XKR, the tech is obviously far better. The engine note is meh but you cant have everything. If it looked like an XK on the outside I'd be buying the 6 cyl in a second for myself, even if it had no back seats. So Jag can still build a lovely driving car, it doesnt have to be spine shattering like the f type. Here's hoping...

 

Yeah, I guess it is all about the definition of exclusive. I look at it in range of prices for a model but I can see where you guys are going with it's rarity. I love my XK, don't get me wrong, it won me over this go-round. But in 2009 I decided to get the BMW 650. It was a great car that got compliments everywhere I went, at gas stations people would act like I pulled up in the most expensive car in town.

The XK gets the same attention even though it has had the same body style for a LONG time.

Like you guys say, I do not see many X150 vehicles on the road. I see a lot of 4 door Jag's though. But you do see a ton of BMW's and Mercedes so the Jaguar feels more exclusive whether the price makes it that way or not!

I just know that an Aston Martin, Bentley, or Maserati will catch my attention and impress me even when I am driving the Jaguar. I know that all of them would cost me more, both in starting price and ongoing expenses.

Anyway, I would have a Bentley in a heartbeat if it made solid sense for me. I would need to upgrade my house, my clothes, my friends, my restaurants, my home cooked food, to match such a high-end car!!! It would cost me a fortune to keep up with my garage.

 

tampamark,
It's interesting how different perception can be from person to person. Although I like the interior of the Bentley, I've never been crazy about its exterior (bloated looking and stupid looking double stacked oval exhausts). As for the Astons, for me, personally, I don't find any of the bigger Astons attractive while I think the Vantage is far and away their nicest body and the only one I would ever consider. The BMW, while certainly the new body style has come light years from the Bangle era, I don't think it has anywhere near the grace or attractiveness of the XK/XKR, and as much as I don't find the interior of the XK/XKR to be exceptional, I have never liked any BMW interiors from the lowest base model through the top luxury models. However, I love the lines of the BMW 6 series 4 door much more than the coupe. Finally, I didn't buy either of my XKRs because of exclusivity, I just don't like the alternatives as much, nor did they offer as much bang for the buck. Having said that, I have never owned an automobile including some rather exotic ones, that have garnered more attention or compliments than my 2002 XKR with my 2010 coming in a respectable second. As it is said, "to each his own."

For those craving a Bentley, a Maserati, a Lambo or whatever, by all means, live the dream!

 

tberg you said exactly my thoughts, well put. Bangle bungled all BM'ers badly both sales and resales show how his management hurt them. Was certainly not a fan of their interiors in the least (wanted to get a BMW 650I conv but couldn't get past that interior) and with the exception of the Panamera Porsches have been making ugly interiors since 2004 that includes their $150K+ turbos. That new 4 door 6 series is quite nice on the outside haven't looked inside as I have no draw towards 4 seaters. The new Merc CLS AMG has cleaned up its exterior a lot. If I had to go with 4 seats it would either be a Tesla P85D or a Jag XJL (my good friend and client just got that and loves it!)

There are so few cars that I am actually attracted to - Ferrari, the new NSX but at this rate it'll be 2122 before they get around to actually selling it, that Aston I took pics of made me seriously drool, there was a 2013+ XKR someone just got on this forum in dark blue that was stunning, other than that so few differences I'd go with which one has the better maintenance factor

 

This is a very interesting discussion and has covered a lot of ground. Like you guys say, the Bangle butt era was controversial, it is a bold design move and the fact that BMW became the highest profit car company in the world tells you that the consumers agreed.

I will admit, on first inspection I did not like the rear. But in 2009 I was evaluating the Jaguar XK, SL500, and the BMW 650. In the end I fell in love with the 650. It was the right fit, a sporty, youth oriented sports feel with quality everything that I really enjoyed for 6 years. To tell the truth the Wife wanted a Jag, but since I was footing the bill I out-voted her and bought a 650. She fell in love with it also, but I will say when I told her I was ready to trade the 6 she was reluctant until I said it was for an XK, then she was eagerly onboard. I am not sure what is meant by the 650 interior, I found it was not second to my Jag at all? It was very high quality fit and finish.

I am not BMW homer and am not blindly loyal to any brand. The new 650 is a beautiful car and quality inside and out. In the end while I love the new 6 series design I couldn't bring myself to buy the same car brand twice. Life is too short to not have some diversity. It is funny, I still participate on the 650 forum as I made a lot of great online friends there. I don't think they could ever make the leap. They are all multi-year BMW owners, some who have more than one model on their driveway.

Yes, the Bentley is a big honkin' vehicle. That is what it is supposed to be, not a slim rakish sports cruiser like the Jag. I am not sure it should be put in the same 2+2 category as the SL/BMW/Jag since they are more a 2+half seats. It is a sedan with 2 doors as has been mentioned. I would still have one though, just as a part of the stable.

 

Bangle era cars were fantastic and forward thinking IMO. Look; just about every Asian marque is using the exterior flame surfacing on their cars right now (even Mercedes couldn't say no). Taste is not universal, but the sales and proliferation of his ideas speak for itself.

 

Rumours have it and remember it's just rumours is the next xk will be within that high end price bracket and is going after the likes of the bentley Gt and S-coupe amg

Like Bruce I wanted something a little 'different' to the normal brand of cars gracing the roads, yet at the same time I wanted something considered special and yes in 2+2 configuration but what I forgot to mention was I also wanted something that represented great value ..bang for buck so to speak

That being the case I love the fact that the xk is currently priced below these heavy-hitters, I consider I'm getting myself a bargain buy right from the get go .

I hope jaguar truly re-consider their pricing of the new xk model and that taking on the likes of Aston , Bentley & Maserati could potentially be an uphill battle for them .

 

"Bangle era cars were fantastic...." I have never met anyone including BMW afficionados who thought the trunk decklid treatment of any Bangle designed 6 or 7 series BMW was "fantastic." It reminds me of a picnic table with an overbite, conceptually similar to the Cadillacs and Chrysler Imperial of the '70's that added the Rolls Royce luggage bump to the rear ends.

 

I've owned Porsche , Mercedes , vw so I can say I appreciate different brands out there and I am not bias to one particular manufacturer .

With the ' BMW bangle era' if that's what's it called sorry I'm unfamiliar with that terminology however ..
I remember seeing the M6 launched at the motor show and yes it did catch my eye and the cogs in my mind starting clicking over until I walked around to the rear of the vehicle, my heart dropped ! ...what were the designers thinking .

This boot / trunk design was never a good idea it was never thought out properly and even BMW recognised this as it was rectified with the newer shape .