Actually, the cargo space doesn't change much in the current XK convertible, as long as you don't move the luggage cover, which I never do. I can still fit at least one set of golf clubs (never tried two) with the top down.

Ironically, for me, the coupe looks much better than the 'vert when talking about the first-gen XK8/R. However, for me the line of that rear bumper sorta ruins it for me. What were they doing there?!

 

Having had both 'vert (1) and coupe(s) (2 coupes), it comes down to what you dig most...

Convertible:
It's a freaking CONVERTIBLE! Always (historically) premium cars, though it seems that with all the tech and modern assembly and design, the price delta between convertibles and coupes has shrunk considerably. I mean, look at the price of am old Karman Ghia convertible versus a coupe. HUGE difference in price. So there's the 'aura' of a convertible being 'premium' over a hard top, if not an actual value difference of much significance for the '10 or '11 XKR...

Wind in your hair, exhaust note in your ears, a convertible is simply a much more immersive experience. Yes, you can drop the windows of a coupe, but no comparison.

For the extrovert, you are no doubt seen more in the convertible (I mean YOU, not the car). A plus for some...

The tops on the XKR's are amazing, simply shocking how silent they are with the roof up. A negligible factor as a negative as compared to convertibles of the past, prone to wind whistle and leakage.

More practical backseat. I disagree with earlier posts... I remember in my convertible I could fit almost anyone in the back. If they were huge it wasn't fun, but they could sit diagonally and headroom wasn't an issue. The coupe imposes a hard limit on this sort of thing, with a roof line so low that the lack of legroom is irrelevant.

And (with top down) the convertible is a MUCH more fun/easy car to drive. Seriously, those of you who own convertibles and have never piloted a coupe would SHUDDER at the blind spots and insanely limited rear visibility created by the huge pillars on the coupe. Scary changing lanes, they really need to put blind spot detectors on the coupes. And backing up (in my '11, with no camera) is always a leap of faith, even with the sensors...

That said, I'm a 'Coupe' guy as of the current generation/body.

First and only (to me), the dilemma crusher: THE LOOKS of the new bodied XK/XKR coupe. Madonna mia, that insanely raked and flared roofline and steep rear glass, it puts the car in higher orbit and takes on the appearance of cars costing six figures more.

Not that the vert isn't good looking (WITH THE TOP DOWN), but the extreme lines of the back of the XKR are, IMO, what makes the car an immensely special thing. People's reaction to the coupe are out of control. With the "Jaguar" chrome bit blacked out, people don't know what it is: "Is that a Bentley? Ferrari?..." Granted these are not 'car people', but nonetheless, to me the coupe is, visually, on another level esthetically. Granted, with the top down the gap narrows a bit, but there aren't many cars with lines as radical as the coupe, whereas the convertible (to me) stands out way less visually.

Then there are the 'anti convertible' issues for some of us: f'd up hair, sunburn, too hot to have to top down on hot days, too cold on cold (negating the benefits), fabric vs. aluminum overhead (both esthetically, structurally, and safety wise), and the fact that I don't like being as visible as I am in a convertible.

Hell, the XKR is high profile enough where I live, it has enough 'look @ me' factor on looks, rarity, and engine note alone. I like sinking into the black cat, attracting attention while remaining somewhat low key personally. If a bevy of gals are checking the ride out out once can always drop the windows

So to my tastes, the convertible has certain unequaled qualities experientially. You'll NEVER match the visceral thrill of a high speed blast down a sweeping coastal freeways on a warm day with the top down in a coupe. Can't be done. And true, the new XKR convertibles are VERY rigid (for a convertible). I didn't think it matched the coupe, though I probably thrown my car around more than most and this might be negligible for drivers who don't push hard...

But there's also a pleasure in sinking into the lush interior, beneath the sexy 'suede' (feeling/looking) black headliner (immaculately finished), being in a more insulated, rigid, tight, sealed up bullet, still loud with the windows down, still thrilling to drive, climate controlled and a much better platform for the quality stereo...

But man, the looks kill it for me. Last gen XK I didn't think the coupe was as stunning, but this one, it's an absolutely HUGE level up to my eye in terms of looks.

The decision shouldn't be difficult. You are either insanely thrilled at the rush of no roof between you and nature as you gently roll or explosively accelerate a lovely convertible with 500+HP and more torque than a Mac truck, or you want to own and drive an outrageously designed and finished bullet, tight as drum, your private, radical looking hot rod in quasi-exotic clothing...

All subjective, hard to go wrong, just meditate on what thrills you and the choice is made.

Skeeter

 

convertible all the way! but again I live PHX, AZ so I can use the top down much more than most. In the summer its not down in the middle of the summer day but in the evenings, top down with the AC blowing and its great. spring, fall and sometimes in thr winter (then the top down in the middle of the day is great)

the overall experience in a convertible is worth it for a driving feel. Even if I had a coupe I am not going to track it, test the limits too much so I am fine with the loss of some performance.

I personally passed on the 911 since it doesnt look that good as a convertible. it was pretty much the m6 vs the XKR.

I just need to get the top to work now

the best convertible car I have ever owned was an e46 M3 (greatest driving experience with any car was from that with the top down in Sport mode redling it at 8-9k)

 

I didn't know you had a vert...what year and model?

Well said! You can get at least half way there in a coupe with a removable targa or T-top roof, and retain the coupe lines. The Supra with targa off, and MR2T with T-tops off, give at least half of that open air delight while retaining the more practical coupe aspects. I've enjoyed mine for the last 14 years. My life has been particularly well suited to owning a vert twice...first when I was care-free, single and 20, with a beater quickly purchased for when needed, and then when I retired at 55 and moved out into the country, and again with other vehicles to drive as necessary.

The top down vert experience is surely unique when weather and driving conditions are optimal, but for most, including myself, that is a minority of the time. But I think that's part of what makes having the vert so special. It's more than a luxury, probably more of a romance thing, where the anticipation of the next opportunity to enjoy is strong, and never disappointing. It's also an attention ***** of the first order...for those that care about that sort of thing

I have the perfect place for a convertible in my life, enjoy it fully at what it does so flawlessly, and chose it because I thought it was the most beautiful new vert on the market, and one of the most beautiful cars on the road. I'd surely feel the same about the coupe if that's what suited my needs at the time.

Bruce

 

For those that own an XKR convertible, consider adding a coupe to your garage.

For those that own an XKR coupe, consider adding a convertible to your garage.

It's only money and you can't take it with you. Life is short, enjoy.

Then you can have the feel of both, and have the opportunity to make a real comparison firsthand.

Sounds like such a great idea, I may consider it myself.

 

^Life is short...so your idea is to drive the identical car, with different roofs being the only difference??? After that I'd probably want to sell both if I didn't die of boredom first!

 

Ever eat a hamburger at Wendy's, McDonalds, Burger King, etc?

Ever eat a pizza at Pizza Hut, Dominos, Papa John's, etc?

A hamburger is a hamburger.

A pizza is a pizza.

Same for the Jaguar?

I was just kidding of course Bruce, your too serious.

 

Oh sure...that's what you say NOW

 

If you have to think twice about buying a convertible? Then I recommend you stay with a coupe.

 

Lots of good points made here for coupe vs. convertible and all valid depending on your tastes, driving habits, and location. Not trying to rain on any vert owner's parade, but do you notice that they don't show a convertible with the top up in the XK brochure? Have you ever seen an ad for any convertible with the top up (except a retractible hard top)? There's a reason for that and unless I was going to have the top down a lot, that's a deal killer for me. I love the flowing lines of a beautiful coupe.

 

Page 44 in my Jaguar brochure where they show front, side and rear pictures directly next to the same views of the coupe. It looks quite sharp...and the coupe isn't bad either

I suspect the real reason is marketing types think that people wanting to buy a vert are most interested in seeing those sexy pics of it with the top down. What I have noticed is that they always photograph them with really attractive people in the vert. I know it makes my wife feel sexy when she drives it...and she looks amazing doing it! If you said it's all about sex appeal with the vert I'd say that sounds about right to me!

 

I agree with you. Then again, I have the top down almost all the time, when temperatures are between 40 and 95 degrees! Sometimes I even have it down in the rain if I'm moving fast enough!

All in all, the XK's convertible top isn't that ugly when it's up. Even the original E-Type's convertible top was hideous!

 

I was driving through the Whole Foods parking lot about an hour ago and a guy and gal were walking by and I could read his lips as I drove by! "Are you shitting me!" That was with the top up. Why would you show a pic of the vert with the top up in promo material? You're buying it to mainly drive with the top down....... It's not ugly at all with the top up. I don't know about earlier models, mines a 12 but as someone pointed out earlier you can't tell you're in a convertible with the top up. My poor XJL is getting ignored (by me)!

 

Exactly. When you buy a convertible you do so for the "top down experience", that's the aspect that counts most, and you've weighed that priority against all others.

Central to that experience is of course the wonderful sense of freedom, the wind in your hair, sun on your face, but it's also the heightened connection you have to the road, and maybe the joy you feel when you tell the world the heck with making the more practical or conventional choice, buck the establishment, discover or re-discover your care-free side, cast off your worries and choose something that so thoroughly says "I'm doing this for me, and it's all about having fun". Everytime you look at it that great feeling comes back, and every inch of the car is a triumph of quality, luxury and elegance, and the passion for fun.

I would suggest that those who try to measure the XK vert experience by things like the shape of its haunch or roof are missing the point entirely.

For those considering the purchase of one or the other, it should be fairly easy to choose the model that suits your lifestyle best, and they both suit their purpose flawlessly

Bruce

 

Hmmm....just had to look again and I don't see one in the 2014 online brochure or in my 2013 brochure either--guess they stopped including one. I do agree that it doesn't make a lot of sense to show a convertible with the top up since that's not why you would buy one, but if they were outstanding looking I would think they would include a picture or two just to show it off. No matter, the point I'm trying to make is that, while certainly not ugly, IMHO with the top up they never look quite as good as a coupe, but that's the trade off as I said in my first post on this subject. If you like convertibles then it's a non issue--purely subjective (and somewhat polarizing down party lines so to speak).

 

I'm on my second vert, having leased the first one when I moved west from Chicago 5 years ago. All of the things said in this thread by coupe lovers are right on for them and all of the things said by those of us who prefer verts are batting 100 too. It all comes down to what it is that you can enjoy and use the most.

I can't think of a better place to have a convertible than Southern California!! I don't keep records on this but I would bet that I have my top down fore than half the time I'm in the car. That's what makes having a vert very worthwhile!!

 

+1

They do that even if you don't black it out. Some guy called mine a Maseratti the other day. I was driving slowly through a parking lot and heard the words "XK" through my open window, and I wanted to jump out and shake the person's hand for getting it right!

I really don't mind either way. I like the attention.

 

I second the rain comment. I am in Tampa and drive with the top down 95% o the time. It is only if it is raining , and I am in stop an go traffic do I put the top up. I have a wind deflector for the cold weather, actually only a couple weeks of 50's and 60's here though

I have been driving down the interstate in the rain and not getting wet at all except for the an occasional drop coming over the side window. Its kind of funny seeing people's expressions as you go by

 

I'm genuinely shocked that some think it doesn't look good with the top up. I actually think mine looks better with the top up! Granted, I see it more that way because that's how it's usually parked, and I'm inside when the tops own. And I actually think the angular roof accentuates the bulging haunches.

And I ain't in California - I'm in rainy England - and still appreciate the options/flexibility a soft top brings when the sun does come out.

Just my two pence worth.

M

 

The convertible in blue with blue top is quite lovely. The top really blends into the body.