I was driving from Tampa to Orlando two weeks ago while it was raining (not real hard) with the top down barely getting wet and cars going by were cracking up giving me the thumbs up! Funny!

 

If I was single, I would've leaned more towards the convertible. Convertible is a better "pick up" car than the coupe.

Not afraid to use any arrow in my quiver, lol.

 

I'm not sure if it has been mentioned already, but the interior of the XK really is stunning, and with the top down it can be seen and appreciated by all.

I've noticed I exchange a lot of thumps up from on-coming drivers of other convertibles that I seldom get when the top is up. Lots of new and old muscle car verts and Corvette verts around here, and you can always tell a top down vert coming from a distance. I guess we really enjoy those times we can drive top down and want to acknowledge others doing the same!

Verts are all about amping up the fun...and I've never even had young women passengers in the back seat like amcdonal86 has!

Bruce

 

Hey Bruce!

Yeah, I owned a convertible XK (not an R) back in... I think 2002. It was a 1999 or 2000 I think, my memory is bad on such matters.

It was a BEAUTIFUL example of the flashy side of that generation of XK: an incredible bright red (I think Carnival Red, not sure) with gorgeous chromed rims (i think the designed was called Impeller) and a white interior.

I loved the fact that you could raise and lower the top while in motion! Stock it allowed such tom foolery up to like 20 MPH if memory serves, and I remember finding out that if you partially pressed the parking brake, you could operate it at even higher speeds

A real attention getter, cruising down a crowded Saturday night strip (like Broadway in SF) and lowering the top while you rolled along at 20 mph, LOL... Those were good times. Though putting the tonneau cover on was a pain, the car looked fantastic with the top down and the white (leather?) cover concealing all the roof mechanism. Nice that the new ones do this automatically...

Can you operate the new 'vert at speed, or must you be stopped/in park? Given that we can't operate our freaking NAV systems unless stopped, I'm guessing they got paranoid on us and removed this 'feature'...

I don't think the previous gen coupe had the extra pop in appearance to justify passing on a fully warrantied convertible. Really an amazing thought given the POS cars I suffered through for most of my fairly young life, to be able to buy a 500+HP convertible and that even the operation of the TOP is under warranty! It was always a given that you were on your own when it came to such matters in the past...

And even my old model was incredibly silent with the top up. Amazing. Even @ high speeds

Test drove the new one and was even more impressed. Utter silence when the top was up with very little material (thickness-wise) to deaden the noise. Some amazing technology, to be sure...

But like I said, one look at the haunches of the new coupe & it was love at first (and second) sight Just so radically designed. And among other factors, the sunburned forehead was no fun, especially because I hit a brief hair recession (thankfully it stopped) at the time, so I was freaking out @ the prospect of loosing all my hair and being sunburned on a newly exposed widow's peak. LOL... Had some real fun in that car. Though it bordered on overly flashy (crazy bright red, white leather interior, convertible, chrome rims), the fact that it was a JAG made it OK in my book. Had the same colors been on a 'Vette it'd have been hell. But Jag as a brand was still perceived as an old man's car, so I figured being young and with a color scheme that was flashy I was trying my best to show that it was a young man's car also. Jag has clearly been hard @ work since then on furthering this effort, no?

If only they made a car that looked 100% like the new coupe but could somehow drop the top, with no compromises, we'd be in heaven. Impossible, I know, but there are hard top 'verts that are getting better.

I think of all the 'common' cars with hardtop convertibles, the new Volvo looks the best with the top up. A genuinely nice looking car with the hard shell top in place. No Jag, mind you, but IMO the most reasonably priced car that integrates a convertible top into the design without loosing much by way of looks to the coupe version.

Peace,

Skeeter

 

Hi Skeeter!

Seriously??? Whow, I guess that must be only in the US then. Mine works just fine while driving. Would annoy the hell our of me, if it wouldn't be possible to program while driving.

 

As I was coming home the other day with the top down I noticed an unusual car coming toward me in the opposite lane. As it got closer I realized it was an F-Type (with the top down of course). As we passed each other we stuck our hand above the windshield to "high five" each other. In fact I get usually get waves from other cars with their tops down. Kind of makes you feel like you're in an exclusive club.

Mike

 

it's pretty cool...

 

I have never got a nod from another Jag driver in either Jag I have owned. To me, Jag owners have been cold. Heck, even at British Car day I could barely get a hello from the local Jaguar club. The only warm and fuzzy was when I had the VDP, was looking at Maserati at a Bentley dealer and guy showed up in his XK. We talked, he started up the XK and then I knew I wanted an XK over a Maserati.

 

This might sound terrible but an XF person is not going to give a XJ or XK driver a five high because they don't have one...... I agree with you! I've done like a little wave or whatever when I pass another XJ or XK and I get a look like their mad because they thought they were the only ones in town that had one. Were's the camaraderie????

 

I've done waves to people with Mustangs! And other classic cars. But rarely other Jags.

Although if I see another Jag (as long as it's not an X-Type), I will race up to it and ride alongside for a bit!

 

Percy, the 2006 might be a different story in terms of the nav system, as I'm guessing they 'upgraded' this as part of the changes to the new body style that launched in 2007 (if I'm not confused as to years...).

I can't believe that my Ford freaking Fusion allows me to do all kinds of crazy infotainment/nav stuff in motion WITHOUT A PASSENGER, while the Jag wont even let me program the Nav system with a passenger, who could do the programming and leave me focused on the road. Is it really such a big liability that Jag couldn't afford to risk letting us program on the move but Ford is willing to do so? Really wish there were a work around for this, but our cars are too low volume for hackers to have at it

Skeeter

 

I have A 2012 vert. You can put the top up or down at speeds up to 15 mph. I know of no vehicle where you can put in an address or POI in a built in GPS while the car is rolling. the F type advertises that you can put the top up or down at speeds up to 35 mph or so.

 

When I had my Alfa, it was like passing a family member each time I saw another Alfa driver. Similarly when I had a Maserati too.

 

My last 2 BMWs and Audi A6 (2004) all have had built in sat nav. All were superior to my 08 xk vert and all allowed full control of the sat nav on the move.

I am still searching for a way to bypass this utterly stupid feature - I am responsible for my actions - nobody else.

Simon

 

I have 3 cars with built-in navigation, by 3 different manufacturers, and none of them will allow manipulation while the car is in motion except for a couple of features like recent destinations. I am fairly certain that U.S. safety regulations preclude allowing full function use. I also drive my partner's Audi S5 on a very regular basis, and the same is true on its navigation system. So, I'm not sure how your systems are able to have full function.

 

I lived in the UK. Whilst I often comment about the UK govt being a nanny state perhaps this is one area where they showed some sense.

 

Being able to program a nav system while trying to drive would be another major distraction that leads to accidents. Do it before you start driving or pull over for a moment if necessary. Makes complete sense to me.

 

I see seething a new destination in the sat nav akin to trying to find a track on the cd or MP3 player. Or setting a new radio station. These are allowed.

How about lighting a cigarette - is that an easy task that does not distract.

Cup holders allow hot drinks in the car, vanity mirrors allow make up to be applied.

As I said I am responsible for my actions whilst driving, the other cars I have had have allowed sat nav taks to be completed. Not a big deal in my eyes. However on the same note those cars did have a better user interface.

Note , I am not trying to start a flame war here. My opinion of this car sat nav is poor for such a prestigious marque. Also we have strayed off topic, I accept your point of view and hope we can agree to disagree.

Simon

 

^Absolutely, and speaking of convertibles with the top down, the nav screen can wash out to the point where it's difficult to program even when parked. We have "distracted driving laws" now to cover a variety of dangerous activities behind the wheel, but unless you're trying to roll a cigarette or brew the coffee I think you'd be okay...driving while applying make-up using the mirror, not so much. Unfortunately the notion of common sense is arguably more of a myth than reality when it comes to a significant portion of the driving public.

 

Ridiculous that most car manufacturers are so far behind on navigation. With a cell phone you can push twice then speak your destination, then receive spoken turn-by-turn directions. It is not perfect, but is certainly a better buy for the money. I just planned on, whether I get an XK, or Mercedes SL550, or Cadillac CTS, that I would continue to use my cell for navigation.