Hang onto it, mate - it's a very special car, and it will be one of the collectors' models one day, similar to the lightweight E-types or the XKSS.

 

Wow a XKRS GT!! How does is feel compared to the XKR-S? Any thoughts!?!?!

Loth

 

I find that hard to believe, considering that I've heard from some people that they bottomed out at about 50% of original MSRP. Is there any truth to that?

 

Nothing major yet. im in nyc and the weather has been horrible since I have taken delivery in January. The Few times I did get to use it I can tell you in normal mode ride is equivalent to a regular xkr-s in dynamic. The Gt's ride gets a lot stiffer in dynamic mode. Also the complaints I have heard about ceramic brakes needing to warm up and making noise when cold I haven't felt any difference the feel of them is great. But that's about it. Car only has 200 miles on it. Soon as the weather warms up I will be hitting the track and then can give some real feedback

 

What? The XKRS-GT is meant for driving to the country club, not hitting the track. Way to abuse your car!

 

Some negitive thoughts on current XK/XKR have been posted. I bought my 2008 after driving a 2005. I liked the trunk space for golf clubs in the 05 but after driving the 08 the choice was made. They were the first company to make a high production aluminum car which was very costly to do. Many companies are moving to it, like the new Corvette. The ride and handeling are better because the body is so rigid and we gain power and grace with reduced weight. My brother in law has a new Mercedes 550 turbo convertible and we both agree my car is tighter and a better ride. He may be saying that to make me feel better but I thought it was. The POINT is that this car was a new era in GT design and I think it will still be saught out in years to come. Plus NO RUST. In Michigan with 90 inches of snow this year and two feet of salt on the roads I am happy.
Jim

 

Pricing will vary by area somewhat, but here's what it was in the Toronto area in 1975, just after the XKE finished production for '74. I was looking a the 6 cylinder pre-'72 MY, and saw ads and looked at some 1966 to 1971 models. Asking prices were about $3000 Cdn and up. I paid $4200 for my 1970 vert from a dealer, and that was a little on the high side of average, as was its condition. The 1970 MSRP was $6995 Cdn, so unless the prices changed much over that period then some of them could be purchased for a little less than 50%. I sold the car in 1983, 8 years later, for $6000 in need of extensive body restoration (floor and sills rusted out from the inside). It was shipped by rail across the country to vancouver where it was going to be fully restored at great expense. Restored cars were advertised in the $40,000 range at that time if I recall correctly.

So depending on your definition of "under-appreciated", I think the XKE was. It's value dropped significantly and then did a sharp turn-around. Was it because enthusiasts were slow to discover it, or initially afraid of it, was it the discontinuation of many/most sports cars during the early 1970's, did the pre-1972 cars look more appealing after the post-1972 models became heavier and maybe a bit too feature ladened for a sports car, or was it the discontinuation of the XKE itself in '74 that made it more desirable?

Probably a little of all of those reasons, and I'm rather confident that every one of those factors apply to one degree or another to the current generation of XKR. Most aren't aware of it, afraid of the brand, near non-existent competing GT's, and now discontinued. The appeal of its successor is unknown, but the market will decide that in due course. What we can see is that the F-Type is struggling to appeal to the XK buyer, and a larger and more expensive new XK may not either.

I think the current gen XK Series is the most significant and collectible car Jaguar has made since the XKE, and the market seems to recognize convertibles and high performance models most. My top pick to put some money and driving enjoyment into would be the 2010+ XKR vert, later years and fully optioned the most, followed by coupe (sorry, when the top goes down the price goes up). The XKR-S and GT will be worth serious money as well, but you also have to consider their higher MSRP.

Where the XK's differ from the XKE though is that many E-Types simply rotted away from rust because of poorly designed body construction. That reduced their numbers, and astronomically increased prices as so many cars had to have major body rebuilding, and that raised the prices of all that were in good condition. The car also gained tremendous recognition as a brilliant performer and a timeless design (another similarity actually). The new XK's won't rust out, and many more are likely to be used as garage queens their entire lives. The best condition and lowest mileage cars will see the best prices, but their strong values should help improve the more fully previously enjoyed XK's!

I've owned 3 other special interest cars that also increased in value after purchasing them used, and they all benefited from the same factors. And most of all they were just unique and exciting cars to see and drive that were built in small numbers.

Bruce

 

Resuscitating this thread...

This afternoon I received a phone call from my Jag dealer asking if I would consider selling them my XKR to their CPO program. Of course I said no. The rep said that since the XK is being discontinued they've been seeing an increase in demand for used XKs. If this is true then our XKs might not depreciate as fast as we have seen. On the other hand this may have been a cold call to generate new business for the dealer.

Mike

 

Not to burst your balloon, but I get correspondence regularly telling me how much in demand my 01 LS430 is and how clients are looking for this particular model. Get the same for my G35 as well. Once you hear the amount they will give you without your purchasing anything from them, you will be heading for the door.

 

That, and a fair few ended up wrapped around the scenery in the hands of over-enthusiastic and under-skilled pilotes.

Also, you need to consider the original price; the top-end 3.8 E-Type cost £2,097 in March 1961; based on the inflation in the UK Retail Prices Index, that's about £40k in today's money. The current XKR is double that. So, basically, as Jaguar moved up-market, it dragged the E-Type up with it.

So there are several reasons why the E may not have depreciated quite like other cars.