Time to take the XKR on a trip in Europe. Living in Denmark, going to Italy. Two exciting things on the way there, German Autobahn and the Alps. Free speed on German Autobahns, fantastic when you think about it, and it might go away soon if the environmental party comes into power. So enjoy while you can.

Today I drove from home and a bit down into Germany. Not nice weather, mostly rain, and never drove faster than 190 km/h. Still at that speed, I’m impressed with the soft top, no more noise than if I had a fixed roof. My first car was a Spitfire, going 160 km/h almost made you deaf...

It’s my favorite car to go south in, for many reasons (soft top being one), but mostly because of the Adaptive Cruise Control. It works bloody well. Not perfect, occasionally it goes a bit close and then brakes semi-hard if the guy in front is very erratic, so the guy behind me might think I’m a raving lunatic. But I’m too old to worry about what strangers think of me, so I love my ACC...

Despite the weather, a fabulous day, nice to let the Jag stretch its legs. Maybe not the fastest car on the Autobahn today, but definitely the most beautiful, we all know that...




Nice spot without stupid children opening their doors into me

Didn't last

First fuel fill

Time for schnitzel and beer

 

Keep the updates and photos coming. This is now the second year I haven't been able to tour across mainland Europe.

Graham

 

I should explain the vanity plates that actually saves me money...

Besides the Jag, I have a fantastic Cadillac CTS-V, 556 HP, tuned to 650 HP. Both cars are very expensive in yearly taxes in this socialist hell called Denmark, just being registered. So I split the year, 5 summer months Jag, the rest Cad. That means I have to register a car twice a year. Normally that costs new plates every time, but with my vanity plates, I can just move them from one car to the other. Saves me quite a bit. So for me vanity plates are a net savings, not a cost.

But since it’s both for Jag and Cad, what should it say? What do they have in common? Supercharged V8s! And the Jag delivers 13 psi, and the Cad (tuned) delivers 15 psi, so the compromise became 14 psi v8 (and the missus doesn’t like “13” in a license plate!). I like it, in as much as non-car-people don’t get it at all, and most car-people do get it.

 

This morning started like most of yesterday, Autobahn and rain. 400 km to the Austrian border. But halfway there the rain stopped, and with fine weather and almost no traffic Kassel-Ulm, I could do a leisurely cruise at 170 km/h

Note also the warning that my remote battery is low. I don't get it, changed battery, no change. Maybe it's confused because I have both remotes with me, one in the trunk?

 

As soon as you enter Austria, it’s totally different. Especially when you like me set the GPS on non toll roads, that forces you to see the country outside their freeways. Mountains, valleys, trees, beautiful scenarios, and most of all, curvy roads, up and down, round and round, hairpins and faster corners. When you live in flat Denmark, this is heaven.

Initially it was still not open top weather, 17-18C outside. But soon after entering Austria, I got sun and 25C, so top down, t-shirt only. Not quite bare feet weather, but close...


When you look up in Denmark, you see nothing. Here you do...

Great day

 

A comment on Corona restrictions. I'm fully vaccinated and have filled out what I should online. Entering Germany, one guy taking random samples of cars, not me. Entering Austria and Italy, through the not so much used entry points of course, not a soul to check anything...

Denmark has dropped using the mask in public, Germany, Austria and Italy, you wear it...

 

Mikael,
Who knew on that fateful day on the Pantera Forum several years ago when I made the suggestion that you take a look at the XKR as your next car, and a couple of days later you actually owned one, that you'd enjoy it so much? I'm glad I didn't steer you towards something you hated. Mine just passed 183,000 miles, and is still a joy to drive and look at. Have fun on your journey.
Ted

 

You did me a big favour. And it's quite strange, I've never bought a car with so little preparation, normally I try to know everything about the car and then some, before I buy it. Not this time, and it's the best car I ever bought.

When I got home I emailed my wife: "I bought a Jaguar". She emailed back: "What?! You never talked about Jaguars...". Well, not too old to listen to reason.:-)

 

Very nice trip! For the battery warning, I drive all the time with both keys in the car as I will have mine and the Wife's key is always in her purse and doesn't trip any warnings. However, when I used inexpensive brand CR2032 batteries I had low battery warnings, only when I purchased quality name brand battery did that issue resolve for me and some others in the past. Also, some have mentioned bending the contact pins helped.

 

I see tampamark has both remotes in range of the vehicle and doesn't have any problems.

I take a different approach. My spare normally stays at home but when we go on holiday, my wife carries the spare. I always wrap this in aluminium foil which I know prevents any signals between vehicle and smartkey. I have absolutely no idea whether this is necessary but according to the handbook, you shouldn't be able to lock the vehicle if there is a smartkey inside the luggage compartment:





Graham

 

Nice write-up! Looks like a really good trip. My wife and I took my XKR to France last summer (August/September) and it made the holiday! Loved driving it at a steady 100mph on the autoroutes, and then at slower, but more exciting speeds on the regular roads, curves and all. I'm not a big photo taker when on vacation so I have no photos -- but we plan to go again this August and I will remember to take photos and make a thread here. These roadtrip threads are always interesting. Thanks for documenting your trip!

 

Today I drove top down all day, first in shirt, then t-shirt, later bare footed. Had an hour long 8 km queue, took the top up and enjoyed A/C. Arrived at my vacation place and will spare you pictures of me on the beach :-)

 

No mask in Austria at the moment.

Controls are at the southern borders driving back up North ... and that makes sense!

;-)

Hermann

 

Where is that?

Beautiful!

H

 

Between Füssen and Merano, north of Hochalpenstrasse. That's as close I remember.

 

Several routes possible, I presume the "Timmelsjoch".

Awesome road ( toll road ), well worth driving.

I took it with a rented 911.



Lots of bikers and Lambos on that road ( Sölden, Ötztal ).

One of my next projects will be the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse. Was only opened beginning of June, because of the snow!

Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse English

Hermann

 

Timmelsjoch, yes, that's it.

My favorite driving road in Europe is Nockalmstrasse. Been there twice, you pay to drive it, it's almost a 25 km racetrack, and you dare go fast, it's not 200 m drop if you lose control. I go up and down and up etc 4-5 times, absolutely fantastic... Grossglockner last I was there is spectacular, but a bit scary because of crazy bikers. IMO

Added some pictures from Nockalmstrasse etc 2 years ago:


I like wide hairpins, good speed, not the very tight ones



What's not to like?

Feeling good

 

On Timmelsjoch, the bikers would collect on the side of the road after the tolling station, and wait, until all the slow ones are gone as long as possible.

And then, before the next slow one starts, they would get on the road and speed up like H*ll!

:-)

I´ll never understand why someone with a mobile home or Caravan will creep up alpine passes!

 

Hi Michael,

I’ll be doing the a very similar road trip with the XK in two weeks time, from France to Florence via Bavaria, Austrian Alps and Venice.

And my very first car, 30 years ago, was also a Triumph Spitfire (still have it).


Enjoy!👍😎

Thierry

 

Well on the way back home now. As promised, no pictures of me at the beach.

Left at 7am, top down, enjoying the small towns before the motorway.

About driving in Italy: expect the unexpected. They drive differently than most of Europe. They will tailgate you for miles, despite there's a car in front of you. When entering a bigger road with much traffic, they will not always wait for room, they roll down window and signal "here I come". Tried that, had to brake or accident. They do 100 past roadworks with 30 signs. On roads you can't sit and relax, because oncoming motorcyclist overtake using some of your lane. All the time. Most spectacular thing on an earlier trip was a motorcycle overtaking me through heavy traffic, doing a wheelie at the same time! I thought for a moment he did it in my honour, back then I was in my classic Italian DeTomaso Longchamp, but then I saw him repeat it several times up the road. He just did it because..., because he could. At least they wear helmets now, in earlier days they wore an open shirt and a cigarette in the side of their mouth...