I really enjoy my XKR 2002 coupe but I drive primarily in the city where each day is a different client/route. My itch for great torque and power (vs my former Boxster) has been scratched but I sure wish the handling in tight turns was better. This thing seems better intended for non-city use.

I'm wondering if the next generation car, with its lighter frame and zippier transmission on a normally aspirated engine, would be a better match. Also, I'm not a fan of the supercharger whine although mine is more subdued than others I test drove.

 

What?! Denial! Now you go back and write that you love your XKR's brute power blower whine. That the carcophanie of its sounds make you want to turn around and go home to service your wife. Jay Sus? I don't know about you guys, but this has got to be the first for me. Now fella, I'll only do this for you once: Dear higher power, please forgive this man and have mercy on his soul.... He promises to continue to drive his 2002 XKR, laden in torque, horsepower, and exotic style (said kneeling on one knee with hands to head in prayer).

 

Amen Brother bfsgross, Amen!!!!!

 

As you can see from my signature, I have an '01 XKR vert. and recently acquired an '07 XK vert.

For sheer exterior beauty, the '01 XKR vert is still the winner IMHO. At higher speeds, the supercharger still provides a great acceleraton thrill. I still love this car but.....

I have to say though, the '07 XK is a tighter, more nimble and more refined package. The car, though not as classic, is still a looker, and though normally aspirated, the matured version of the 4.2 in this model with the 6 speed can still provide a decent thrill, especially in sport mode and with the paddle shifters. Not to mention you can easiliy achieve 29 MPG on the highway!

These cars are really a generation apart.

My advice is to test drive an XK and then decide. Higher mileage examples are already down to the $25K neighborhood now.

 

I think the 2007+ XK/XKRs are worth it just for the paddle shifters. I can't imagine owning a car having performance pretenses that didn't have a manual transmission or an automatic with a good manual shift feature.

 

2007 XK all day long. Drive them side by side and '02 will feel antiquated in every way, but not in a bad way.

 

Uhhhhh.... Utterly speechless here... Seriously who doesn't like blower whine?!

Too much torque, too much power... Isn't that like saying "you know, I just have too much money". Or "that girl is just way too beautiful"

Seriously!!!

 

Well put brother cbharley. Now let's all go outside and tuck-in and kiss our Jags goodnight.

 

Dear bfsgross and cbharley10,

Thank you oh wonderful automotive powertrain engineers and your creation of the Jaguar v8 and your dedication to supercharging. I repeatedly indulge my desire for torque and power once the engine is warmed up, and that even a five minute car trip will see maximum thrust in first gear and often second, within city limits no less. In addition, I hereby confess to repeat adolescent-level hooliganism in the form of challenging every muscle car and sports vehicle I come across regardless of price tag.

I apologize to Dodge Challenger 6.4 litre owner who could not inch ahead of me and who subsequently cussed like crazy and followed me for a mile as his friend Googled XKR to figure out how the pretty boy did it. My condolences to the Range Rover Sport that repeatedly challenged me at three lights only to be blown away and then toyed with. I did put my window down to say "hi, and thanks for the fun". Congratulations to the Porsche Panamera Turbo that decided to join me, and who demonstrated at 45 MPH that I was going to lose big time as the turbos in his $200,000 rocket sled sedan kicked in and the all wheel drive put it all down. Glad you looked over and smiled at the next light.

I no longer have to worry about embarassing episodes of getting overpowered as once happened in my first generation Porsche Boxster tiptronic when a lowly Chevy Malibu coupe SS hit his left turn more strongly than my right turn.

I also don't worry about single incident repairs that equal the cost of my used car as is the case with every liquid cooled Boxster and 911 until 2009 (see IMS failure and how even preventative parts replacements still did not prevent a $15,000 catastrophe).

Alas, I drive in the city, and more handling prowess at the limit would be nice, hence my interest in your lighter next generation but non-blown model, which also has an active exhaust that growls when you prowl but goes quiet as you simply cruise.

 

Well I can appreciate your desire to persue the more refined / classy side of things especially with clients in the car and rolling through downtown.

I myself live in an urban setting and am pretty sure I have struck fear in the eyes and hearts of many a pedestrian with all that MASSIVE blower whine that I have intentionally added via performance intake mods.

My good friend bfsgross and I are both on the path to enlightenment with our STR's and have a pipe dream of 450-500 RWHP. We have cast aside all of the smooth, quiet, dignified aspects for pure ground pounding abnoxious performance. Yeah we still love our refinement in doses, the leather and wood is quite nice and I love the smoothness over the road which is why I went back to 18" wheels with real rubber under foot as opposed to big 19" wheels with rubber bands for tires or tyres (depending on which side of the pond you reside).

Anyway, everyone has a different reason for loving their Jag, and different desires for sound, ride, confort and style. At least your are in the club and from the sounds of it doing your part to preserve our racing inspired heritage!

Now with all of that past us, lets get out there and crush the souls of those guys or blokes (again, depending on which side of the pond you prefer) and show those Chevy, Ford and Mopar gearheads a thing or two about what happens when you combine racing heritage with refinement!

 

Where I live, there are tons of cars that could smoke me in my '07 XKR. Just about any Boxster S, 911, Corvette, BMW M3/5/7, Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Mercedes AMG-line made in the last DECADE can give me a run for my money, not to mention humiliate me!

Heck, even 5.0L supercharged XJs and XFs can smoke me!

 

amcdonal86, depending where in the powerband the races commenced, it's concievable that your 420 chp @ 420 lb/ft trq. 07 XKR can out pull modern muscle. By virtue of its blower and awesome flowing heads, your 4.2 s/c initially produces more torque, quicker and lower in the powerband than the 470 chp @ 470 lb/ft trq. 6.4 L (392) Mopar. All it takes is a good reaction time. Eventually the 6.4 Mopar will run you down. My 03 STR, with its 16 lb. boost, freer flowing intake and exhaust, pounds out an est. 460 chp @ 500 lb/ft trq. (an ECU tune, ported blower will lend an additional 30+ chp and trq.) In some 0-60 and 70-120 mph runs, it took out Camaro SS's, 5.0's, Mopars, 03 BMW M5, etc. The intake, smaller pulley, and exhaust allows all that torque just after 2000 rpm. It's bazerk low end grunt. I have to feather the pedal at launches, then punch it...I'm gone. Forget about races at highway speeds. These cars become unleashed between 80 and 150 mph, when many muscle had already lost their breath. Avos makes a twin screw for your 07 XKR. Alone, it makes your 420 chp into a 640 chp untamed beast. Would that make you feel more secure? Why don't you pop on the Mina intake, 3 lb pulley, hi-flow cats, x-pipe, and ECU tune for an additional 80 chp? I'm not saying the STR or XKR are the definitive muscle cars, but as my buddy cbharley points out...we have goals. At the present, we're working on a LSD (limited slip differential), and full length headers. When Avos completes his STR twin screw conversion...we're in another league (650 chp).

 

Dang, some of the authors here have me dashing out to the garage once again, just to look at my sweet baby, and make sure she is feeling the love tonight!


Just an FYI, XKR has Active Exhaust (electronic controlled), the XK is passive (pressure controlled).

Vince

 

I didn't get the impression that the OP's XKR was modded. I'm not interested in modding mine and racing on public streets, either!

Don't go too crazy, there was a former member here who killed himself and an innocent woman in an oncoming car by street racing.

 

Thank you for the warning on street racing. The killed street racer was our own: Riski (Joe). Killed two years ago whilst racing his STR. A woman in another car was taken too. From what I read, he and the other driver (Suburu Sti) were foolish in their method. Street racing can maime and kill. Speaking for myself and many on our forum, we race only when conditions permit: No one near us and it's short and simple: 0-60 or 70-120 on open road with no others but ourselves and the contender. This spring I hope to go to the nearest track (75 miles away) to have fun. Otherwise, there's a way to mod your car and have fun at the same time.