The cupholders are likely the most frustrating bit of the interior. When I acquired my XKR 14 years ago I placed my steel travel cup of coffee in the cupholder and upon accelerating out of my community for the first time found the cup launched into the backseat. Spilling of course. My initiation I suppose.

I have since disconnected the internal metal side arms to help disable inadvertent "elbow launch open mode" and always keep close watch on any drink that resides in the horrible cupholders. Sorry, but would never tack on a sidesaddle cupholder.

For what its worth, my son's Audi A4 Quattro has horribly placed cupholders too. Best relevant quote was from a Porsche engineer years ago: "why would someone want to drink a beverage while driving?"

 

One thing I don't understand is why anyone would drive these in the winter. For one thing, these cars were never designed for it, there is no way you're going to make these cars handle to any degree on snowy, slushy roads. I've lived within a couple miles of the Lake Ontario and its snow belt my entire 65 years and I have never seen like a Corvette trying to make its way down a wintery road! At the very least, cars like these actually make you more of a hazard on the road, and at the very worst, driving anything in the winter is surely going to ruin it. Anything short of a full body off, rotisserie restoration will ever undo the damage the salt does! It gets in everywhere, and you will never get it out. Up here, no one drives a vehicle they value in the winter, that's what winter beaters are for. It's akin to wearing your best tuxedo while pouring concrete! Why would you do it? Last I heard they aren't making X-100's any more. But I digress. That said, I'm looking for a solution to these ridiculous cupholders too. Almost thinking of making something nice looking that fits more snugly into the current space. Something that looks like it belongs there, and when not in use can be popped out, maybe just stored in the back seat - it's not any good for much else. Or maybe even something that replaces that little door completely. I know this much, it won't involve any visible holes in upholstery or anything that can't be undone.

 

Would love to see a picture of this mounted in the car. I looked it up on Amazon, and cannot figure out where that would go.

 

Having lived(many many years ago) in a state that actually had snow AND a winter, I had forgotten how tough that can be on a car. Back then I was driving a ‘72 Ford Torino and a ‘65 Mustang...with snow tires and carrying chains. The last 40+ years,
in Central California , the “winter” is just chilly and rainy.. and I do have a workhorse Altima(alas not the red beauty it use to be). But interesting segue into beverage missiles.....
So many different ways of trying to solve the cupholder issue. So far, I like the idea of NO beverages while driving, and simply utilizing that hole for something practical.
Can the cupholder be popped out of its home, without breaking, and popped back in at a later time?

 

That is a great idea Sam. A one-holer that held a drink firmly in place would be better than a two-holer that is wonky.

 

Ah that's the big difference between the VW and XKR. One has center console cupholders and the other doesn't. On the Westfalia, on a hot day or after any hill, engine should be hot enough so you can make tea.

 

Cupholder observations:

I replaced the broken ones on my X350 VDP with a new-old-stock console lid I found from a British firm for under $100 with quick shipping. I posted some pics of the surgery. It wasn't too hard, complicated only by the fact my car had the rear AC unit.

If anyone wants to build and sell a burled wood or brushed aluminum X308 cup holder replacement I'm delighted to sign up, and

A month ago, on a very narrow country road, I used far too much gas pedal to get around a cyclist. A venti Starbucks and a tall travel mug of tea did a triple somersault into the back seat. In looking at the cup mechanism, it seemed to me I could at least partly solve that problem by adding stability at the back side with a removable (stained?) piece of 1" or 1.5" wood/plywood, with a base cut with a 45-degree angle to fit against the inside lower rear of the system. I get the sense that keeping the back part of the cupholder from lowering itself with the drink weight transfer on acceleration might address some of the issues we have. Now, I'm not sure how that might help with heavy braking, maybe if it had a ridge on the top that kept the back assembly from rotating forward it might work. It would have to be removable to allow the holder to stow, maybe slide out either side to be stored in the console.

AHA moment: take a piece of plywood with the angular base and cut a groove in it into which the rear portion the cup-holder plastic would slide, giving it stability in the up-down axis! Stain to match the interior, and I believe the saying is: Bob's Your Uncle.

Just a thought.

 

Several great lol comments in this thread, which I found a treat. When I acquired my '06 XK8 coupe, about five years ago, I made the mistake using the cupholders but quickly learned that when driving mountain roads my right elbow requires the use of that air space. While I fortunately didn't have a disastrous spill, I later discovered stains down the carpet below the passengers side of the devious devices. I thereafter desisted from the use of that trap. So like it or not, no more coffee in my Jag. I learned however that a small bottle of drinking water fits unobtrusively behind my seat belt buckle and is very handy.

My everyday vehicle is a Land Rover LR3, which has cupholders galore that actually work and even a refrigerated cubby box that holds sodas or the aforesaid small water bottles. Driving it had spoiled me but as I love the Jag, I just sucked it up and learned to accept a no drink and drive regimine.

Knowing the nefarious uselessness of the cupholders I was immensely amused to read of an owner of an Aston Martin DB7 (for which no cupholders were offered) who had his console customized the the lovely XK8 cupholders!

 

yes, wish Bob were my uncle....as Uncle Bob seems quite the all-round handyman

 

So now I’m jealous of a little cooler box.
Here’s the OTHER conundrum, of which you gentlemen are blissfully unaware; being a person who regularly carries a purse(not a suitcase size, mind you), if I have a passenger who is disinclined to share her foot space with her purse AND mine, and the (so-called) backseat being loaded with various necessities(face masks, window shade, hats), my purse has perched precariously on the “console” ...needless to say, purse has ended upside down and wedged in that small space between front and back seats. There is no telling how much change, mints and pens are now forever lost....
However I did discover that the cupholder does discourage my sister from placing her 20oz Red Bull beverage there....that and the lasers shooting from my eyes...

 

Something like this is very useful -

 

My answer to the cup holder dilemma until there is a real fix. It works. It looks good, and it matches my interior. I got one for the passenger side.

 

Here's a link to a thread on the Billet cupholders. Last post has pictures of the finished product in an XK8.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x.../#&gid=1&pid=5

 

When I acquired my car this was the cup holder solution. It looks factory and wonder is maybe it is off a XJ or a european model?

 

here you go… I just put it on the floor behind the driver’s seat, and moved the seat backwards until it gently keeps it in place. Luckily, that seat position works for my driving position. (Behind the passenger seat would be ideal, but I’m too afraid someone will try to move the seat further backwards and damage the motor)






…and here’s the different armrest without the cup ejectors…




(got this from autoreservejaguar.com -
“XK8 XJ6 XJ12 XJR X300 XJ40 CENTRE CONSOLE ARMREST OATMEAL #6170 sku# TJ202103296170DC - £15.29)