Open top Jag XKR – become a convert
The thought of buying a convertible sport car is something that is always met with a certain amount of trepidation thanks to the basic workings of the human mind; i.e. am I going to get wet when it rains and the old “will people automatically hate me because I drive this car” thing. Probably, but that can’t be helped.
So if those things don’t bother you, and you just so happen to have shoe boxes full of unmarked banknotes under the mattress it might be the right time to think about buying a convertible sport car. After all, the Jaguar XKR convertible is still here – and it’s better than ever.
If you are worried about fuel economy (and lets face it, you’re probably not if you’re considering an XKR) it’s probably not the car for you. The same goes for the practicality of the two ‘seats’ in the back – they’re only suitable for cats. But if you don’t care about any of that, then for pure styling, performance and driving pleasure there aren’t many better machines on the market – if at all.
The engine in the standard XK delivers scorching performance, but the supercharged XKR is simply staggering. It drives through a six-speed automatic gearbox, and although mere figures can’t begin to convey the intensity of the forces unleashed when you crush the accelerator to the floor, numbers such as 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds, and a 50-70mph time of 1.9 seconds should get the point across.
Then there’s the styling. The lovely, lovely styling. Perhaps the only better looking car in this sort of cl is the Aston Martin Vantage Roadster, and that’s a lot more expensive than the XKR.
So there we have it. If you’re looking for something to set your face on fire but inexplicably make you look good in the process, you can’t really go to far wrong with the XKR.
Author: Stephen Gransville is a writer and fan of the convertible sport car.
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