There are very few cars in the automobile history that carry a status symbol like the jaguars. Even today Jaguar cars represent pure performance and luxury and the 2011 lineup also confirms that.
2011 Jaguar XKR Convertible is Jaguar’s latest 2+2 classic luxury convertible that was redesigned for the 2007 year. For 2011 Jaguar did minor improvements to the already exotic convertible including a 5yr/50K mile free service and comes with a base price of $101,150 excluding the $850 destination charge.
The exterior of the XKR Convertible is nothing but a designer’s dream come true. Some of the minor additions include LED tail lights, modified bumper, new deck-lid spoiler and sporty exhausts. We were glad to see that the mesh grille from the previous years was left unchanged. The XKR has a stunning flow when it comes to the exterior and very few cars would even come close to the overall design masterpiece. All the lines flow in a certain order and we were left stunned and kept admiring the convertible for 7 days straight.
Before wasting too much time, we really want to dive into the performance characteristics of this exotic beauty. For 2011, XKR Convertible is powered by a 5.0 Liter Supercharged V8 that gushes out 510 Horsepower and 461 foot-pounds of torque. All this power can rocket this super-mobile from 0 to 60 in just 4.6 seconds. The engine uses twin-intercoolers to keep the temperature low and power high. The engine is mated to a six-speed ZF automatic transmission that modifies shift points according to your driving style hence providing a continuous supply of rubber-burning power. The new engine consists of aluminum components thus making it lighter and durable than the previous generations.
2011 XKR Convertible comes with an adaptive damping system that controls vertical movement and body roll. You can choose dynamic mode for aggressive driving or winter mode during snow/ice and the car’s computer will make sure everything is under control. We were impressed with the four-wheel disc brakes that do very well when controlling the 500+ horses under the hood. Unlike other cars from the competition, Jaguar XKR Convertible has a great turning radius that makes it easy for inner city driving.
As we have seen in the previous XKRs, the interior is nothing short of pure luxury. The 10-way adjustable front seats provide great support and we were very impressed with the comfort. The door-mounted controls are intuitive and easy to access compared to the seat mounted controls in other models. Jaguar XKR Convertible comes standard with heated/cooled seats along with tons of other standard options. The rear seats are there but we were not able to find a use for them other than throwing our backpack in them. We believe they are just to make sure the car is still considered a 2+2.
The whole dash panel is very intuitive and was designed with attention to detail. One of the trademark features is the rotary shift-knob that comes out from the hiding as soon as the car is started. The touch screen in the dash controls everything from audio, navigation to the climate control to name a few. The Bowers & Wilkins audio system is a great compliment to XKR Convertible and we were impressed with the sound quality even with the top down. The trunk space is large enough for a set of golf-clubs but then again that’s the kind of crowd that can really afford this luxury convertible.
So what was our impression after spending a week with Jaguar’s performance convertible? Well we were just stunned and amazed at the same time. The car turns head wherever you go and has the power to back up the exotic looks. The front of the car is unbelievable while the rear can use some surgery. So if you are in the market for a 100K+ 2+2 luxury convertible then head to the Jaguar dealership near you before you write a check to Mercedes-Benz or BMW.
