2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible test drive

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My wife Robin's birthday and our anniversary are separated by just four days. That means I have to pull a rabbit out of the hat every year. This year, I managed to convince Aaron and the folks at Jaguar that I should review the 2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible -- coincidentally, on the same week as the two red-letter days. The 2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible carries a base price of $102,000 ($107,000 as tested), with a 4-year, 50,000 mile basic warranty and EPA fuel economy estimates of 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway. Let's drive.

Larger photos: Front - rear - all photos

Few cars elicit a gasp from the current Mrs. Fogelson, who has become quite a connoisseur of sheet metal over the years. The XKR Convertible took her breath away, just as intended.

XKR evokes the whole of Jaguar sports car heritage, while displaying an entirely modern visage to the world. More than any other car, it reminds me of the long-hooded XK-E (or E-Type, as they called it in the UK). I would argue that the Jaguar XK-E (1961 - 1975) was the coolest car ever built, and the XK-E Convertible was the coolest of the cool. I can't look at one without thinking of Steve McQueen, who was one of XK-E's famous owners. XKR brings a similar level of cool to the table.

A few highlights: The gorgeous, bright metal upper and lower wire mesh front grilles; the long hood, hinged from the front; the strong sides and arched wheel wells; the short trunk with flat deck lid. XKR is that rare convertible that looks almost as good with its top up as down, but the top down look kills. Not only that, the fantastic show that the power convertible top with glass rear window puts on while retracting is worth the price of admission (a $6,000 premium over the XKR Coupe). A tonneau cover hides the retracted top, giving the convertible a sleek, finished look. The penalty for the convertible top is a reduction of already tight trunk space, from 11.7 cubic feet for the XKR Coupe to 11.1 cubic feet for the convertible with the top up and 7.1 cubic feet with the top down. Pack wisely.

Larger interior photo

"Cut and stitch" is the new mantra in luxury interiors, and XKR wears its leather cut and stitch surfaces with pride. This car is all about the details. Some of them are incredibly elegant, like the door-mounted seat adjustment that shines like a little sculpture garden. Some are a little wacky, like the pop-up dial that serves as a gear selector, planted in the middle of the center console. It takes a bit of getting used to, dialing in "P," "R," "N," "D" and "S," but it works and it looks like part of a classic gas range, or a spaceship, or both.

XKR's front seats deliver race-car comfort, with a myriad of adjustments from angle to height to thigh support to lateral support, and both front seats are climate controlled, both heated and ventilated. In classic 2+2 tradition, XKR's back seat is for small packages and emergencies only. With me in the driver's seat at 6'2", the back of the driver's seat literally touches the front of the back seat. I'd consider XKR a roadster with a package shelf, rather than a true four-passenger vehicle.

XKR's Bowers & Wilkins sound system integrates seamlessly with the vehicle's standard navigation system, and includes an iPod/MP3 interface with a connection beneath the center console armrest, right where it belongs. I could have used a little more volume from the 525-watt system, especially with the top down, but fidelity was excellent.

XKR begs to be driven. Whether you like to cruise along the coast, or bomb down the byways, XKR is ready. With a direct-injection supercharged 4.2-liter V8 under its vented hood, XKR packs 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque at the ready. Power delivery is smooth and predictable, which means that you can maneuver as easily in a parking lot as you can along a country road. The Roots-type supercharger is an excellent choice with the XKR. As opposed to a turbocharger, which uses the engine's exhaust pressure to pump more air into the combustion chamber, a supercharger is mechanically driven by the engine to achieve the same feat. A supercharger can therefore deliver power in a more linear fashion, a perfect match to the smooth XKR.

Jaguar's six-speed automatic transmission can be operated in standard ("D") or sport ("S") modes, and you can take over shifting duties with the steering wheel-mounted shift paddles at any time for more control. The V8 engine gives off the most fantastic noises, emitting a very British "blaaaat" on heavy acceleration. Love it!

With its long wheelbase, XKR wouldn't be a good autocross candidate, but it is surprisingly nimble. Credit goes to the suspension system and to the extremely rigid all-aluminum body construction. The convertible XKR is about 100 lbs heavier than the coupe, due to additional body structure to combat the effect of losing its top. I haven't driven the coupe, so I can't evaluate the relative flex, but I didn't notice any of the toboggan-like body movement that I have felt in lesser convertibles.

When Indian automaker Tata bought Jaguar from Ford a few years ago, I was skeptical. Tata had no reputation for luxury or excellence, and I was afraid that the brand was doomed to sink back into the doldrums of the British Leyland days again. My fears appear to have been unfounded. The XKR Convertible is a fantastic sports car, and the 2010 model recalls the glory days of Jaguar while pointing toward a bright future. Spending a week behind the wheel was a true pleasure, a fantasy come true.

Once your automotive shopping list gets up into the six-figure range, competition gets extremely fierce. The chief competition within spitting range: Maserati GranTurismo, Porsche 911 and BMW M6. Add in roadsters (true 2-seaters), and you can include the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class and Audi R8 Spyder.

Mrs. Fogelson's opinion counts for a lot around our house, however. She hasn't stopped talking, tweeting and posting about how much fun she had riding around in the XKR Convertible, and how fortunate she is to be married to an automotive journalist. Lucky for me, the XKR Convertible is so potent that one week with it can keep my Robin happy for a whole year, because I certainly cannot afford to add one to our stable. I couldn't even afford the regular (non-R) version of the XK Convertible, which starts at $89,000. If money were no issue, I might be down at my local Tata/Jaguar dealer signing a lease contract for an XKR Convertible right now. A convertible that can thrill both driver and passenger calls out to be owned... by me. -- Jason Fogelson

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