[Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
 | [Main Other Cars Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Re: Re:The July issue of Classic Motorsports(Jaguar Safety) Posted by Justin VanAbrahams [Email]  (#32) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Justin VanAbrahams) on Fri, 9 Aug 2013 11:31:42
In Reply to: Re:The July issue of Classic Motorsports(Jaguar Safety), Paul9kCSE, Fri, 9 Aug 2013 06:01:31 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I'm not sure whether an E39 M5 is a *fair* comparison, but it was the intended target. ;) Clearly, the E39 is a newer platform and the M5 in particular aimed at a different, sportier demographic and I think that shows through in ultimate competence. But when you're talking these types of resources at a car's disposal, there is no public road scenario where any of it really matters. As I mentioned it's kinda academic.
BMW was selling a sports sedan and I don't think that was truly Jaguar's goal. But they had to do something to avoid hemorrhaging customers looking for more to M or AMG, and the V8 XJR was that something. The end result is what you'd expect - a 10 year old platform with a totally modern drivetrain and big tires. And it drives exactly like you'd expect it to, too - although I'll admit the steering is lighter and has a numerically lower ratio than even I expected!
For me, it's exactly what I wanted it to be - comfortable and competent. I sold my CTS-V because it was always egging me into hooliganism, and that is not something I get from the XJR. The CTS-V could land me in jail halfway through 3rd gear and was constantly taunting me with the appeal of burnouts. The Jag just doesn't do that. It starts in second gear, you can barely feel the transmission shift, and the engine is nearly inaudible with the windows down. It's a very nice, very fast cruiser. I'd much prefer to take an M5 to Infineon, but by the same token I wouldn't be embarrassed to show up in the XJR. (I *would* be embarrassed to take that C5 I, um, eliminated the other day though. Lost a merge to a 4000lb British boat. Tsk tsk. ;)
There are some good articles out there about the X308 XJR, including an apt comparison with the M and AMG:
http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2000-bmw-m5-vs-2000-mercedes-benz-e55-amg-2000-jaguar-xjr-comparison-test
I also enjoyed this article, although I believe it's wrong about the cam phasing - I think that appears only on the non-supercharged versions:
http://www.auto-scape.com/?p=129http://www.auto-scape.com/?p=129
Oh, and one final bit about the XJR's appeal to me: Factory forced induction. Big fan right here (thanks to Saab, of course) and there are folks out there putting bigger superchargers and cam sets on the XJRs and netting 500+ hp. Crazy! Can't do that with an M or AMG. :)
posted by 12.195.130...
, Mon, 1 Jul 2013 16:48:18, Sun, 14 Jul 2013 13:55:52, Wed, 17 Jul 2013 17:08:50, Thu, 8 Aug 2013 22:09:41, Fri, 9 Aug 2013 11:31:42 <-- Viewing This Message, Fri, 9 Aug 2013 16:00:11, Mon, 12 Aug 2013 16:59:20, Thu, 18 Jul 2013 10:48:53, Thu, 18 Jul 2013 12:07:46, Fri, 19 Jul 2013 13:24:05, Fri, 16 Aug 2013 11:16:40
, Tue, 16 Jul 2013 13:19:11, Tue, 16 Jul 2013 11:17:07, Tue, 2 Jul 2013 10:08:51
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
