A comparison to the Mustang
 

When I was home over Spring Break I got the chance to take a Slate Gray 2008 Jaguar XKR vert for a spin, which retailed around 90k. My dad wound up buying it used at 12k miles for my mom for 50k.

Bottom line: The Jaguar was a very nice car. In terms of appearance it was incredibly sexy in every way. I could do without the wood trim but that's just a personal preference. It was a very nice car with a sexy exhaust note. Cornered very well too.

However, for me, the Jaguar has some serious flaws. The thing was an automatic and I would never buy a sports car that was an auto, even if it had paddles. The fact that it was a luxury car also hurt it. It was plenty fast with a 420 HP SC V8, but the car was clearly built to be a luxury car first, and a sports car second. Frankly, I think my V6 pony still accelerated better, and it was nowhere near the level of the Saleen. The mustang is brutal unrefined power, whereas the Jag is very posh, comfortable, dummed down power. The handling of the Jag was also too smooth IMO, not as agressive as the Stang. Guess which I prefer.

The jag also lacked some basic things the Mustang has. The backseat in the XKR is too small to be practical, and it has half the trunk space of a S197 vert.

That is all, but I know alot of people enjoy comparisons of the ponies to other performance cars. IF someone offered to trade me straight across, my mustang for a new XKR, I would have to say I wouldnt take it (Ok, MAYBE to turn around, sell the jag, and get a boss or shelby ;))

http://www.sthmotors.com/used/Jaguar...693588b3e8.htm

Page for the jaggy that hasnt been taken down yet, pics included

Edited this response because of my poor choice of wording and the fact that it took over the entire thread. Back on topic now please :)

Brilliant. Narrowmindedness abounds.

So because I don't value someone's opinion that is narrow-minded on the subject of transmissions in sports cars I'm narrow-minded? Interesting.

My first Mustang was an auto, and the one I have now is manual...manual is just a different breed in my opinion. If you like straight line fast, auto is great. But I enjoy having total control over what my engine is doing at all times. There's nothing like revving and then downshifting to pass someone, it's amazing. I highly doubt I'll ever buy another Mustang with an automatic. I drive mine every day in traffic and I still love it to death.

You don't have to tell me. I love both and appreciate them for their intended use. Driven both, researched both, SOLD both. Hell, I've already decided that my next Mustang will have a standard transmission. It's just laughable to me that people think auto aren't fun because you're not banging gears. Stop on by and I'll let you take my Stang for a spin then see if you can tell me you didn't have a blast going WOT.

Enough of this stuff though. No intention to thread jack with my comment. That Jag looks nice and you're father is a lucky man!

No. Telling him you "will never value his opinion," meaning ANY opinion, is narrowminded. You didn't write it as if it were only on the subject of transmissions. Even then it's my opinion that it is, in fact, narrowminded. I agree it is interesting though. It's one of those "agree to disagree" moments.

I also meant, by using the word, "abounds," that you were both being narrowminded.

I also agree it's a nice jag...I don't want one, but his father is a luck man.
:icon_toast:

I gotta admit, the newer XK/XKR convertibles are on my list of cars I'd have in my super garage if I ever win the lottery. And that is a good looking one specifically.

I like what you say about the unrefined power of a Mustang compared to the posh factor of the Jag. A friend of mine has a Porsche Carrera S, and we've driven each other's cars. He said that the Mustang has a more visceral feel to it compared to the Porsche. Since then, that's been about the best word I've found to describe it. And I agree, that visceral feeling is more enjoyable that the 'refined' feeling of the typical Euro sports car. Even when they're faster, they're not really as much fun to drive.

I also disagree about the 'never buying a sports car that is an automatic' mentality. I'd suggest that it's generally the opinion of younger guys. I admit that I used to feel that way. Now I am a little older, in theory a little wiser, and I own one manual pony car and one auto pony car, and I love em both.

I also agree that it's a bit harsh to say you could never value someone's opinion because they feel that way about automatics. A person can never have any valid opinion about anything because he feels oppositely of you on one subject? And yeah the other guy was right, that's the way you made it sound. Eh, the world takes all kinds...

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PS. Looking at the Jag again, and I am reminded that the thing about Jags I never like are their wheels. Jags tend to have average wheels at best, usually less than average. Some of em have some pretty hideous wheels, imo...

Yea, no biggie. Using never was not the appropriate word to get my point across. Oh well, lol I knew what you meant.