Jaguar XKR 2009

Jaguars are unreliable-what a myth once you own and drive modern Jaguars. The XKR, model introduced in 2006, is an absolutely excellent example of the modern Jaguar.
We have owned a number of the XKR supercharged models and found them all to be a tremendous value and extremely fun to drive.
Of course, there are some quirks that I will mention later.
Till 2010, the standard XK was underpowered for my tastes. The engine power was enhanced in 2010 making the need to move to an XKR model more a personal desire rather than need.
The move to a 500+ horsepower XKR seemed to be more of a marketing decision to do something new and keep up with other luxury marques rather than an engineering driven sense and desire for product enhancement.
The 2007 to 2009 XKR cars are what we have had and I will focus on those. The cars in this timeframe are

essentially the same in terms of equipment level and drivetrain.
First of all, this car, particularly the coupe is simply beautiful. An elegant and enduring design that just turns
heads. The convertible is also very nice though the blind spots (with the top up) taking getting used to.
The body is lightweight aluminum construction and the thus the power to weight ratio is excellent.
In walking up to the car and opening the door (the key fob works like Keyless Go-Mercedes or Comfort

Access-BMW). No need to insert the key in the door or ignition-simply walk up, open the door, get in and push the start button and bring the cat to life!
Simply starting up the car is quite exhilirating with the wonderful exhaust sound and rumble.
The gear shifter moves very smoothly and the car is ready to go. For me, the standard drive mode is more than adequate for almost all type of about town and highway driving. Shifting to sport and/or using the paddles seems just more unnecessary work.
Steering feel is light and responsive and the car is very easy to drive.
Looking out over the long hood is rather fun. The accelerator responds quickly and car pulls very nicely.
Whether the car has the standard stereo or the Bowers & Wilkins, the sound is very nice though the car is loud and not as quiet as a Mercedes SL. Somewhere in between the SL and Porsche 911.
You will never think of this as a true sports car but far more of an incredibly elegant, fun to drive touring car and one that gets a lot of looks from everyone.
Of course the leather quality is exceptional and layout very nice. I know the back seats get a bad rap by all but then this is not a four seater. Just think of it as a two seater and all is OK. The SL has storage space on the back. The 911 has two seats in the back but they really are storage areas. So all three are really setup the same way.
Option list is limited which makes it easier to evaluate one against the other. The big options include adaptive

cruise (rather useless) and the Bowers Wilkins stereo---nice if you can get it but not to pay a lot more for.
On the other end, the car does have some quirks. Some design oriented and some, I suspect, bean counter

decisions to keep the production costs down and be able to sell this car at a very attractive price.
The seats are not as firm as I would like. The plastic trim feels cheap. To access the cupholder you have to slide back the center console lid/elbow rest and the two cupholders are sized differently-why?
On every car we have had, the plastic/chrome trim around the shifter J gate has been replaced under warranty because it would peel. The key fobs don't hold up well as the plastic/chrome peels.
I don't like the all in one touch screen. Obviously a cost decision where the accountants told the engineers to

make this work. All Jag had to do was buy the interface and avoid cost of extra buttons. The result is slow

response and laborious travel thru the world of sub menus. Don't do this while driving.
I have also been told there are no brake wear sensors on the front wheels. Imagine that on a 100K or so car.

We have also had some issues where the unit has gone out and been replaced under warranty.
On the coupes the rear cargo cover is held to the trunk by 4 push in buttons. These are poorly designed and can break off. Easy to fix but shows some cost cutting.
Some the cars we have had have been the Portfolio cars. These are very nice as they have a special paint job, unique wheels and are heavily equipped. Would not pay the 10K or so premium at retail for this package but for the same or slightly more cost at used, well worth it for the exclusivity and hopefully better resale value.
By the way, our Jag dealer has been fantastic and I think the factory is supportive of the dealers and customers end up getting very good service.
I have found the body and paintwork to be excellent. Do note that if you need any bodywork, make sure you go to a Jag authorized facility. The way the cars are built, they simply cannot be sent to any old body shop.
Overall the cars are reliable, super fun and comfortable to drive, reasonably low maintenance cost and just can't be beat in the looks department. Keep it up Jaguar!

Hybrids, Electrics and Diesels versus the Internal Combustion Engine

I write this section to get feedback that is supportive of my views and also with counter points. Would really love to hear from folks who have spent their hard earned $$ on hybrids and electrics and their reasoning for doing so.

Hybrids are here and have been for many years are going to be part of the automotive landscape for a long time. In fact, even the luxury cars are now offering hybrid options and augmenting gasoline cars with hybrid technology. Electric cars while still in their infancy are getting better and should become a viable transportation option.
I hail from the mindset that cars should represent excellent value that is measured by high level or reliability, great comfort and absolutely very enjoyable to drive, affordable price (this of course varies by personal budget) and good resale value.
If you agree with my mindset, then how does a hybrid or electric car meet that requirement?
I don't see how hybrids are a good option. I hope electric cars get to the point where they are functional for daily use. Today they are not.
Both cost a lot more than comparable gas powered cars.
Gas mileage on hybrids is not as high as advertised-though getting much closer with the revised EPA rating system.
Cost of replacing the battery
Environmental impact of building and disposing off the battery packs
Added cost of maintaining two engines in the hybrids.
What is the cost of repairs after the warranty period runs out?

What about the cost of charging electric cars-the cost of power?
What about the cost of installing charging stations/systems to fast and adequately charge electric cars.
Limited range of electric cars
Unusual, possibly unattractive appearance
What about durability?
Of course the benefits are obvious:
Higher gas mileage
NO or very low gas cost with electric cars
Very low maintenance on electric cars

I have driven most of the hybrids and electric cars out there. I find the hybrids very boring to operate and for those, like the Cayenne or Lexus that have hybrids engines augmenting gas engines, odd to drive engines switching on/off. I keep wondering why not simply get a V8 with all the reliability and smooth power that comes with that and at a lower cost?
For the electric cars, the torque is wonderful and quietness very interesting. However, the lack of range combined with long time to re-charge just don't make them viable for regular use.

The only viable reasons I can see for buying either hybrids or electrics is emotional. It makes the buyer feel good that they are doing something positive for the environment or by some stretch actually like the odd design.
And, on the other hand, why aren't turbocharged diesel cars a better way to go?

Diesels provide the following benefits:
1. Lower cost of maintenane--this makes up for the higher purchase price
2. Lower fuel cost per mile--though diesel fuel costs a bit more, the higher mileage more than offsets the cost differential between diesel and gas
3. Longer durability-further helps make up the difference in purchase price

Again, I welcome feedback and hope to learn from your comments.

Porsche Panamera

Having owned, bought and sold most of the major luxury sedans, I think a know a thing or two about such cars. Large performance luxury cars are also some of my favorite cars as they combine great comfort, performance, amenities and space to carry friends to places.
These are the cars you can drive every day and on long distances.
The Porsche Panamera, while first I really did not like its looks, is one singularly impressive car.
I tracked its development closely with all materials sent by Porsche and in the industry publications and eagerly awaited my first test drive in it.
The very first drive did not disappoint. What a wonderful car in almost every way and what an exceptional addition to the already superb Porsche product line?
Now we have had a few in our stable and have had a chance to really experience these great cars over long drives, local city driving and continue to be very impressed with the product from Porsche.
At first, the car seemed a bit intimidating given its seating position, center console layout and the front and rear visibility. The car seemed bigger from the driver seat than I was used.
The BMW 7 series and the Mercedes S class cars, though bigger always seemed to get smaller once I got behind the wheel and started driving the car. It has always amazed me how the engineers from these companies could build such a powerful and large car yet make them seem so sporty on the road.
The Porsche 911, Boxster and Cayenne also all seemed to fit like a glove and feel very comfortable to me very quickly. The Panamera was an exception.
The very first car in our possession took some getting used to. It was sold very quickly so I never had sufficient time to thoroughly examine and experience it.
Now after several, I can honestly say this is a car that once one is used to it, is probably and arguable the finest performace large luxury sedan in the world today. The S class still remains the finest luxury performance sedan. The 7 series BMW is a close second but definitely the 2nd of the two.
The fit and finish of this Porsche is truly amazing. The seats just by themselves envelop the occupant and provide superb comfort and support. In fact, I think the rear seats are more comfortable than the front. While having only two seats in the back may seem limiting, quite truthfully in most cars, the middle seat position in the back is about as bad as the middle seat on an airplane. With just two seats and a highly functional center console, both passengers are very comfortable and ready to be driven around.
Just love the leather dash and the controls layout. I do think some of the buttons have a bit of a plasticly feel and the tactile experience can be enhanced. Also the turn signal lever seems a bit flimsy. But I am nit picking.
The position of the steering wheel with all its adjustments and the gear shift position just demands the car be driven commandingly. Combined with the supportive seats, one feels they can fly this car.
The PDK transmission takes a bit getting used to as it is a manual transmission with dual clutches that operate electronically. In fact, while the car can be left in a full automatic mode, it is just so much more fun in manual mode. I find shifting with the gear shift to be a lot more enjoyable and funcational than the steering wheel buttons. Also, I am just not a big fan of shift buttons and paddles. Give me a good solid gear shift anyday. This transmission shifts fast and the engine response very quickly.
The one thing to really watch for though is the height of the car around curbs. This car is low and the side skirts can get easily damaged. The front bumper can easily get scraped.
Thus the parking control sensors are hyper sensitive and loud and also allow for a greater margin of error. To be on the safe side trust the sensors and avoid damage. Repairing a Porsche can get expensvie.
The steering wheel feel to a bit of getting used to also. At low speeds it is very light but very firm once the car picks up speed. Having driven Porsche sports cars which have a heavy steering wheel feel, this was quite a change.
The engine is louder than some of the other luxury sedans and has the exhaust sound to go along with it. On the first Panamera's, I thought the engine idle was a bit rough and asked the dealer to check it out. I was told it was normal.
After the experience of having several, I concur. This is not a luxury performance car but a PERFORMANCE and luxury car!!
Amazingly the hatch back design that orignally seemed out of place, is extremely functional with the fold down rear seats. Also the power operation of the hatch is loud and purposeful.
For my money, and for our US market-particularly in my state of California , I do feel the Panamera S with its V8 engine and 2 wheel drive is the car to have. The 4S would be the one to get in cold/wet climates.
The standard Panamera and Panamera 4 with the 6 cylinder engine, is in my opinion, underpowered. With a car of this caliber, the solid horsepower and torque of a V8 give the car the right "feel". The turbo Panamera, particulary for our market, is way overkill in every way.
I look forward to the opportunity to check out the Panamera GTS. Will add my comments after I have had a chance to drive it.
In terms of options, the parking sensors with our without the rear view camera are simply a MUST. You simply cannot see out of the back window and park this car without the sensors. The rear bumper will get gouged-guaranteed.
Also the complement of heating and cooling seats both front and rear are a wonderful touch and to be obtained if at all possible.
The Sport package should also be considered essential. It provides for the adjustable shock setting and sport shift patterns. The Sport Chrono, again in my opinion, is overkill. Do you really expect to operate this car on a racing track?
The Bose sound system is also very necessary as this is not a quiet car in comparision to other luxury sedans and this sound system complements the car very well. Without it, one may find the stereo quality a bit lacking.
If budget allows, the full leather treatment is simply magnificent. Porsche does an amazing job with leather. While Bentley, Aston and Rolls also have great leather interiors. I do find Porsche full leather treatment to be just right--great fit and finish with the over the top beaty treatment of the other brands.

Panamera is the ultimate Porsche combining all the qualities of a large luxury sedan with functionality of a Cayenne SUV and the performance charteristics that made the 911 such an iconic product.