ZedZed

Haha. I felt the same. Took me a while before I could trust it. Great idea though - I have never seen that in any other car I have owned.

Hahaha. I'm glad it's not just me then 🙂 I think I'll carry on parking the way I have done all my life - no pages on any manual neededfor that 🙂

Certainly, one of the main reasons I went for the LS460 as my daily was that the 4.6L V8 is not hugely stressed at just 81 BHP/Litre. By contrast, my XKR comes in at 100 BHP/Litre and has a supercharger to boot! Since the LS460 engine is so under-stressed, as well as being N/A, I imagine that this is a major contributor to its reputation for reliability. Of course, if one is looking for a delightful V8 sound, then the XKR wins hands-down, but for a daily, I value smoothness, comfort and quiet more than rortiness. The N/A Jaguar XK (not R) makes a good (more exotic) daily IMO. The suspension is softer, so the ride is very comfortable, it makes a lot less noise, but still allows some of the V8 character to come through and the engine is less stressed, so an already reliable unit is made even more so. And, for many people, it is plenty quick enough too. Good value on the used market right now, and set to be a future classic - the last Jaguar GT.

Well, I finally made it through the end of the LS 460 handbook! Has anyone actually managed to figure out 'Intelligent Parking'? I am dying to give it a go and watch the car parallel park itself while I sit inside with my eyes closed, fingers crossed, saying my prayers, invoking an image of the Pope, desperately hoping it works and I don't wipe out the front of the Mulsanne Turbo behind me and the back of the Range Rover Vogue in front of me. I read the relevant section of the supplementary manual 3 times, once while actually sitting in the car, but I doubt I am any the wiser. Mrs Zed said I need to try it in practice, but I really don't want to lose my automated parking virginity in a crowded street while the assembled onlookers lose control of their bladders as my Lexus manoeuvres backwards and forwards into a space just 5 cm longer than the car itself and ends up doing 5 grand's worth of damage to itself, and possibly two others. C'mon guys, tell me you took one glance at the handbook, threw it away, pushed the button and grinned from ear to ear as the Lexus strutted its stuff....

Soon, all our cars will be 'old-fashioned' as everything becomes driven by a washing machine motor, fuelled by fifty thousand flashlight batteries. Soulless, noiseless, pointless. They'll have to prise my V8s from my cold, dead hands.

Another reason I didn't choose the 5.0 XKR is that I think it is just too powerful for a rear-drive-only car. If you drive one in a spirited fashion on anything other than a perfectly dry road, the back end is out all the time, and it gets tiresome. It really needs all-wheel drive. The 4.2 XKR with 'just' 420 bhp doesn't suffer this problem. But over 500 bhp on the 5.0 model is, IMO, too much to put through just the rear wheels. Now the XKR-S is all this in spades with over 550 bhp, so I tend to agree that you need all the help the car can give you. But the 4.2 V8 is the sweet spot IMO and gives huge power that you can actually get down onto the road. And the ZF auto box in it is really pretty damn good, especially on the paddles. My wife's Cayman has the PDK gearbox and, for me, that is the ultimate cog swapper.

Pretty much exactly how I see it too! 👍👍👍

Yes. The 5.0L version is more powerful, but I deliberately went for the 4.2L as it is a more proven engine, with years of experience behind it. Benefit of the 5.0L - you can get a newer model.

IKWYM. It's not so much about speed, or even acceleration. It's more to do with the way it gets there. I am impressed with the sheer grunt of my LS460, and it can get to highly illegal speeds in a remarkably short time, but it doesn't give the sensation that the XKR gives when doing so. The XKR growls and howls through its (modified) 4 exhausts and, of course, the roadholding and handling is vastly superior. The LS 460 is way more refined, infinitely quieter and, in Comfort mode, insulates me from the worst surfaces that UK roads have to offer. Both cars are good for long-distance trips - the XKR is surprisingly quiet at high motorway speeds - but the Lexus offers a huge degree of comfort. Also, in the Lexus, I tend to relax and let the car take most of the strain, whereas in the XKR, I am almost always 'driving'. If I could only have one or the other, I'd take the XKR all day long. But being fortunate enough to have both, I think they complement each other beautifully.

The 4.2L Jaguar V8 is generally regarded as bulletrpoof if you are looking more for a sporting coupe. In naturally aspirated form (XK) or in supercharged form (XKR) it is a stupendously good engine. The later 5.0L V8 had teething troubles soon after it was introduced (2010) so it is better to go for a car later than that, or check that the work needed was done (eg water pump). And, of course, the Lexus V8s are also regarded as highly reliable. The engines are understressed which no doubt contributes to their long life. Although I love the looks and sounds of Maseratis, I personally avoid them, for two reasons: first, they don't have a stellar reputation for build quality or long and reliable life and second, there is a shortage of independents who are experienced in these cars. Also, their rarity makes for very expensive replacement and service parts, which can often only be obtained through the official dealer network. Jaguars, of course, are plentiful, which gives you a lot more choice when buying, and also when it comes to finding a good, local independent to take care of it. Porsche also make a good V8 which you can find in the Cayenne and the Panamera. I came close to buying a Panamera, which is a genuine 4 seater, to replace my XKR, but then I realised I could keep the XKR and buy a nice LS 460 cheaper than swapping the Jaguar for a Panamera, and this would give me a real 4 seater, luxury car for when I was in the mood for wafting, and a red-blooded sports coupe for when I was in the mood for plenty of beans. Two fabulous, but very different, cars!

Thanks guys. Plenty of choices coming in. Appreciate it! 👍👍

Yeah, I read that too. Fortunately, I rarely drive in cities these days. Nottingham has always been fairly anti-car. Here's your first employee 🙂

Go for it. There's nothing like a V8. And soon they will be extinct. "You're never late with a V8" 🙂

🙂 It's a sort of last fling before the entire world goes all Thunberg. 🤣

Thank you very much. I will check them out. EDIT: Their website looks great, and some terrific reviews. Bookmarked and added to contacts. Lincoln is about 55 minutes from me, but they offer a courtesy car, so no problem. Thanks again.