2007 Jaguar XKR

Since we introduced our long-term XKR in last month's issue, we've put nearly 2000 miles on the blown feline, still a cross-country trip away from completing the 4975-mile break-in period, during which Jag strongly recommendsagainst racing or track testing. Thus, we've yet to acquire initial test numbers, so look for those within the nexttwo updates.

So far, every editor who's spent time in the supercharged coupe has been "blown away" (sorry for thepun), certainly more so than with the naturally aspirated XK we had prior. The R, with an additional 120 horsepowerand 103 pound-feet of torque, is noticeably quicker, a trait that seems to heighten the XK's already sporty nature.Unfortunately, the XKR also is quicker at guzzling fuel, delivering just 15.5 mpg compared with the XK's 17.1 mpg.We do expect fuel economy to rise once the engine has loosened up.

OTHER MT VOICES:

Great trip away to Desert Hot Springs, Joshua Tree and Amboy, with lots of freeway and twisty road driving which I felt the jag handled beautifully, in much comfort and with heaps of class. Exterior is a crowd stopper and I was told how beautiful the car was many times over a couple of days. The exterior is stunning and I don't think it has a bad angle for photographing and I particularly like it with the bigger wheels. The interior, while much better than the last XK we had, still leaves me feeling that something isn't quite right with all that flat grey leather on the dash. It's also strange having two different sized cup holders in there. Emergency brake has to be engaged manually but disengages automatically which also feels strange. It doesn't feel quite like an older man's car now but it still doesn't feel like a true sports car inside either. The annoying nav problem in the last XK which involved having to touch the screen in a sequence of five windows has now been rectified and to get a full screen nav now you just touch the screen anywhere on the map and hey presto! Much better. Makes the whole thing easier to operate.

Annoying seat belt retainer with magnetic closing device doesn't work well. Belt slips out all the time and any movement while in the seat makes the thing clack loudly! When refueling the gauge has twice so far, not shown "FULL" for at least ten minutes. From filling up at Barstow to downtown Los Angeles I averaged 71 mph at a noted fuel consumption of around 27 mpg. Pity the city cycle doesn't come close. Last I looked it was around 12 mpg. After getting back to LA very smoothly with no sign of trouble, the engine warning light came on the following morning causing some consternation even though there was no sign of any trouble whatsoever. -ANDY FOSTER

Can't believe how many compliments I get on this car. It seems way more visible than our red coupe was. Not sure if it's the gills and grilles, the wheels, or the Hemi 'Cuda exhaust note, but it really draws looks, and 98 percent of them are positive. Willing powertrain, great transmission (regular drive, sport drive, paddles) what else could you ask for, although the paddles feel cheap and cheesy to the touch; inexcusable in a car that costs this much, especially when Mitsubishi can put nicely finished metal ones in a $20,000 car. Foster noted that engine light had been coming on, and I think it was on when I got in the car. But the next time I started it up, the light was out, and remained out for the five days I drove it. Nothing acting funny. -MATT STONE