My husband recently wrote an article about another great car that he was allowed to drive by someone he knows. Please take a look if you would like to read it.

Longing for a Jaguar XKR

When I was in my twenties, I spent many nights at my bedside reading Car Graphic magazine, ordering catalogs for cars I could never afford, and putting them under my pillow, hoping that at least in my dreams I would get to drive one.

In the midst of all this, there was one car that I was very interested in at the time.It's Jaguar's XK series.The powerful V8 engine and large, elegant coupe body. The interior decorated with luxurious leather and wood was truly a dream come true.

."How can I drive a car like this?"What do I do for a living?"

Day after day, all I could think about was that, reading cargraphics to the point of burning a hole in my poorly-sunlit studio apartment.

Car Graphic at the time. Basically, all the magazines I bought were scanned and saved as data.

Jaguar XKR, test drive

And now, the day finally came when I could drive the XK of my dreams. In front of me is Jaguar's first XK, andThe final limited edition XKR 4.2-S launched in 2005It is a rare model. In Japan, there are only 50 coupes and 10 convertibles, making it a rare model.

Exterior and interior in very good condition. By the current owner.The suspension and other parts have been freshened up, new tires, and are now in very good condition.Yes.

Jaguar has a very beautiful interior. Ivory tone seats made by Recaro and beautiful wood paneling in the Jaguar tradition.Sitting in the driver's seat, that alone gives you a taste of England.It makes me feel like that.

There is no driver's seat here as a workplace, as German cars like the Porsche have. The elegant view of the world makes you feel at peace as well.

The 4.2L V8 engine, armed with a supercharger, wakes up quietly and the ZF 6-speed AT starts the car very smoothly.Maximum output 406ps, torque 56.4kg-m/3500rpmThe only thing is that there is no hassle at all.

For a car from 2005, it was veryIt has thick low-speed torque and accelerates briskly even at low speeds.The drivability is similar to modern downsized turbo and diesel engines, and this must be easy to drive in the city.

The luxurious interior and quiet interior make the winding roads of Ashiu not a place where one would feel like driving at all. The style of driving is very much suited to the elegant and flowing driving style.The suspension of this limited edition model is firmer than the standard version with hard springs and anti-roll bars.Yes, but not at all unpleasant.

Rather, it is a very comfortable ride.

However, since it is an R, I try to drive at a slightly faster pace. The car allows a slight roll in the corners, but the roll stops after a certain angle. The tires contact the road surface firmly, and the car exits the corner easily with almost neutral steer.

From its appearance, I expected it to have a tendency to understeer more like the Honda Legend coupe I used to drive, but this is not the case at all.It is a solid sports car that can also be enjoyed winding down.

This surprised me; even though it is an R, I had expected the car to have a softer, yielding ride in curves, but that is not the case at all. No, to be precise, when driving straight at low speeds, it has a rather luxurious taste, but when driving around corners, a "core" appears in the stroke of the suspension.

Yes.This is what I often call "Sanuki Udon Sasu". It is soft yet firm.

Moreover, the suspension of this XKR is one of the best "Sanuki Udon Suspension" I have ever ridden. It is soft to the touch, but has a solid core inside, and does not feel unstable or loose in the slightest. I think it is a wonderful foot.

When the driver accelerates a little on the straightaway, the car kicks down without a pause, and the sound of the supercharger working can be heard in the cabin.The vehicle dashes furiously and becomes a veritable cat family beast that finishes off its prey.Although it probably loses out in acceleration compared to today's ultra-high-performance coupes and sedans, it is still fast enough for today's market.

The straight line stability is also impeccable, and going on a grand touring trip with it would be a lot of fun.A grand tourer that can be driven comfortably and sometimes sportily over long distancesI think.

The owner of the car also rides it between Kansai and Tokyo, and it seems to be able to run as long as he wants.

This time, I was a little anxious to drive the car I had always dreamed of. That is because I had already experienced a number of ultra-high-performance cars, including Porsche.What if I'm not very impressed with this car?I had a touch of uneasiness about this. So I felt that it was better to leave my longing as longing.

However, it was a blessing in disguise.I was honestly surprised that it was such a great car.Rather, I believe it may have a significant impact on my future car choices.

I like sporty cars, butI felt again that I really like this kind of luxury car.

Having driven the SL500 and S63 coupe in the past, I was aware of this preference, but now I feel as if it has been confirmed.

Jaguar XK, it is a pity that it is no longer in production, and moreover, such a good quality unit is hard to find. I hope the owner will take good care of this car and maintain it.