Summer is nearly upon us, and it's time to hit the road. What car
better than a convertible in which to take that road trip? Here we offer
not a comprehensive list, but rather a collection of the most current
top-down models that we think should be on your radar. From Bentleys to
Volvos and Ferraris to Minis, with a Lamborghini thrown in, too, what
follows is a nice, wide spectrum to get your wind-in-your-hair,
sun-on-your-shoulders travel juices flowing. Enjoy!
2012 Jaguar XKR-S convertible
Oftentimes, the removal of a car's top makes the resulting
convertible look like some sort of a design experiment, where the lines
just don't look right. Not so with the ragtop version of Jaguar's most
powerful road-going car, the XKR-S convertible. The car is, in just about every measure, stunning.
The
exterior design is about as sexy as cars get today, with beautiful,
grace-ful lines accented by purposeful scoops, flares and a carbon-fiber
front splitter and rear wing. And what's even better, the XKR-S lives
up to how good it looks performance-wise.
The exhaust note
coming from the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 is exhilarating. And with a
top speed of 186 mph, the car can seriously mess up your hair.
The
V8 has plenty of punch down low and pulls strong as the revs climb
toward the 6,500-rpm redline. While the previous-generation XKR was
noted for the whine emitted from the engine's supercharger, with the
XKR-S, engineers opted for a sweet exhaust note. Using a crossover in
which exhaust from each cylinder bank is mixed before exiting through an
electronically controlled “active” exhaust valve, the car sounds like a
Le Mans racer. We found ourselves dipping heavily into the throttle
time and time again, just to hear the magnificent sound.
The
aluminum chassis is solid, and this convertible model weighs in at just
88 pounds heavier than the coupe, with the mechanism needed to operate
the fabric top. The top will open or close in less than 20 seconds. With
the top down and the wind deflector in place, at freeway speeds we were
easily able to carry on conversations with the passenger.
The
XK line is set either to be overhauled following the 2014 model year or
be allowed to fade away, mak-ing room for another, as-yet-unannounced
line of luxury sports cars.
Until that decision is made, the XKR-S
represents the pinnacle for the brand. And if you want one of these
rocket ships, you need more than $138,000. You also need your name on
the waiting list for cars in 2013. The 25 convertibles available for
this year are sold out.
This seems like Jaguar's idea of
building a gentleman's race car, something you can flog at a track and
then drive home for a nice night on the town, which is popular with
enthusiasts. Driving the car, it's easy to understand—great looks and
intoxicating power are a potent combination.
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $138,875
DRIVETRAIN: 5.0-liter, 550-hp, 502-lb-ft supercharged V8; RWD, six-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT: 3,958 lb
0-60 MPH: 4.2 sec (mfr)
FUEL ECONOMY (EPA): 15 mpg
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