Jaguar XK stands up against R8 competitor 11/22/2010
The 2011 Audi R8 is a sleek convertible that has turned a lot of heads. But does it deserve its $136,000 price tag?
Many might argue that no car deserves a $136,000 price tag, but the R8 makes a strong case for it. With a wide body and sleek racing curves, the R8 certainly looks the part, but 420 horses underneath the hood, makes it unlikely that many production vehicles will be keeping pace with it.
Yet drivers have a better option if they'd like to save nearly $50,000. The Jaguar XK convertible is beaten by the R8 in many aspects, including pure power and arguably overall comfort in the interior. But it's hard to justify such a gulf between the Audi's high price and the Jaguar's $89,000 sticker.
The XK still produces 385 horsepower and actually outclasses the Audi in torque with 380, albeit at a lower RPM. The Audi would undoubtedly win in a long race, but not by much. Meanwhile, the Jaguar comes with standard features like dual-climate control and a six-disc CD changer, gets better gas mileage than the Audi and has one year longer on its warranties.
The luxury car market can get into some astronomical price tags, but that doesn't mean driver's can't find deals. The XK is one such car. It might come in second place to the R8 on the track, but driving home in a Jag with an extra $50,000 in your pocket isn't a bad consolation prize.