ERMAHGERD.
A friend…read moregot an invite to this event and because neither of us will be in the market for a new car, let alone a Jaguar, in the near future, we HAD TO GO. I think they do this yearly, so this could be back next year, and you better try to get yourself an invite.
Anyway, I don't think they are really, really trying to sell you on cars at this event, more try to make you realize Jags don't suck that much. Obviously it means nothing to me when you say they have electrical problems because I figured that was a thing of the past thanks to all the Top Gear I watch. However, I was under the impression Jaguars were slow and heavy, not meant for anything fun. I fully admit to laughing at the idea of autocross in any of their cars.
And then we arrived. THE SOUNDS. We checked in and were led further back in the tent to a hospitality area. Food, drinks, plush sofas, cars to check out. I talked to someone there who told me I was going to have a blast.
First they put us in a smaller room with a model of each car, and the group was split into two. My group went outside where we did a street drive of a XJ. I was driving first with my friend and I gotta admit, I'd never buy one but I was giggling like mad before we even started. Luxurious doesn't even begin to describe how it felt in that car compared to mine. It was a nice drive too, the cars are pretty damn graceful given their size. It wasn't much difference from my car, I was really shocked.
We came back and watched a little presentation on the new F-type before being unleashed onto the good stuff.
First place I went? Oh yes, I want to try 0 to 60 to 0 in a $130k Jaguar XKR-S with 550 HP. They record you the ENTIRE time and send you the video with the speedometer later on. I got up to 88mph. I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE IT. It was the most exhilarating thing I've ever done and the fastest I've ever accelerated outside of like, an airplane. I have video of it but my nervous blabbering is embarrassing now.
Then with this new burst of speed, I had to try out the autocross course. I believe I did this in an XKR, so you know, first autocross attempt in a nearly 6 figure car, sounds great. That was also so much fun, although I did not get it done very quickly which made me sad. But for a first try I was pretty proud of it, and apparently I beat the guy who had just done it with this instructor by over a second. He apparently had been gloating to his buddies about his time according to my friend so even better.
Everything else was rather tame in comparison. There was testing of the AWD technology on ice, sand, and other things but that instructor was not so good so I didn't get it working quite right in sand.
Then there were just a bunch of the different models to drive around slowly over speed bumps and other things. I could totally see myself in the XKR, not gonna lie.
And then, before leaving, they have you fill out a survey about how you liked it and you get a bag of serious swag.
So Jaguar, I can't say I'll buy one of your cars any time in the next decade, but I will consider the hell out whatever you have when that time comes. If you have the chance to go to this anywhere, or to another car company's event like this, DEFINITELY go.