The drive to the office was more agreeable than usual today, despite the inclement weather that we are experiencing in the UK at present (wet and very windy). I had to be careful not to overcook things though; I'm in a Jaguar XKR this week. I have been in touch with Jaguar PR people over arrangements for some upcoming editorial coverage and I asked if I could get a press fleet car on loan for a bit of product familiarity. I ripped into the X-Type a while back in an article on just-auto (below link), but the XK is much more the kind of product that Jaguar can excel at and where it needs to be. The XKR works well - plenty of power (420hp) from the supercharged 4.2 V8, well-designed interior (forget the rear 'seats' though), nice external lines. It feels right and also sounds right when you put your foot down on the rare occasions that you can on southern England's congested and gatso-lined roads. Would be a very comfortable Grand Tourer for that cross-country jaunt to northern Italy or southern France. I wonder how the land lies in Dearborn now with respect to the PAG stable? Aston Martin must be almost out of the door, the other brands still in the fold and likely to stay that way I would think. All very quiet on the Leet review front, but it sounds like his influence may be on the wane now.


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