DF64 XCP

Lovely as usual!

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I'm going to go out on a limb here and state for the record, even if I seem to be the minority, I really love this edition of the Conti GT. If it wasn't for the appalling fuel economy of the normal W12 1st generation I probably would have bought one as they were the same value as the XF-R - but after owning the XF-R I know I made the right choice, but I still have a soft spot for the Conti GT's

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I have to agree on the styling, I was able to see one through the window of a dealership and it was quite the sight. I always wonder about upkeep costs on something like that compared to a Jag. I would assume it would be a lot more?

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Honestly I was really surprised that fhe general servicing and upkeep of the Jaguar was really good value - noticeably less than on my Subaru. However parts for the car that were specific to the R did come at a very hefty premium - brakes and tyres were my biggest costs during ownership. Looking at tthe Bentley maintenance and parts I think would have struggled, probably only owning the car for a shorter period of time. But the all wheel drive was appealing for the Bentley, I think if the XF-R had AWD I don't think it could have been much better! The throttle was very sensitive so it could be twitchy at times you didn't want to play, noticeably more sensitive than AMG and BMW M cars with the same engine outputs, something AWD would have fixed...

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I guess Jag parts would be relatively easy to source in the UK. I can't imagine servicing for a jaguar would be cheaper than a Subaru where I live.

I always assumed AMG cars would have very touchy throttles, just based on how AMG owners seem to drive their cars

AWD was a big part of the reason I chose the Golf R over the GTI, obviously not nearly the power output of a Jag, Bentley or AMG. However it's been really great in the winter, we've had a few big snow storms and it doesn't struggle at all on the unplowed streets. I can only imagine how great AWD would be on an even more powerful car, especially when RWD would be the alternative.

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You are much closer to Japan than here too! Although Japanese imports probably make up 20% of the cars on the road so we must have logistics with Japan to keep the prices down too.

I found the AMGs I have driven to date have a bit of a soft zone at the beginning of pushing the accelerator pedal before cutting in - it's a sort of 20% power then 100% all of a sudden, wheras the XF-R was just 100% off the bat I actually found it annoying in the AMGs when trying to park, especially in the SLS given it's value, as making it move slowly was an art, that initial low level power was just enough to get it moving but made you give it a little more which then hit the power band, even gently, at least with the Jaguar you knew what you were getting at low speed!

What colour did you get on your R? They have a lovely dark blue on them here which is proving a popular choice. Quicker than my STI too - is it an electronic wheel distribution on the R or mechanical like the Subaru? I remember not long ago the electronic distribution on cars was fine in bad and icy weather but awful in snow and very muddy conditions. Would be interesting to see if that technology has caught up now as I would be surprised if VW used something as basic as mechanical AWD in their flagship sports hatch!

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My reply above didn't quote you for some reason!

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That is super interesting about the pedal response on the AMGs, it certainly sounds like you've had the opportunity to drive some amazing cars. The SLS is such an expensive and well engineered car, so its interesting that parking and moving slowly would be difficult. I can't imagine its proportions help.

I got the R in the blue you are referencing, its called Lapiz Blue Metallic and it's sort of the signature Golf R colour. I had intitially wanted either a white or a black car but I have grown to love the blue. I purchased mine used so unfortunately the paint has some swirl issues, I will be getting the paint corrected in the spring/summer. No use in the winter as the car seems to be brown more often than blue

As far as the AWD system goes, its definitely uses some sort of electronic system and I am pretty sure the power mostly goes to the front wheels and is distributed to the rear only as needed, which again makes it great for driving on icy/snowy city streets in comparison to a RWD or FWD vehicle. I definitely don't think it would hold up compared to a Subaru with their really good mechanical systems in genuinely snowy or muddy conditions. Interestingly enough Subaru's are some of the most popular vehicles here for that very reason.

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I can say that the SLS is by far the easiest and most comfortable supercar I have driven, it handles beautifully and is always wanting to give more. I like my supercars to be a bit of a handful, it adds to the excitement and reminds you to treat them with respect as ultimately they demand a better driver than whoever is behind the wheel but I really wanted to keep the SLS despite the parking "disagreements" I have with the car! And no, the proportions really don't help, the rear 3/4 felt like guess work to me! I did better reversing a Countach out of a curved driveway onto a street and they are supposed to be awful for visibility

I can relate to the colour change of the car my white Impreza never got washed in the winter so when Spring came around it felt like a new car going from brown to pearlescent white shame about the paint swirls, just one of those annoying things darker cars tend to show more of. I need to sort the paintwork on all 3 of my cars - the Subaru is swirling, the Puma is scratched and bubbling and the Mustang is just shedding all of it's lacquer in chunks like a snake sheds its skin, looks awful I do love the blue, thanks for the name, I see it a lot here and I always like to buy cars in less normal specs, but I would still buy that blue!

I'm familiar with the 4WD systems used by several manufacturers until about 2017 when I left the car world (temporarily I hope), and I was never a fan of the electronic systems - but that doesn't mean that I don't think it is a remarkably clever bit of kit! And seriously useful for safety. All the systems I came across ran the car as FWD and only sent drive to the rear wheel or wheels that needed it at that moment, whether through lack of traction due to surface changes or faster driving to increase cornering grip. I guess I'm more old fashioned, I'm not the biggest fan of electrical systems taking over the drive of the car. The Subaru system certainly is phenomenal for grip but does grind terribly if you have the car diagonally over a gradient change, something that the electronic systems would handle quietly! I remember it felt like every third car on the road in Colorado was a Subaru when I was there in 2009, at least you have the weather to use the AWD systems properly unlike here where it's maybe once or twice a year ... Maybe!

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It's interesting to get that sense on the SLS. As gorgeous of a car the SLS is, I always just imagined that based on the shape that it would be somewhat of a nightmare to maneuver in tight areas. Although to us North American drivers everywhere in the UK and mainland Europe seems like tight driving condition.

This is the first car I've owned with more electronic features like that and it is certainly taking some getting used to, a much different feel than any other vehicle I've owned. The AWD kicking in isn't an issues, it's never something I've really felt, however the lane change steering controls and such feel very unnatural. I'm sure I will get used to it.

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It's funny that you say about our roads, the main road at the end of this street here comes to a slow speed every time a large truck or bus comes along, and a complete stop if two big vehicles meet in opposing directions which is pretty frustrating so I often use what I affectionately refer to as "the mountain pass" even though it's just up and down a couple hills but it's mostly single lane with passing places and suspension killing pot holes. So yeah, Surrey despite being one of the wealthiest areas in the UK has it's fair share of tiny roads. I'd be happy to put the go pro in the window for some drives if I thought it would interest anyone

The closest I've come to any lane changing software is the flashing light in the mirrors in the Jaguar but it didn't do anything more than that. Not sure how I would respond to active software!

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Its funny, because here a 'narrow' road will still likely fit two trucks side by side with no issues. Some drivers are completely unaware of how wide their vehicles are, which sometimes causes issues. I'm sure seeing clips of your drives would humble some North American drivers.

The little blind spot light is a good idea, I notice that most new cars have them. It doesn't replace a shoulder check but is good piece of mind.

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