2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550
2013 Jaguar XKR
Review and photos by Jonathan Yarkony and Michael Schlee
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Luxury Toys
We here at Autos.ca are always looking to help our readers with questions on the minds of automotive consumers, and this week we decided to address the pressing question of “How should I spend my $150,000 dollars on a luxury automotive toy?” Er, what’s that? Okay, granted, this isn’t a problem many people face in their car purchase process, but the stars aligned and put these glorious machines at our disposal, so what could we possibly do but compare these three luxurious convertibles sports cars grand tourers.
  Jaguar XKR, Mercedes-Benz SL 550 and Porsche 911 Carrera S cabriolet. Click image to enlarge |
| Manufacturer’s websites Mercedes-Benz Canada Jaguar Canada Porsche Canada |
We collected three cars that had us fighting each other for who gets to keep which one each night, and had constant lineups at our office cell (yes, it felt like a prison compared to the open air delights of the two convertibles and one coupe) of colleagues trying to beg, bribe, and threaten their way into a ride around the block.
Each one is desirable in its own right, with undeniable appeal, but each also demonstrates a unique character that different people and personalities will gravitate towards. Thankfully, none of us here at Autos.ca are burdened with the liquid assets to go out and buy one of these, so we are relieved of the incredibly difficult dilemma of actually deciding how to spend our own money (yes, we want all three, and more), though generally our choice changed based on whichever vehicle we were driving at the moment.
The three cars in question are the Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet, Mercedes-Benz SL 550, and Jaguar XKR. The Porsche 911 is a sports car bred by the undisputed kings of sports car production, but is also sexy and luxurious and much improved in everyday livability with this new generation. The Benz SL 550 is a hardtop convertible that is smooth and comfortable, but with power and capability that will have your passengers either holding on tight or quietly enjoying their latte in comfort—it’s all up to the driver. The Jaguar is the gorgeous wild-child that is always ready to party, but with power, pedigree, and panache that creates an aura of rarity and exclusivity.
You may find it odd that we are comparing two convertibles to a coupe, but you know what they say, when life hands you the keys to a $120K Jag, you shut the hell up and drive it and don’t complain that it’s not a convertible. Okay, maybe you complain a little, but you carry on in the face of such adversity (how do we ever survive?).
The key determining factor in this comparison was luxury—this was not a track test or a road trip, but we drove each of them to and from work on warm fall days, and took them out to our favourite country roads to see if they entertained when there was nothing on our schedule except for sun and open roads. We were looking for the driving companion that performed best in both those elements, and in its ability to captivate our hearts and inspire our imagination (of winning a lottery).
  Jaguar XKR. Click image to enlarge |
3rd Place: 2013 Jaguar XKR
The Jaguar ended up being the odd man out in this comparison test. We had hoped for, and requested, a Jaguar XKR Convertible, but received the coupe instead. In the end, this may have been a blessing in disguise. By having the coupe, the starting price is $7,000 lower and the Jaguar retains its amazing shape. Sure the XK Convertible looks good, but the XK Coupe looks great, and its assets are only further enhanced by the R body kit.
Speaking of greatness, there is also that glorious (you’re going to see that word a lot in this review) engine powering this British rocket. Measuring an even 5.0L of displacement, the supercharged V8 unleashes a massive 510 hp, the most in this comparison. Even though its 461 lb-ft of torque ranked second to the Mercedes-Benz SL 550 and it gives up one gear to both of its competitors, the Jaguar always felt faster. Instrument testing done by other publications reveals all three cars are in a virtual dead heat when it comes to acceleration, but the XKR still fools the driver into thinking it is eating up the miles at a much faster rate.
The V8 bellow coming out of the exhaust would make any muscle car jealous, and under wide open throttle the rear end of the XKR dances around more than everyone in the Gangnam Style video combined. Basically, the XKR is the old-school hot rod of the bunch.
   Jaguar XKR. Click image to enlarge |
But the XKR also handles well. Well, handling may not be the right word as it would be more apt to describe it as gripping pummelling the road. With the upgraded dynamic package, our XKR came equipped with a set of steamroller tires: 255/35R20 up front and 295/35R20 in the rear. These high performance tires defy physics and keep the 1,790 kg Jaguar glued to the road. The downside to this tenacious grip comes at the expense of ride comfort. The Jaguar wasn’t quite as rough riding as the Porsche 911, but it was also nowhere near as supple as the Mercedes-Benz SL 550.
Where the Jaguar really lost points though was inside the cabin. The fit and finish, although fine in their own rights, could not match the other two vehicles in this test and seemed out of place in a $120,000 vehicle. The steering wheel in particular drew criticism as it feels like a model year 2000 leftover. Front seat comfort was split down the middle as some found it good while others found it lacking. What we could all agree on, though, was that they did not support us like the 911 seats and they were nowhere near the level of comfort found in the Mercedes-Benz front buckets. We did like the faux suede roof liner and the pop-up gear selector found in the centre dash though. We weren’t impressed by the tacked-on Bluetooth mick on the A pillar.
But in the end, the hatchback XKR just couldn’t match the other two in this test. It wasn’t as sporty as the 911 or nearly as refined as the SL 550. In the world of near $150K Grand Tourer Coupes, the XKR remains the brash, bad boy of the segment, full of personality and rebellious soul, which alone can have enough appeal for some. As one tester commented “I would buy the XKR out of the three, simply because it is not German.”
Pricing: 2013 Jaguar XKR Coupe
Base price: $109,125
Options: $10,000 (Dynamic Pack), $300 (Heated Windscreen), $200 (Stainless Steel Pedals)
A/C tax: $100
Freight: $1,350
Price as tested: $121,075
       Porsche 911 Carrera S cabriolet. Click image to enlarge |
2nd Place: 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
How did a Porsche 911, one of the most storied sports cars ever made, finish second to an oversized coupe? Surely, there must be a mistake—or the people running this comparison must be off their medication (or on other substances). Well, rest assured, we aren’t, and had this been a comparison test to find the best sports car, the 911 would have run away with the competition. However, this is a comparison test for the best $150,000 Grand Touring car; why else would we have brought a convertible 911 with an ‘automatic’ transmission? If it were a no-holds-barred sports car comparison, the 911 Coupe with a proper seven-speed manual would have been the proper choice.
As it stands, though, the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet is no slouch around twisting back roads or at the front entrance of the local country club. The seven-speed PDK transmission was by far the most responsive of the group and it was the only double-clutch unit. In manual mode the upshifts and downshifts were lightning fast and engaged flawlessly. In Sport Plus mode it seemed the Porsche was always two steps ahead of you and knew exactly what gear you would want, and when you would want it. The downside to this transmission, though, was a tendency for jerky operation at low speeds or in traffic, and it wasn’t the smoothest in regular automatic mode.
Powering the 911 is a naturally aspirated 3.8L flat-six engine producing an impressive 400 hp. Although the Porsche, at 325 lb-ft, is significantly down on torque to the other two, the fact it weighs 300 kg less than the Jaguar or the Mercedes-Benz keeps it nose to nose with these two in acceleration runs. And if that weren’t enough, there is that fabulous boxer engine noise blasting from behind your head. Some may find it annoying over the long haul, but most of us found it intoxicating; all you want to do is plant your right foot and listen to it shriek. Senior Editor Jonathan Yarkony couldn’t get enough of the fuel-saving automatic stop-start system, for no better reason than hearing the start-up cough at every stoplight.
The 911’s steering wheel is completely button free, an indication of its sporting pretensions. The wheel itself is a great piece of craftsmanship and is as pleasing to the touch as it is to the eyes. The feedback and feel from the steering system is simply awesome and ranks up there with some of the best vehicles on the road. At all times the Porsche fully communicates where it is headed and how much grip is left on the road. Even though all three cars had adjustable suspensions, the 911’s was the only one to make a dramatically noticeable adjustment. Nonetheless, the 911 always features a stiff ride; safe to say, the Sport setting is not for the faint of heart—or delicate of spine or sensitive of stomach….
So how did this great sports car lose? Well, that is just it, as luxurious as it is, when playing in the $150K price bracket, it could not balance the sport vs. luxury compromise as well as the SL 550. Some of the driver’s seat adjustments are manual, as are the steering wheel adjustments. The infotainment unit was the most confusing to use and not very intuitive. The front trunk storage space, although easy to access and able to fit a large cooler, would be too small for a set of golf clubs. The rear seats are big enough to fit Jonathan’s daughter’s forward facing child seat, but not much else. They do, however, make good storage space. Then there is also the previously mentioned intrusive engine noise and rough ride that could turn off some owners.
Honestly, for the price, which was $20,000 more than the Mercedes-Benz and $30,000 more than the Jaguar, we would have deselected some of the sportier options and possibly selected more of the comfort options. In the end it proved too much for a car like the 911, which does some things great, to defeat the SL 550, which does everything well. However, as Social Editor Mike Schlee said, “If it were my money, I’d forget about all these vehicles and go buy a seven-speed manual 911 Carrera S Coupe.”
Pricing: 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet
Base price: $123,200
Options: $3,590 (Cognac Metallic Paint), $510 (Sport Seats Plus), $4,660 (PDK), $790 (Seat Heater), $960 (Seat Ventilation)$1,340 (20-inch Carrera Classic Wheel), $880 (Porsche Dynamic Light System), $2,710 (Sport Chrono Package), $1,820 (BOSE Surround System), $1,280 (SiriusXM and HD Radio Tuners), $560 (Sport Design Steering Wheel), $330 (Porsche Crests on the Headrests)
A/C tax: $100
Freight: $1,085
Price as tested: $149,755
    >Mercedes-Benz SL 550 Roadster. Click image to enlarge |
1st Place: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 Roadster
In a sense, the Mercedes-Benz SL 500 Roadster defined this Comparison Test. Prior to picking up the vehicles, we agreed that this would be an evaluation of personal luxury cars (convertibles, in fact, but I think we’ve covered how that turned out).
We consider the priorities in this segment to be looks, prestige, comfort, power, and performance, though not necessarily in that order. I suppose you could say it is something of a heptathlon, and chances are, only people that can afford these cars would know what the hell a heptathlon is. And like any multi-discipline sporting event, you can come in second in every event and win (unless you are cursed by a competitor that comes in first in every category, which was not the case here).
Let’s start with the category that we all agreed the SL 550 dominated: comfort. This is no AMG track missile. The SL simply coasts down the road with the assurance and grace of, well, a Mercedes. Bumps and road imperfections are simply things that you hear other people speaking about, but not while you are in your SL, since the cabin is so quiet.
Even the roar of the 429-hp twin-turbo 4.7L V8 is but a mild, silken rumble as it crests the wave of 516 lb-ft of torque from 1,800 to 3,500 rpm. The 7G-Tronic automatic transmission slips between gears like a ghost. What you feel is like being picked up in a giant baseball mitt and suddenly you are travelling over 100 km/h, though it requires looking at the speedo to gauge one’s speed, so smooth and effortless is its acceleration. Mercedes-Benz lists acceleration times at 4.8 second to 100 km/h, but Car and Driver clocked 0–96 km/h (60 mph) in 4.1, but it still felt the slowest of the bunch because of its smooth power delivery.
While we wouldn’t object to a bit more of that engine’s song, there are two AMG versions of this car (a 530-hp 5.5L bi-turbo V8 SL 63 AMG or 621-hp bi-turbo V12 SL 65 AMG) are available for the price difference that would buy an average family car or another luxury car.
But beneath the comfortable façade is an accomplished and graceful athlete. Mercedes’ went to school on the suspension and came up with Active Body Control (ABC, get it, school, ABCs…), an adjustable active suspension system that can firm up the ride by a whisker, although none of us found that it had any dramatic effect. And being the heaviest of the bunch despite losing over 100 kg from the previous generation meant that the harder you pushed its 1,785 kilos, the more it tended to push wide in corners, and with all that torque on tap, best not to be too frisky with the right pedal in corners. But it is still a car whose limits you cannot safely test in public roads, and Senior Editor Jonathan Yarkony affirms that it will get you to work on time even when running dangerously late.
We definitely did not want to do any damage to that front end—some might find it to blocky and upright, but this jury actually likes that muscle-car effect, and the headlights belong on a pedestal for their artful complexity, although they are also highly effective HID projectors. However, opinion was divided on its back end, especially with the top up, and none of us much liked the way the taillights and trunklid cut into the bumper, although there was no denying it offered decent cargo space among this group, so it gained points for practicality there.
   Mercedes-Benz SL 550 Roadster. Click image to enlarge |
The interior quality and presentation were also universally praised, from the cosseting red leather thrones to the relatively intuitive Comand system and the layout and appearance of all controls and a glass panel overhead that can be changed from translucent to opaque at the touch of a button. A few details worth noting were the beautifully finished wood-and leather steering wheel, the metallic circular vents, although the teensy shifter was a little goofy.
The SL 550 also has an added dimension of resembling the SLS supercar, which garnered Social Editor Mike Schlee a fair amount of attention driving through town. It may not have the outright supermodel looks of the Jaguar, which remains a brand on the fringes for exclusive (and perhaps even contrary customers, if our guest judge was any indication), nor does it have the following of the 911 (one of whom was even on the jury, cough-Yarkony-cough) or its sporting heritage and dedication.
Senior Editor Jonathan Yarkony was particularly smitten with the SL’s gloriously comfortable seats, smooth ride, and luxuriant power, stating: “If I were to pick a car based on what I like and want right now, it would be the SL. However, if I actually had that kind of money, I’d probably buy the car that I wanted as a six-year-old, and that would be the 911.”
But the SL 550 has its own history and loyal following, and it delivers the luxury experience we think many looking for a luxury grand tourer would prefer. Sure, some people want a track toy, but the comfort, refined and functional interior, powerful grace of the SL, plus its adaptability as a hardtop coupe or convertible earn it our top pick in this Luxury Toy comparison.
Pricing: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 Roadster
Base price: $123,900
Options: $4,800 (Premium Package), $890 (Diamond White Metallic Paint), ($750) Illuminated Door Sill Panels
A/C tax: $100
Freight: $1,895
Price as tested: $132,335
