2010 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe vs 2010 Jaguar XKR Coupe November 22, 2009 AUTORIVALS.NET
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The XKR is Jaguar's best car when it comes to performance. The exterior was refreshed slightly for 2010 but the big news is its new 510 horsepower supercharged 5.0L V8. It now overpowers the Aston Martin V8 Vantage but still can't match its looks. Well to be fair, no car in this price range can match the Aston Martin's looks.
2010 Aston Martin V8 Vantage vs 2010 Jaguar XKR

Exquisite. Stunning. Exceptional. I could go on forever but you get the idea. The V8 Vantage is styled beautifully with a nice combination of chiseled lines and curved body panels. The fenders and hood are the most distinguishing pieces. The hood has just enough character lines that make aggressive yet elegant.

The XKR lacks the elegance of the Aston Martin. The bumper was revised to look more aggressive but doesn't pull it off with the oval grill. The headlights have an inner circular design that look like pupils. Combined with the grill, the overall look just looks confused. The hood features a bulge like the Vantage but isn't sculpted as nicely.
The wheels are styled better on the Vantage than the XKR. Aston Martin keeps things traditional with the their wheel designs which will always look classic. The XKR has a slit side vent that goes vertically across the fender while the Vantage has a horizontally placed vent that flows into a crease across the side. It looks better on the Vantage with better integration into the design.
The XKR is over 15 inches longer than the Vantage due to its 2+2 passenger configuration which throws off its dimensions. It looks excessively long and not as well proportioned as the Vantage.

The Vantage's tail lights are the most unique part of the design. Rather than a typical solid rectangular headlights or some derivation, they are a sideways U-shape that go clear.

The tail lights mimic the headlights with a circular design placed on the inner edges. It looks better than the headlights with the red and white combination.
The rear design may be the best part of the XKR. The fenders are spread wide and the tail lights are unique to say the least but it still falls short compared to the Aston Martin. Everything on the Vantage flows beautifully from the fenders to the trunk. The exhaust pipes may have been better placed next to the bumper then in it, but it still manages to look nicely integrated.
Aston Martin trumps Jaguar in interior design. Everything looks richer in the Vantage with an immaculate symmetrical layout. The center stack flows toward the shifter with a nice curvature and features a pop out information screen. The XKR does not look like the interior of a $100,000 car. Even Cadillac's interiors look nicer.
SPECIFICATIONS
PRICE: $119,500
ENGINE: 4.7L V8
HORSEPOWER: 420 hp
TORQUE: 346 lb-ft
SIZE (L x W x H): 172.5 x 73.5 x 49.5 in.
WEIGHT: 3595 lbs
0-60 MPH: 4.3 sec
1/4 MILE: 12.7 sec @ 112 mph
TOP SPEED: 180 mph
FUEL (CITY/HWY): 12/19 mpg
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SPECIFICATIONS
PRICE: $95,150
ENGINE: 5.0L V8 Supercharged
HORSEPOWER: 510 hp
TORQUE: 461 lb-ft
SIZE (L x W x H): 188.7 x 74.5 x 52.0 in.
WEIGHT: 3968 lbs
0-60 MPH: 4.0 sec
1/4 MILE: 12.3 sec @ 119 mph
TOP SPEED: 163 mph
FUEL (CITY/HWY): 15/22 mpg
RECAP RECAP

PROS
+Beautiful. Just absolutely beautiful
+Best design in this price range

CONS
-In terms of design, there's nothing better than an Aston Martin.
-In terms of performance, there's better cars out there.

PROS
+Nicely styled rear
+510 hp

CONS
-Goofy looking front
-Cheap looking interior
Video Source: YouTube via Top Gear
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