Planet-9 Porsche Forum banner
  • NOTICE - Before adding photos to posts on Planet-9, please review: Posting Photos on Planet-9

You Have A New Porsche. Now, What Do You Get Your Wife?

8K views 26 replies 24 participants last post by  ruwoodbury 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
This is dedicated to all those who need something vehicular for the sports car-challenged distaff side of the equation. Why? Because it’s a cardinal rule that, for whatever your automotive indulgence, the real cost is twice that amount.

Here’s how it works; one day, sooner or later, she will want a new car, and you will utter those immortal words, “yes, dear.” Because you can’t say no. The alternative is to be brandished with “and what do YOU have in the garage? What are YOU driving? What have YOU spent our money on?

So, if YOU want to remain attached, you get in the Porsche with her and go shopping for whatever it is that strikes her fancy.

If it’s a car, and you’re in the same rarified price range as your shiny vehicle from Weissach (fat chance you won’t be,) may I suggest a brand new contender, the new model Jaguar XJ. I sampled the car recently, and it was a very interesting experience. Because the car I drove gave me an instant deep dive into the world of, and I quote from the brochure, “jet soft grain leather seats, burl walnut veneer and jet soft grain leather upper fascia and door top rolls.”

The cat’s not pouncing on dealer showrooms just yet. It will be available in May. But factory rep Margy Eatwell has had the distinction of driving my demo ride around the country, providing early glimpses into things to come for potential style setters on dealer lists.

It just so happens that my local dealer is also a Porsche dealer, and they had at least several Panameras on the lot. I asked the salesman, who came along for the test ride, if that created any issues. He shot back, “No, no, no. I’ve never seen someone wanting a Porsche come in here and drive away in a Jaguar. And vice versa. Never. It just doesn’t happen.”

Which made me utter to myself that there’s always a first time. Or, maybe, time for a garage mate. Because the Jag is like a boutique on wheels. And very competitively priced, at that. The base rear-wheel drive model I drove, with 5-liter V-8, 385 HP and 380 lb.ft of torque, pushed 3,870 lbs. of curb weight to 60 in 5.4 sec… for $72,500. Then there’s a long wheelbase version, an XJ Supercharged version in short and long wheelbase and an XJ Supersport version in short and long wheelbase. Wherein the motor pumps out 510 HP and delivers 0 to 60 in 4.7 seconds… for $115,000.

Don’t tell your wife, but the base XJ costs the same as a well-equipped Cayman S, and the Supersport is close to a well-equipped 997 S.

And, yes, that’s also in the same general range as a Panamera 4S, depending on options.

Ah yes, options. I tried to figure out from the brochure just what, exactly, the car I drove was fitted with. But this turned out to be exceedingly difficult. You see, the brochure has three fold-out spreads showing three different ”themed” interiors. Then they follow with a two-page spread of 14 exterior colors, and a two-page spread of 19 interior “leathers, trims and headlinings” along with 11 “contrast piping, contrast stitch” choices and eight “veneers.”

Can you do the math? Good, because it’s beyond me.

There’s more. An optional Bowers & Wilkins 1,200 W sound system, with 20 speakers and two subwoofers, the drivers being the same as what they use at Abbey Road Studios in London. Front active ventilated, heated and cooled soft grain leather seats with massage and contrast stitching and, get this, Mauveine glove compartment lining… only available on the Supersport. It’s a shade of purple.

The dashboard is virtual. According to Margy, it’s actually a TFT, which stands for Thin Film Transistor, and it allows various displays, which you can change on the go. Like, say you’re using the navigation system; the left-side gauge can become a mini display, showing immediate turn information.

And Jaguar’s version of BMW’s I-Drive and Mercedes’ Command is called iTech. It’s actually an HD touch screen/media hub, and it’s reasonably intuitive.

The car was designed by Ian Callum, whose claim to fame is the Aston Martin DB 7 and the Vanquish. The new XJ is a bit evocative of the old XJ which it replaces, although that design, dating from 1968, went through seven generations. But I wouldn’t go any farther than that.

This time around, you have your “Raptor’s Eyes” look for the headlights, and a “cat’s claws” rear light assembly and a “Swape line” for a crease that runs above the front and rear fenders, and a “turret of glass” moon roof that retracts above the roof in order to keep headroom loss to a minimum, and interior vents that are supposed to evoke the Spitfire airplane, and a wood treatment below the windshield that’s supposed to evoke the Riva speedboat.

Whatever. Let’s just say that, when glancing back and forth between the XJ and the Panamera, which was a simple process at the dealer, the eye ended up hovering on the big cat.

Margy was with the car at the Amelia Island Concours, and she says it drew crowds similar to the classics that lined the golf course.

How does it drive? Oh, yeah, drive, as in driving the thing. Margy said she drove it up to Denver from Albuquerque in a snowstorm, keeping the automatic in Winter mode, with no problems whatsoever. I took the car for a spin. Oh, I fiddled with the paddle shifters for the traditional torque converter six-speed automatic, and I tried Sport and Manual, and I tried to sense the shock changes, and so forth. But, let’s be real, a quick trip around the block doesn’t tell you much.

Which was a complete reversal of my Panamera drive a few months back, at High Plains Raceway, where I couldn’t tell you what any switches or CRTs or navi-frou frous did. I didn’t have time. Because I was lapping in a Porsche.

So there you have it. You can custom design this Jag like a wardrobe. Wear it to the valet parking at the mall (and, by the way, there’s a valet switch.) But, scare the big cat in the switchbacks? Yeah, maybe. Hit the apex on the track? Highly unlikely. But I know you can watch HD DVD movies when you’re stationary. Or she can, while getting a massage, while you’re out, hot-lapping in your Porsche.

Sounds like the basis for a very happy marriage.









 
See less See more
6
#3 ·
Because it’s a cardinal rule that, for whatever your automotive indulgence, the real cost is twice that amount.
Ain't this the truth. I configured a Panamera turbo and just yesterday the wif'e's girl at Neiman Marcus emails her this pic and says "Wow 6.5 tcw white (H SI2) radient for $132,000! Great buy. Just came in..."
 
#4 ·
Nah, when my wife's Volvo lease is up, we will be getting.....another Volvo. Need something to not be afraid of driving to the mall or 7-11 or Home Depot, or into blowing and drifting snow......
 
#11 ·
Nah, when my wife's Volvo lease is up, we will be getting.....another Volvo. Need something to not be afraid of driving to the mall or 7-11 or Home Depot, or into blowing and drifting snow......
BUY IT QUICK before Geely starts building them. :( :( :(

I've got a 2001 S60 T5, and probably the last Volvo I'll ever own. Has also been the worst as far as quality goes - electrical, a/c, transmission, coolant system have ALL been problematic.

My HUSBAND drives a Dodge Ram 2500 Turbo Diesel Laramie SLT edition; something about those southern boys and their toys. He DID admit to liking the appearance of the Panamera, and seemed partial to Topaz Brown or Yatching Blue...
 
#10 · (Edited)
In my case, shortly after my Cayman entered the picture, we did a weekend at the Porsche Leipzig plant that included some off-roading in the Cayenne. My wife decided that she HAD to have a Cayenne. So, as rdbadler said, the only answer was "yes dear." So, now we have the pair - my little Cayman and her huge Cayenne Turbo. Can't complain.....
 
#13 ·
" .... what happened to marrying someone who might actually share your interests .... ?"

That wasn't legal when I got married. We had to marry someone of the opposite sex in those days, and we liked it that way. Oh, sure, my wife used to autocross with me, and we went to races together. But that was during her "good sport" years (her words).
 
#14 ·
Funny you should ask... I've been thinking about that. Actually I would love it if she wanted a new car. She is actually very happy with our Magnum...But cars are not really her thing...rocks are... And I know I better start shopping for a BIG one as our 10th is coming up next year!!!
 
#15 ·
JHE said:
In my case, shortly after my Cayman entered the picture, we did a weekend at the Porsche Leipzig plant that included some off-roading in the Cayenne. My wife decided that she HAD to have a Cayenne. So, as rdbadler said, the only answer was "yes dear." So, now we have the pair - my little Cayman and her huge Cayenne Turbo. Can't complain.....
Hah that's funny...I tried the same thing! Took my wife to a Porsche test drive day...honey why don't you try the Cayenne....nope didn't work...back to jewelry...big and shiny!
 
#16 ·
I usually take the position of buying her a new car first...then a year or so down the road, I get one. Just bought her a new Edge Limited with all the bells/whistles (she's been looking for a year and that's what she wanted). So now, when it comes time, I'm free to get my new Cayman S PDK!
 
#17 ·
I got my CS. What did I get the wife? Her very own key to CS. I can't get her a Jag as she already has one (1968 E Type) that we have had for 30 years and is not going anywhere. Her every day driver is yellow Mustang GT convertible. When she is ready to trade it in she wants a Mercedes SLK or one of the new 4 door Jeeps. Go figure. There is no midle of the road with her.
 
#21 ·
My wife doesn't drive so no new car for her needed. When I do go away to a DE or something 2nd or 3rd thing she'll say is "did you buy me anything". It doesn't have to be much; T-shirt, little figurine, earrings are her favorite. Just got her 2 nice pair of earrings - one for after the NJMS DE in 2 weeks and one for our anniversary or her birthday - 4 & 5 months into the future.
 
#22 ·
We have together going on 36 years. Prior to retiring, we worked at the same company and often car pooled. So the thing she wants the most is "alone time". The Cayman gives me the opportunity to give her plenty.
 
#23 ·
My wife is happy with her Mercury Millan... though her lease is up at the end of the year. Cars are not her thing, more like clothes and jewelry... not and issue as we keep out finances separate, you buy what you want with your money, and I buy what I want (porsche) with my money. It will continue to work as long as we don't have any kids (not including the furry kind) :hilarious:
 
#24 ·
Several months after getting my Croc, I got my wife a shiny new Toyota Sienna Limited. Quite a nice car, the Lexus of mini vans (if only Lexus made one). If you have a large crew like I do, I highly recommend the Sienna in the Limited Trim.
 
#27 ·
Nice post, the new XJ looks very good in pictures (and in dark colors with that black c-post). The Jaguar franchise is owned by the M-B dealer and the XJ should be there when I take my wife's M-B for service next month. I'll make a point to go look at it and I'm sure they'll let me drive one.
My wife is totally independant on the car thing and though she likes, and in the past 15 years has mostly owned, M-B's, she recently announced that she wants a BMW sedan for her next car, and, "Not the little one." "E-class size?" I asked, "Yes, that one," she replied. I have no idea where the BMW thing came from, she said she likes the look of BMW's and wants a car instead of a SUV next time (there are a couple late model 5-series and some 3-series in the neighborhood). I got online and called her in to see the new 5-series and she really likes it. So probably next year when she's done depreciating her '08 ML320 she'll go for a 535 awd (we live in the mountains).
It's nice to never hear the, well you've got a Porsche line, ever. She just gets what she wants and when she wants it and leaves me to my sports cars, mods and track days. Well, within reason.
BW
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top