ALEX ROY: My unique ability to make pieces of a mystery fall
away before my eyes has once again brought me to a place in
which I haven't spent that much time, about which I know
very little.
The United Kingdom.
We have this amazing Jaguar XFR, which inexplicably has a
children's logo in the middle of the steering wheel.
We'll learn about why that's the case.
And then the real question, the real mystery is why do
people in England drive on the left side of the road?
And I'm not being snarky.
I genuinely don't know.
And it's very dangerous to be in a car with me, this
powerful, in England.
Thank God JF was the one who filled out the papers
for this press car.
Because if anyone at Jaguar knew how irresponsible it is
to let me take a car this powerful and drive it in a
country where I have to drive on the
opposite side of the road.
Well, that would make anyone burp.
And I just did.
We're talking a 5-liter V8 supercharged with 510
horsepower.
And let me take this and drive it on the--
I'm not gonna say wrong side of the road--
side of the road opposite to which I'm accustomed.
They would never have handed the keys over.
Never.
I've never owned a Jaguar.
But I've always wanted one.
Now, to say that that's a bad idea, is besides the point.
I own a Citroen SM, the classic,
beautiful car with problems.
Look at the history of Jaguar.
The XKE, it's in the MoMA.
It's arguably the most beautiful car ever made.
But unreliable, even Jaguar will admit that.
And extremely expensive to fix.
The cars that I love from Jaguar, the XK from the '70s,
the car from The Saint, the Vanden Plas, all awesome.
Modern Jaguars are very different.
Allegedly, modern Jaguars are reliable.
And I actually like this styling.
But it's been a controversial shift from the
classic Jaguar lines.
I happen to like the new XJ.
And I kind of like the XK.
But I think the best-looking Jaguar made today
is this, the XF.
And the best XF you can buy is this exact car, the XFR.
As an owner of several E39 M5s, which everybody knows I
think is the best large sports sedan ever made, the XFR is an
assault at what the M5 represents.
BMW invented this segment.
Mercedes brought AMG to the battle.
Audi has brought, from time to time, something to the table.
But they're not consistent about it.
And only in recent years has Jaguar decided that they were
going to launch attack after attack on what the M5 and the
AMG brands represent.
The XFR is the, the car representing this attack.
The XJ is too big.
And nothing else they make is targeted here.
At $80,000--
is it?
JF MUSIAL: This?
This car?
ALEX ROY: Yeah
JF MUSIAL: This is over 100.
ALEX ROY: All right.
So no matter how great this car may be--
and I'll say right off of the bat I like it--
Jaguar's coming in at $100,000, $110,000 depending
on the exchange rate.
That's a huge dollar figure.
Far more than an M5, more than an E63.
I mean, Audi has taken grief for bringing in the RS6 at
ridiculous prices.
But this thing is really, really expensive.
What do you get for that money?
All right.
You get a really handsome car.
Is it better looking than an M5?
It's as good looking, maybe.
Is it faster?
Maybe in a straight line, maybe, maybe.
Does it handle any better?
Definitely not.
Is the interior better?
No.
So what are you getting for $110,000?
You're getting something Audi used to offer.
Jaguar is offering, really, the only Q car left.
If you want an understated sedan that's incredibly
powerful, that's sporty, fast, that no one will notice, this
is the car for you.
This is the car I imagine if Volvo made an S80R, it would
be just like this.
And that's the problem.
Volvo makes great cars at prices 20% below what they
probably could justify based on their build quality.
Jaguar is offering a car 20% more expensive than the
competition that they want so much to be.
The upsides?
This car is really good looking.
It's really understated.
It's understated the way how Audis used to be.
Audis are no longer subtle cars.
But this is a very subtle car.
And I think it's an important step forward in a way that XJ
isn't This is, I think, the finest looking Jaguar in a
long, long time.
The interior is modern cool.
Nav screen's a little small.
I like all the controls except for the nav, which really does
feel comparable to my 12-year-old E39, certainly in
terms of UI speed.
Dash is cool.
The sunroof, black, doesn't open.
In fact, the roof, once rubbed with a hand looking for the
sunroof control, looks like attacked by bear claws.
In fact, I think it has the bear-claw roof option.
Seats incredibly comfortable.
Driving position is fantastic.
The power is wonderful.
But it doesn't feel like a car that had dozens of people
laboring for years to make sure it was the absolute best
it could be.
It is a great car.
But you know when BMW rolled out the M5, that was
absolutely the best M5 they could make.
This feels like the XF, which is a great
car, with more power.
Better brakes, tires.
But that's all it feels like.
And I'd be perfectly happy just with an XF, which is a
great car at a much better value.
But I will say this.
The XFR accomplishes something Audi has not, and I don't
think will accomplish for a long time.
It's a car in segments which is not the
craziest overpriced car.
And we can say that about the RS6.
When we were done reviewing this very nice but overpriced
English car-- like no one's ever said that before--
it was time to see, of course, my old friend Ross.
Not Mr. Ross.
Not even Michael Ross.
Just Ross.
The Sergio of England.
I hope I'm not interrupting, Mr. Ross.
MICHAEL ROSS: Mr. Roy, at last.
Do come in.
ALEX ROY: Pleasure to see you my friend.
I hope you don't have too many guests here that--
MICHAEL ROSS: Not more than usual.
ALEX ROY: --I want to meet.
Ross is one of the veteran endurance drivers.
He's one of the masters of endurance high-speed driving
outside of a legal organized event.
One of the original drivers in Gumball, who taught me much of
what I know.
He invited me to go in his Bentley around the world in
the Gumball '06, which we won.
Based largely on his wisdom.
Ross is a great, great man.
He's a great, great man.
I see you're driving, [INAUDIBLE] you still have
your BMW Z8.
MICHAEL ROSS: Did you seriously think
it wouldn't be there?
ALEX ROY: I just thought, you know, you had purchased this
Aston, you might let it go.
And I would have been very offended had you sold it
without talking to me.
Because I do recall you made a commitment to give me the
right of first refusal, should you choose to sell it.
MICHAEL ROSS: Clearly, first refusal, in the event.
ALEX ROY: In the event.
MICHAEL ROSS: But, as I think I've mentioned to you before,
I do plan to live forever.
ALEX ROY: To be clear, my Porsche--
uh.
MICHAEL ROSS: Uh.
ALEX ROY: The '87 Targa that you--
MICHAEL ROSS: Which I enjoyed.
Most definitely.
ALEX ROY: Which you're understating now your delight
when you actually drove it.
I recall how much you liked it.
I was wondering under what circumstances you might
consider an agreement, say should anything happen to me--
given my lifestyle it's much more likely than anything
happens to you--
I would will you the Targa.
But I would do this on the condition you might offer me a
reciprocal arrangement.
MICHAEL ROSS: Of the Z8?
ALEX ROY: Yes.
MICHAEL ROSS: I'm using your terminology.
It's really a Zed-8.
ALEX ROY: Which is arguably far more expensive.
I understand.
MICHAEL ROSS: But at that point in our lives
that's not the point.
It's about how much these cars mean to each of us,
respectively.
ALEX ROY: My car means nothing to me.
I want your Zed-8.
In all seriousness, you won't part with that car?
MICHAEL ROSS: Whilst I'm alive?
No.
ALEX ROY: OK.
If I wanted to acquire one before you move on to auto--
heaven, would you let me possibly test drive that car
before I leave for France?
MICHAEL ROSS: The purpose being?
ALEX ROY: To see if it's as good as--
to lower the value of the car, in case I trick you into
selling it to me.
No, really--
MICHAEL ROSS: You do not believe me
when I say it's wonderful?
ALEX ROY: I haven't driven it in years.
Just 10 minutes.
MICHAEL ROSS: No.
ALEX ROY: Why not?
MICHAEL ROSS: In seriousness, I don't let anyone drive it.
ALEX ROY: I've driven Ross's Z8 at length.
He and I drove the Z8 together from London to Portofino,
Italy, in a rally in 2005.
And won.
However, the last time I did drive it, I received one of
the worst tickers ever.
[INAUDIBLE]
with was a ticket straight to jail.
Is it because I'm--
MICHAEL ROSS: Even you.
ALEX ROY: Is it because I'm American, and I drive on the
left side of the road, and you don't trust I
won't crash the car?
MICHAEL ROSS: You've got the worst of both worlds.
In as much as all Zed-8's have steering wheel left-hand
drive, we drive on the left here.
ALEX ROY: Among the many topics I knew Mr. Ross could
speak on that JF could not, was the wisdom of driving on
the wrong side of the road.
Or as Clarkson would say, on the right side of the road.
The incorrect side of the road for most of us.
And unbelievably, Ross had an answer.
Why do people drive on the left side of the road here?
MICHAEL ROSS: There's a number of stories.
And I think that it dates way, way back to the days of
jousting and knights in armor.
ALEX ROY: Really?
MICHAEL ROSS: Yeah.
I mean, you think about how the horses
and the guy's jousting.
ALEX ROY: So in countries where they don't use shields
in the Middle Ages, like in Japan, why do they follow the
English model of driving on the left?
MICHAEL ROSS: They're confused.
I think part of it, we have roundabouts, you in the States
tend not to.
We like to go clockwise on roundabouts.
ALEX ROY: That's the reason?
MICHAEL ROSS: That's my reason.
ALEX ROY: I don't believe--
I hate to put it this way, but if that's the explanation
you're gonna foist on me, clocks did not exist as we
know them, with functioning hands 1,000 years ago.
But there were buggy and horses.
MICHAEL ROSS: So you think in those days they cared which
side of the road you were on?
ALEX ROY: They had sundials.
Yeah, of course they cared which side of the
road they were on.
It's true.
MICHAEL ROSS: Time for Wikipedia.
ALEX ROY: Can I drive your car?
MICHAEL ROSS: No.
Would you like a ride in my car?
ALEX ROY: Absolutely.
Yes.
MICHAEL ROSS: The ideal?
We'd have a Zed-8 each.
ALEX ROY: That would be ideal.
That's just not an option.
MICHAEL ROSS: It's not gonna happen today.
ALEX ROY: No.
It's not gonna happen ever because the cars are
appreciating, which you know.
MICHAEL ROSS: Dramatically.
ALEX ROY: Yes.
AUSTIN POWERS: Oh, baby.
[LAUGHTER]
ALEX ROY: Let's check out the car.
That was perfect timing.
MICHAEL ROSS: Austin Powers takes it again.
ALEX ROY: So you leave him on all the time just in case he
interjects at the right moment?
MICHAEL ROSS: Well, he generally does.
ALEX ROY: Even though Ross agreed to leave me the car in
his will in return for my leaving him my
'87 Targa in my well.
I was disappointed to find out that Ross would not let me
drive the Z8.
Not until the man was dead.
I've been to the UK a number of times.
I'd have to say this trip was both the most thrilling, and
well, the things that I dreamt of doing my
whole life did happen.
I did get to go on some amazing driving roads.
I got to drive some amazing cars.
I hung out with Chris Harris.
I got to see some animals that I've eaten.
I visited the Morgan factory.
Saw cars I couldn't afford.
I got to drive a Morgan three-wheeler.
I saw Stonehenge, but did not see Woodhenge.
Did not visit Loch Ness.
Did not visit the real town where they shot the TV show
The Prisoner.
Did not get to the shopping mall converted into a zombie
theme park.
But none of those things matter.
Because we had an amazing time.
We shall return to investigate the mysteries of Scotch
distilleries, lake monsters, and secret RAF bases
from the Cold War.
None of that matters right now.
That's next season.
ALEX ROY: I'm curious, did you buy this Zed-8 new?
MICHAEL ROSS: Yeah.
ALEX ROY: Really?
And did you know that you wanted to buy it the instant--
AUSTIN POWERS: I used to think you were crazy, but now I can
see you're nuts.
MICHAEL ROSS: Nuts.
[LAUGHTER]
MICHAEL ROSS: I had the number plate, which was
perfect for the car.
ALEX ROY: Right.
MICHAEL ROSS: I was at home on a Sunday reading the Sunday
times motoring section, Jeremy Clarkson.
AUSTIN POWERS: Does [INAUDIBLE]
make you horny, baby?
[LAUGHTER]
MICHAEL ROSS: Sometimes.
Dependent on who's delivering it.
And the article was about the new BMW flagship two-door
sports, which was going to be called the Zed-8.
And I had the number.
And I thought, I'm going to have to get the car.
And I actually ordered it the next day.
ALEX ROY: And what did Clarkson say about the car?
MICHAEL ROSS: It's irrelevant.
He doesn't know what he's talking
about in many occasions.
ALEX ROY: That's true.
MICHAEL ROSS: In many instances.
And I don't actually think that he'd
driven it at that point.
He was talking about the concept, where the design and
the inspiration had come from, the 507 from the 1950s, the
whole design ethos leading from that.
So he hadn't driven it at that point.
ALEX ROY: What did the car cost in 2000?
MICHAEL ROSS: 80,000 sterling.
It's really odd because I've never seen one for less than
100,000 used.
And often far more.
MICHAEL ROSS: They did dip.
But they've moved up quite strongly now.
ALEX ROY: It's really odd.
Especially for a BMW.
Because, I mean there are some great BMWs, but generally SLs
and BMW eight-series and six-series do not appreciate.
And this car, for some reason has obviously become something
for you that is beyond the car.
My mother says that's her dream car.
I've always wanted one.
MICHAEL ROSS: It's odd.
It's odd but drives really well.
And I think that one of the reasons that
it's appreciated is--
the thing that differentiates it so dramatically--
it's not one of a series of cars.
It's not three-series, five-series, eight-series,
whatever that has after four years got an evolution that
follows it.
It was designed, built, sold, end of.
ALEX ROY: I'm trying to think of what other cars have
followed that example in that they were not re-issues, they
were re-imaginings of a classic design, which came
back and then went away again.
The Ford GT is an example of that.
Which in fact was nothing--
AUSTIN POWERS: I am a sexy beast.
ALEX ROY: That's what the Ford GT would
say if it was a person.
But it was nothing like the original Ford race car.
And yet it looks very much like it.
And it's a little more practical, [INAUDIBLE] it was
practical in a sense.
MICHAEL ROSS: It probably fitted with the same ethos as
they Zed-8, which was imagine that that original car had
been in production ever since and had evolved gradually,
what would it have been now?
ALEX ROY: So you obviously didn't feel that way about the
Bentley GT you owned.
MICHAEL ROSS: Far too many of them on the road.
It could never fit that category.
ALEX ROY: And your Aston Vanquish?
MICHAEL ROSS: Oh, yes.
I've got an Aston Vanquish.
ALEX ROY: Which I don't see in the driveway.
MICHAEL ROSS: I'd forgotten.
ALEX ROY: But where is that car?
MICHAEL ROSS: It's with Aston Martin at the moment.
Well, my Aston gets homesick.
And it goes to the factory, work service.
ALEX ROY: It has been said that Astons are equipped with
the world's largest magnets installed in the radiator,
which is specifically tuned to guide it back to the
dealership so it can feel more at home.
--I feel about seven or eight different cars I own.
AUSTIN POWERS: Cool, baby You're very switched on.
MICHAEL ROSS: Austin, that's enough.