XK HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES

XK HITS ALL THE RIGHT NOTES FOR FLORIDA JAZZ MAN

Ted Wheless changes his cars like most of us change socks. He's owned them all; Lamborghinis, Porsches, Vipers, V12 Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martins. His only requirement – that they go fast and look great. "I do love fast cars. I guess my passion comes from flying jets in the air force. F-105s, F-4s. F-16s. Lot of fun stuff. I don't fly anymore so I guess I miss that thrill. I still drive way too fast," says the owner of Tampa, Florida's premier jazz club, The Fox.

But with his latest beautiful, fast car – a stunning Porcelain White 2008 XKR Coupe– Ted is changing his habits. He's planning on keeping this one for a while. "I really love the styling. That's what attracted me to the XK. It has beautiful curves and a great roofline. Normally I prefer convertibles, but there's something pure about the lines of the coupe," he explains. But that didn't stop Ted from adding a few personal touches to the car. When he ordered it, he specified the optional XK Exterior Styling Pack from Jaguar's accessory line. And the optional chrome finish for the XKR's 20-inch Senta alloy rims. And because he's as big fan of a monochrome look, he even had a local customizer paint the car's tailgate plinth in body color.

"The ground-effects kit really gives the car a bolder appearance and a lower, tougher stance. It certainly makes the car stand out on the road. I can't tell you the number of 'thumbs-up' I get from people. Every time I stop, someone is always asking 'what kind of car is that? It's beautiful'."

But great styling isn't enough for Ted. He demands exhilarating performance coupled with responsive handling to keep his interest high. And he says the 420 horsepower from the XKR's supercharged 4.2-liter V8 delivers the right level of excitement. "I like all that mid-range torque when the supercharger is blowing hard. It has all the speed you need. I'm also a big fan of paddle-shifters to control the transmission and the XKR's work really well. When I push the car through the curves it sticks great. It's got plenty of grip and a nice, balanced feel. Its suspension is firm but it doesn't beat you up. It's definitely a fun drive. "

While Ted doesn't put a great many miles on his cars –his XKR currently has less than 7,000 miles on the clock – he says the Jaguar has so far been faultless with not a single problem to report. He also praises the quality of customer service he received from his local retailer, Crown Jaguar of St. Petersburg. "They couldn't have been more helpful. I was very specific on the exterior and interior color I wanted. They ended up tracking down a car at a dealership in Miami and shipping it back. Nothing seemed too much trouble. "So, after seven months of ownership, how does Ted rate his XKR? "It's certainly one of the best cars I've owned to date. It has style, it has speed, and it looks terrific. Everything I want in a sports car."

Learn more about the XK