| Week at the Wheel | Jaguar XKR |
Inside & Out:
Always a looker, XKR's new exterior tweaks are pretty subtle. Thanks to a revised grille, slightly re-profiled valances and LED rear lights the XKR looks newer, without making its predecessor look old hat. The interior is where the changes are more obvious, most notably as Jaguar has incorporated its 'JaguarDrive Selector' - the pop-up rotary-style drive selector for the automatic transmission. The materials feel improved too, though the touch-screen satnav and stereo system's operation doesn't feel or look as sharp as some of the Jaguar's rival systems. It's comfortable, snug and classy though, just like a Jaguar coupé should be.
Engine & Transmission:
The interior and exterior revisions impress, but really it's what Jaguar has done to the engine and gearbox that is most notable with the XKR. The transmission is improved, being quicker and smoother than ever, it working beautifully with the XKR's new 510bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine. With its 461lb.ft of torque seemingly on offer from anywhere in its rev range the XKR is effortlessly quick, the slick-shifting transmission doing such a fine job that you rarely feel the need to get involved. Use all of its performance and you'll not only be rewarded with a rousing sound from the quad exhausts and from under the bonnet, but also with a leap to 62mph in 4.8 seconds.
This is one of the finest engine and transmission combinations out there and the XKR does a great job of being either a sports car or grand tourer. It's easy to trickle along on the supercharged V8's huge spread of torque, or have it bellowing towards the redline on a favourite road. Fuel consumption isn't very clever if you do so - emptying the tank quickly isn't a problem at all - but there are few more enjoyable ways to spend your money.
Ride & Handling:
With the performance that comes from a 510bhp supercharged V8 you might expect some fairly uncompromising suspension settings with the XKR. The reality is somewhat different, the XKR riding with surprising compliance, yet providing excellent body control. It's difficult to ignore the scale of it, with the long bonnet stretching out in front of you, but turn the steering wheel and the XKR changes direction with surprising swiftness.
The XKR's real achievement is its roundedness, the way that the chassis rewards when you're in a hurry, but cossets when you're trickling along in traffic or just eating miles up on the motorway. Here it's the more complete machine than its obvious rivals - cars like
Porsche's 911 and
BMW's 6 Series.
Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:
Economy from a supercharged V8 engine is never going to be great, but 23mpg on the combined consumption cycle is pretty respectable given the performance on offer. CO
2 at 292g/km isn't going to save the planet either, but then Jaguar only sells these in small numbers. Equipment levels are as you'd expect for a car costing in excess of £70,000, though if you want to you can burn some more money on premium audio and the likes. You don't need to in reality. Where the XKR really looks good is in the value for money stakes. It's the measure of most Aston Martins, which are significantly more money, can keep up with all but the most extreme Porsche 911s and is a good sum less than
BMW's M6.
Overall:
Jaguar's XKR is a hugely competent, enjoyable and desirable coupé that, with the 2009 model year enhancements, became even more so. A Porsche 911 is a sharper drive, as are some of its other German rivals, but there's nothing out there to beat it for its everyday usability and comfort. That doesn't come at the expense of thrills either, as the Jaguar is just as capable at dishing them out.
