Jaguar XFR powered by 5-litre V8 engine
Jan 12 2009 by Chris Russon
prove popular with motoring aficionados in the UK – not to mention the likes of Premiership footballers who adore supercar status.
With a supercharger the latest V8 in the XFR develops 510bhp but even in normally aspirated form it can pump out 383bhp.
Top speed of the road going car is likely to be restricted to 155mph but the 0 to 60 acceleration time is a mind-blowing 4.7 seconds – as quick as a Ferrari.
The XKR is slightly quicker at 4.6 seconds yet despite the performance Jaguar’s engineers have made huge strides in improving economy and emissions.
Although it is a five-litre engine it can return a claimed 23mpg on average with emissions of 292g/km which is lower than the current 4.2 engine. For such performance that is a remarkable achievement which leaves the rest of the automotive engineering world standing.
Not only is the XFR massively potent it also looks mean with distinctive air vents cut into the bonnet and the front bumper which now has pronounced vertical lines.
The sills are flared, there’s a spoiler on the boot lip and four huge exhausts set it off at the rear.
Inside there are specially designed sports seats, new leather upholstery and bespoke R trim.
The XKR is equally menacing with a wider front, flared wings, new door mirrors and body coloured side vents instead of the bright metal finish of the current model.
Jaguar’s rotary gear selector, which first appeared in the XF is also now fitted to the XKR while both models have uprated suspension and feature an active rear differential to add to the handling characteristics.
The company says it is committed to continuing research to reduce CO2 emissions by 25 per cent in the next three years and is working on stop-start systems, advanced transmissions and even hybrid diesel-electric versions.
The new cars will be on sale around March and, while prices have still to be announced, the current XF range tops out at £55,000 and the 4.2-litre XKR tips the scales at £75,000.
The message in Detroit was loud and clear – Jaguar is at the cutting edge of auto technology and producing models in a league of their own.
The American car industry may be in tatters but there are 70,000 workers in the UK who make Jaguar and Land Rover world beaters.
