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2007 Jaguar XKR Coupe & Convertible Preview

Slim Cat Gets Fast

With the introduction of the Jaguar XK this year, the brand has been slowly looking on the up and up. Its brought the luxury British nameplate back into full view, providing a technologically advanced grand touring car thats luxurious, dynamically engaging and beautiful. For the British International Motor Show this past summer, Jaguar brought out the high-performance version of the XK, called the XKR. Seeing as its Jags home turf, they came out guns a blazing, presenting it with the title of most powerful production Jaguar (excluding the rare XJ220 and homologation racers, of course). The car is really two distinct models, the long-awaited XKR Coupe and Convertible, the new range of ultimate performance and grand-touring Jaguars.

The XKR is built off of the new

The new Jaguar XKR in all of its glory. (Photo: Jaguar Cars North America)

XK, of course, which features a lightweight but super-strong aluminum monocoque chassis and aluminum bodywork. The switch to lighter building materials allows this sports car to tip the scales at only 3,670 lbs, which is 155 lbs lighter than the vehicle it replaces while being 30-percent more rigid. The convertible is slightly heavier at 3,780 lbs, but is 220 lbs lighter than the old XKR convertible and 40-percent stronger to boot. Although the XKR will have less horsepower than its direct competition from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, it will remain

Bright finish mesh grille is one of the new visual exterior additions. (Photo: Jaguar Cars North America)

in close contention because of its weight advantage. To give you an idea, the XKR weighs 290 kilograms less than a Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG roadster, which is enough to tie it in terms of the power-to-weight ratio. Comparatively, the XKR ties the BMW M6 in terms of its torque-to-weight ratio.

"Our aim when engineering the new XKR was to ensure that the cars character remained balanced despite the significant increase in power over the normally aspirated XK," explains Jaguars chief engineer, Mike Cross. "Our engineering team worked to the brief of creating a car that is 120 percent and more of

A pair of XKRs roaring down a twisty country road. Could it get any better? (Photo: Jaguar Cars North America)

an XK - the ultimate sports GT for the real world. We wanted the performance and dynamism you would expect of an XKR but were careful to retain that exceptional blend of sporting luxury that every Jaguar must have and which was so convincingly demonstrated with the XK. The bottom line is: if you like the XK, youll absolutely love the new XKR."

The XKRs skin has been modified to show its performance potential, which includes a new front bumper with additional lower valance intake, quad-pipe exhaust tips, silver mesh grilles, a pair of louver vents on its hood, and the choice of 19- or 20-inch alloy wheels. There are also R badges on the liftgate, as well as black-painted calipers. The interior

The R-badge might be small, but it packs a powerful, supercharged punch. (Photo: Jaguar Cars North America)

of the XKR is essentially the same as the standard XK, though the driver and front passengers seats feature additional bolstering and the R logo embroidered on the headrest. The R logo also appears on the tachometer, gear selector and steering wheel. In place of the standard wood trim, the XKR features an aluminum veneer that has a technical texture similar to that featured on the original Advanced Lightweight Concept.

As with the previous generation XKR, the new model makes use of the same 4.2-liter AJ-8 engine, but it has been tweaked for extra power. The Eaton supercharger helps to distance the R model from the standard XK by 120 horsepower, for a grand total of 420 hp. Torque is also improved at 413 lb-ft. Thats a gain of 20 hp from the previous XKR, or 7.7-percent more horsepower

With less weight to haul around, the XKR is capable of keeping up with its more powerful competitors. (Photo: Jaguar Cars North America)

and 3.3-percent more torque.
The engine is mated to Jaguars Sequential Shift six-speed automatic gearbox, which provides silky smooth gearchanges that take place in a matter of 600 milliseconds, which is some 400 ms quicker than in standard automatic mode, and 100 ms faster than the fastest automated manual gearboxes. This particular gearbox shows just how far automatic transmissions have come; its capable of delivering the shift speed that customers come to expect from a sequential gearbox, such as the Maserati Cambiocorsa or BMW SMG, but without the drawbacks of jerky gearchanges. Jaguars system also features three different modes, a standard Drive mode, which acts like a conventional automatic gearbox, Sport mode, which can be selected by slotting the J-Gate into S, and Manual mode, which responds via the paddles at the back of the steering wheel.

Vents are an XKR tradition. Supercharger is quieter, though. (Photo: Jaguar Cars North America)

The gearbox also has a couple of different programs that demonstrate its intelligence; the car can detect when it is being driven through a curve, so it holds onto the gear ratio for longer. Its also capable of detecting when the car is being driven up or downhill, and will select appropriate ratios for the situation.

To ensure that the Grand Touring aspect of the car remains intact, Jaguar has paid strict attention to the acoustics of the engine. In our initial tests of the standard XK Coupe, we adored the raspy, throaty sound of its naturally aspirated 4.2-liter AJV8. However, with the addition of a supercharger, unwanted whining noise is added. Acoustic tuning of the belts and under-hood insulation has allowed Jaguar to reduce the superchargers noise by 5 dB compared to the previous model. Expect to see this revised system in place on the XJR and S-Type R, which also feature this engine. Another clever acoustic-related device is the innovative exhaust system, which

Stiffer ride and sharper steering should make the XKR even more engaging to drive than the standard XK. (Photo: Jaguar Cars North America)

is active and operational. A flap in the exhaust system allows airflow to be directed through the mufflers to keep things quiet while cruising, yet allow a more purposeful note to be delivered under brisk acceleration. The system is automatically engaged, unlike in certain cars where a button must be pressed.

The result of the power hike is a dramatic improvement in performance. The XKR Coupe can sprint to 60 mph in just over five seconds and is electronically limited to 155 mph. The slightly heavier convertible is just 0.1 seconds slower to 60 mph and has the same top speed. This can be compared to the naturally-aspirated XK, which takes over six seconds to reach the same speed. The use of a supercharger enhances the XKs relaxed and stress-free approach to performance, which is visible through the 50 to 70 mph passing performance test, dispatched in just 2.5 seconds!

The issue of steering, handling, slowing and stopping in the XKR is addressed by various upgrades to the steering, suspension and brakes. The Jaguars springs and dampers have been

At the prices Jaguar is asking, the XKR is a bargain! (Photo: Jaguar Cars North America)

firmed up by 38-percent in the front, and 24-percent in the rear, while the ZF Servotronic steering system has been altered to reduce steering assistance to boost feel and accuracy. Meanwhile, the XKR features upgraded front disc brakes, which have been boosted in diameter from 12.8 to 14.0 inches, aided by ABS and brake assist. Because the normal XK is already considered a high-performance vehicle with wide, grippy tires, it wasnt necessary to provide any improvements in that department.

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