Jaguar XKR-S Review - EuropeanCarWeb

Jaguar XKR-S: The fastest cat yet out of the bag.

Other cars cloy the appetites they feed, but the XKR-S makes hungry where most it satisfies. —with apologies to Wm. Shakespeare

In less poetic terms, driving the XKR-S left me wanting more, much more, of the most powerful production car ever to wear the Jaguar badge. Honestly, though, this ravenous appetite for more seat time was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise.

When Jaguar first showed the XKR-S I was skeptical of the whole street/track hybrid concept. And I didn’t really like how the wind tunnel had reworked the svelte XKR coupe. The busier surfaces struck me as an aerodynamic engineer’s wet (fluid dynamics) dream and not the reflection of a Jaguar owner’s secret inner self. So why screw up a really good car, I thought, to build a poseur?

Regardless of this hack’s opinion, it is a good time for Jaguar to offer a high-priced ($132,000) version of the XKR. Jaguar’s place on quality surveys is higher than it’s been in most car buyers’ memories, and profits are up under Indian company Tata’s ownership, so why not offer a hyperbolized Jaguar, particularly if the outstanding result is quite unlike anything else on the road?

Essential elements of the S program begin with the corporate 5.0-liter supercharged V8. Rated at 503 hp in the XKR, it received rewritten software and a revised exhaust for S duty, increasing output to 542; even better, peak torque rises from 451 to 502 lb-ft. Zero to 60 mph comes up in a quick 4.2 seconds, about half a second quicker than the XKR, and 100 mph flashes by in less than 9. The six-speed paddle-shift transmission is right out of the XKR, and it’s one of the best around. Upshifts are without delay, and it can skip gears for quicker downshifts. Fitment of bespoke ZR-rated Pirellis, the additional power and the slippery shape allowed Jaguar to raise the top speed from 155 to an impressive 186 mph, makes the XKR-S a new member of the rather exclusive 300 km/h club.

The S sounds impressive, too, emitting a rumbling idle that hasn’t been heard around the Jaguar works since the race shop closed up. Unique to the S model is a new “performance active exhaust,” which uses valves to moderate low-speed decibels and then unleash them with a baritone growl as the revs increase. The system also features a new crossover pipe that eliminates one of the mufflers and reduces backpressure. And to remind the driver why he’s paid around $35,000 more for his S than for a standard XKR, a small duct siphons a delicious measure of that roar into the otherwise well-insulated passenger compartment.
Additional power is always welcome for track days, but whatever competition cred the XKR-S will earn has to come from below the beltline. Beginning with revisions to the wishbone suspension, Jag’s engineers also stiffened the front uprights, increased spring rates by 28 percent in front and 32 percent at the rear, developed an “active” locking differential, wrote new software for the driver-selectable handling aids and fit lightweight 20-inch forged wheels wrapped by Pirelli P Zeros with staggered sizes of 255/35 front and 295/30 rear.



The most striking element of the makeover, Ian Callum’s design, might suggest the surly visage and bulging muscles of an empty-headed male model stalking a fashion runway, but solid science underlies the aggressive attitude for a reduction of overall lift by 26 percent. The nose is markedly different from previous XKs and sports slimmer LED headlamps, a new front bumper, carbon-fiber splitter, lower spoiler and trick vertical slots at the outer edges of the front fenders to channel air along the lower side sills for greater directional stability. Rear lift is kept in check by a new, S-only wing with carbon center section and a carbon venturi structure under the rear bumper.

Other styling touches unique to the S are gloss-black exterior trim, red or gunmetal brake calipers and a range of five paint colors that includes French Racing Blue and Italian Racing Red. British Racing Green? Nope.

Not so with the XKR-S. It’s balanced in the corners, stable at high speeds, quiet when cruising and voluble when pushed hard. It’s probably the most well-adjusted bipolar car on the road, capable of switching between goddess and whore at the driver’s whim. It not only satisfies on so many levels—it leaves you wanting more. This is the sign of a great car.

For aggressive drivers, the new front buckets are a welcome addition. Broad enough in the beam to accommodate even the plus-sized, and with substantial bolstering for shoulders and thighs, they also are heated and electronically adjustable 16 ways for a level of comfort rarely found in performance seating. Also exclusive to the S are a new three-spoke, multi-function steering wheel; bespoke trim materials and several combinations of micro-piping stitching in the leather upholstery. Customers can opt for a dark aluminum finish to the interior panels or go for more traditional wood accents.

This is all good stuff, but is it enough to transform a luxurious GT into a capable track car, if only for a gentleman racer’s weekend lark at the motorsports club?

Jaguar was bold, even a bit reckless, in choosing an F1 test circuit, Portugal’s Autodromo Algarve. A new car, an unfamiliar and very technical circuit full of elevation changes, blind crests, off-camber corners and short braking zones seemed a recipe for disappointment, if not disaster. I figured on a few safe, lazy laps before hitting the public roads and a less frantic test environment.

But after just a few laps of recon, with the car’s traction aids fully engaged, I felt entirely comfortable. The XKR-S is big and heavy, but it drives like a smaller car because of the prodigious power and exceptional grip. It was able to both feed my need for speed and still make me hungry for more.

This hunger caused me to switch to the new Trac DSC mode, which provoked an entirely different experience. With the engine’s power almost completely unrestrained, an inattentive right foot in the wrong part of the corner overwhelmed the Pirellis and sent the rear end off on a tangent of its own. Bringing the chassis back in line, was, however, very easy due to the quick, precise steering and the active rear nanny, er, differential. Even so, I’d had enough after one lap of “throw and catch” and reverted to a less aggressive setting. Default track behavior is slight understeer, so the quickest way around is slow in and fast out of the corners, letting the engine’s muscle make up the time lost in the braking zone, the weakest link in the car’s repertoire. A good set of carbon brakes would go a long way to making the XKR-S even more trackworthy.

Even with the compromises to comfort and safety, the XKR-S is a capable track car. In the right hands, the XKR-S is bloody fast. It ran the Nordschleife in under 8 minutes, remarkable for a luxury GT—but it probably won’t take fast lap of the day away from, say, a Porsche 911 Turbo, if for no other reason than the brakes, which are just fine on the street but fade after a few hot laps, and the Jag’s weight. Racing technology begins with adding lightness, but the XKR-S tips the scales at a far-from-lightweight 3,900 pounds, about the same as the normal XKR. It helps that the extra mass of the body panels and rear wing is offset by a reduction in unsprung mass (around 11 pounds) from the larger, lighter Vulcan forged wheels, but there’s no evading the fact of the coupe’s heavy footprint, no matter how “racy” it looks.

If the S was good on the track, it was absolutely brilliant on Portugal’s winding backroads. Despite the stiffer suspension, it still gobbled up the miles with the compliant grace expected from the Jaguar motoring experience. In fact, I felt energized rather than exhausted after hours-long blasts over the narrow roads. Driving some performance cars is like making love to a nymphomaniac: great fun at first. Then, when you need a breather, maybe a cuddle, all you get is an insistent tap on the shoulder and the command to climb back into the saddle.

 

2012 Jaguar XKR-S

Layout
Longitudinal front engine, rear-wheel drive

Engine
5.0-liter V8, dohc, 32-valve, supercharged

Transmission
Six-speed automated manual

Suspension
Front and rear independent double wishbone, coil springs, electronically damped shocks

Brakes
Single-piston swing calipers,
compound discs

Dimensions
Length/Width/Height (in.): 188.7/74.5/51.6
Wheelbase: 108.3 in.
Curb Weight: 3,857 lb.

Performance
Peak Power: 542 hp @ 6000 rpm
Peak Torque: 502 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.2 sec.
Top Speed: 186 mph (limited)
MSRP: $132,875

Source: EuropeanCarWeb

Related Posts:
2012 Jaguar XKR-S - First Drive Review
2012 Jaguar XKR-S Review - Forbes

2012 Jaguar XKR-S - First Drive Review

Jaguar calls the XKR-S the company’s “most responsive, powerful, agile, and driver-focused production car.” It’s also the quickest ever. Yes, it’s quicker and more potent than even the 1992–94  XJ220 supercar.

Stout claim, but the numbers back it up. The twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 in the XJ220 we tested 18 years ago [November 1993] ­generated 542 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque.

The supercharged and direct-injected 5.0-liter AJ V-8 propelling the XKR-S huffs up 550 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 502 pound-feet of torque between 2500 and 5500 rpm. Throttle response is instantaneous and linear, and the aural accompaniment is habit-forming.

Like the other XKs, the XKR-S employs a responsive six-speed automatic (with paddle shifters for manual operation). Jaguar expects the car to reach a mile per minute in 4.2 seconds (the XJ220 did 4.4), with a governed top speed of 186 mph.

Equally impressive, the S achieves the same EPA ratings as the XKR—15 mpg city and 22 highway—just above the gas-guzzler threshold.

After a day herding this quickest of all cats over mountain roads, we’re inclined to doubt Jaguar’s performance claims. Unless something goes terribly wrong, the XKR-S will be much quicker to 60 than the company forecasts. Hell, last time we tested an XKR, it did the deed in 4.0.

Thanks largely to revised exhaust plumbing—which allowed attendant tweaks to the fuel mapping—the S version of the engine tops the XKR’s output by 40 ponies. Applying the old dollars-per-horsepower formula, the XKR-S price premium may look a little steep. The 2012 XKR coupe will start at $97,500; the XKR-S coupe (a convertible may come along later) will be $132,875 when it reaches showrooms in October.

That’s about $884 per additional filly. But there’s much more to the package than mere muscle.
Let’s start with the functional. The suspension features new aluminum knuckles, stiffer springs (by 28 percent, front; 32 percent, rear), active dampers, revised rear geometry, and an active (read: torque-vectoring) differential. The active diff allowed the chassis team to raise the stability-control threshold.

Static ride height is 10 mm (0.4 inch) lower, and the S rolls on 20-inch forged aluminum wheels wearing a set of Pirelli P Zeros (255/35 front, 295/30 rear). Remarkably, its ride quality is supple. Grip is barnacle-like, and when the driver exceeds the car’s limits—which requires determination—he’ll feel the diff helping to keep the front of the vehicle ahead of the stern.

Aerodynamics are another stability enhancer. Besides reduced ride height, the S sports a new carbon-fiber front splitter and rear wing, rocker-panel extensions, and a rear diffuser. The aero doodads reduce high-speed lift by 26 percent, says the company.

Interior furnishings are distinguished by a pair of supportive leather-clad bucket seats, more aggressively bolstered than their XKR counterparts; elegant needlework; pewter-anodized aluminum trim (nary a splinter of wood); and the expected infotainment electronics, including premium audio and a somewhat finicky nav system.

Color choices include two that supposedly celebrate Jaguar’s racing heritage—Italian red, and French racing blue. No BRG? What’s up with that? Never mind. This is the most satisfying XK yet—handsome, comfortable, and meticulously assembled, as well as seriously fast. The luxury GT game has a compelling new player.

Source: Car and Driver

2012 Jaguar Range on sale

Jaguar XKR-S

1st September 2011 marks the day that the fastest and most efficiency Jaguar range ever created goes on sale.

The new Jaguar XF 2.2 can travel a distance of more than 800 miles on a single tank of diesel, with emissions of 149g/km. At the other end of the spectrum is the Jaguar XKR-S offering 0-100mph acceleration in 8.7 seconds on to an electronically limited top speed of 186mph.

The Jaguar XF features extensive alterations, such as to the bonnet, front and rear lights and bumpers and front wings, whilst the interior sees improvements to the switchgear, navigation system and seats.

The Jaguar XK has also seen a number of changes, including a new, larger front grille, with slim new headlight units, new horizontal front wing vents, new wheel designs and changes to the rear lights. Bucket seats are available for the first time. Comfort and refinement have been improved through the use of new trim finishes.

For the Jaguar XJ, a rear seat comfort option pack in now available offering reclining seats, four way adjustment for the lower back, a massage feature, footrests and winged headrests.

2012 Jaguar XK Range

Coupe

Engine	Power (PS)	Torque (lbs ft)	0 - 62 / Max Speed (mph)	Mileage (mpg) / CO2 (g/km)	Price (OTR)
5,000 CC, 32 Valve, V8	385	380	5.5 / 155	25.2 / 264	£65,000
5,000 CC, 32 Valve, V8, Supercharged	510	461	4.8 / 155	23.0 / 292	£78,550
5,000 CC, 32 Valve, V8, Supercharged XKR-S	550	502	4.4 / 186	23.0 / 292	£97,000

Convertible

Engine	Power (PS)	Torque (lbs ft)	0 - 62 / Max Speed (mph)	Mileage (mpg) / CO2 (g/km)	Price (OTR)
5,000 CC, 32 Valve, V8	385	380	5.6 / 155	25.2 / 264	£71,000
5,000 CC, 32 Valve, V8, Supercharged	510	461	4.8 / 155	23.0 / 292	£84,550

2012 Jaguar XF Range

Diesel Engines

Engine	Power (PS)	Torque (lbs ft)	0 - 62 / Max Speed (mph)	Mileage (mpg) / CO2 (g/km)	Price (OTR)
2,179 CC, 16 Valve, 4 Cylinder, Turbocharged	190	332	8.5 / 142	52.3 / 149	£30,950
2,993 CC, 24 Valve, V6, Twin-Turbocharged	240	369	7.1 / 149	44.8 / 169	£36,950
2,993 CC, 24 Valve, V6, Twin-Turbocharged	275	442	6.4 / 155	44.8 / 169	£42,950

Petrol Engines

Engine	Power (PS)	Torque (lbs ft)	0 - 62 / Max Speed (mph)	Mileage (mpg) / CO2 (g/km)	Price (OTR)
5,000 CC, 32 Valve, V8	385	380	5.7 / 155	25.4 / 264	£49,950
5,000 CC, 32 Valve, V8, Supercharged	510	461	4.9 / 155	22.5 / 292	£65,350

Check the 2012 Jaguar Car reviews below:

1. Review: Jaguar XF 3.0 Diesel S
2. 2012 Jaguar XKR-S Review - Forbes
3. Jaguar XJ : Sharper Claws - The Hindu
4. Review: Jaguar XF 2.2D

2012 Jaguar XKR-S Review - Forbes

It’s hard to write about a 550 hp luxury performance coupe without resorting to clichés. In fact, it may be impossible, so I beg your indulgence now. It’s also hard to design and build a 550 hp luxury performance coupe without indulging in a few clichés, but the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S comes very close. With a base price of $132,00 ($132,875 as tested with a $875 destination charge), the XKR-S packs plenty of punch, including Jaguar Platinum coverage with free scheduled maintenance, roadside assistance and new vehicle limited warranty for 4 years/50,000 miles and EPA fuel economy estimates of 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway.
 
2011 represents the 50th anniversary of the iconic Jaguar E-type, and Jaguar would like us to see the XKR-S as the natural successor to that car’s rich legacy. I recently had the opportunity to drive a 1965 XKE Roadster around the streets of Pebble Beach (I know, rough life). I had to remove my right shoe in order to fit my foot between the brake pedal and the transmission tunnel, and my left knee was jammed between the steering wheel and the door every time I released the clutch. Still, the XKE was awesome to drive, and even with 4″ wide tires, performed beautifully on the curves. The 2012 XKR-S forces no major compromises on the driver — and does a great job of maintaining a real sense of class and fun that hearkens back to its ancestor in all the best ways.

The exterior of the XKR-S is breathtaking in its own fashion. Low and swooping, the XKR-S tops out at 52.1″ tall, which doesn’t sound that low until you stand next to it. The front end is elegantly expressive, with a small horizontal grille opening and a low carbon fiber splitter. Functional hood vents serve as a reminder of the potent engine that lurks beneath the lightweight aluminum hood. Out back, there’s a carbon fiber wing that attaches to the hatchback trunk. Four big round polished steel exhaust pipes poke out beneath the rear fascia. The entire effect is contemporary, elegant and completely vicious, in a good way.

Inside, luxury and sportiness abound. I have to admit that I had a little bit of trouble bending my 6’2″ frame to get behind the wheel — probably more due to my lack of flexibility than anything else. Once ensconced in the driver’s seat, I took careful notice of my surroundings. Familiar Jaguar luxury surrounded me, complete with a leather headliner, sport front seats with 16-way power adjustment and carbon patterned leather. The pop-up JaguarDrive Selector and red pulsing Start button beckoned me to stop admiring, and start driving.


Depressing the brake pedal and touching the Start button results in some lovely growly engine sounds. Race the engine, and the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 engine snarls with challenge. Without getting too bogged down in the statistics, the powerful engine is tuned to deliver 550 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through a 6-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters that help blip through the gears in Sport mode. Jaguar claims that the XKR-S can pounce from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds, and it sure feels that way behind the wheel. Peak torque is available from 2,500 rpm all the way up to 5,500 rpm, which means that you can mash down on the accelerator almost any time and get a very satisfying response.

XKR-S benefits from some substantial suspension upgrades that result in very precise steering feel at all speeds. Adaptive damping and an active differential add to the precision. The vehicle’s controls allow you to select suspension settings, and there’s a competition mode that stiffens everything up nicely. I spent most of my time behind the wheel with the competition mode selected, and I never found the stiffer suspension performance fatiguing or harsh.

I didn’t get to test the XKR-S on the track, only on public roads, so I can’t report on its competition dynamics at speed. What I can say is that this is a vehicle for a grown up driver with great self-control, because all that potential is quite tempting. I would have a hard time holding on to my license if I owned an XKR-S.

The really amazing aspect of XKR-S’s performance isn’t actually its great agility or its breathtaking speed. The amazing performance capability comes at low speeds and in heavy traffic. Many high-powered engines surge and strain at walking speeds, making bumper-to-bumper traffic a nightmare. XKR-S is positively serene in all driving conditions, and seems just as happy to crawl along with the herd as it is to leap with the predators.

If you’re thinking of buying a 2012 Jaguar XKR-S, there are several other vehicles to consider in the price range. The Germans do a great job with the front engine/rear drive performance coupe, from the BMW 650i to the Mercedes-Benz CL63. Maserati’s GranTurismo challenges Jaguar on style points, while Ferrari’s new FF loses that battle in a landslide. Bentley’s Continental GT brings British heritage to the table, but approaches the performance coupe from a completely different angle.

The Jaguar XKR-S is a stunning vehicle, with performance and luxury to match its appearance. Time will tell whether or not it will have the impact and enduring appeal of the E-type. Given the choice of which vehicle to drive on a daily basis, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose the modern edition, and I’d gladly drive the wheels off of it. My XKR-S would be an excellent candidate for restoration in 50 years.



Source: 2012 Jaguar XKR-S Review - The Spirit of the E-Type Lives On