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By Jonathan Crouch
Introduction
Jaguar's XKR is a British sportscar that takes on the finest and fastest of its rivals with huge reserves of supercharged power and an awesome array of technology to get it on to the tarmac. Just over 500 horsepower from the standard version will be more than enough for most but for those needing performance close to supercar standards, the 542 braked horses of the top XKR-S should certainly satisfy. Here, we look at the later 2011 to 2015 models from a used car perspective.
Models
2dr Coupe / Convertible [5.0 Supercharged V8]
History
There are two kinds of luxury sportscar buyer. One wants a comfortable and very fast cruising GT. The other, a harder-edged performance car that's racy rather than relaxed. If you know this market, then you'll also know that something like a Mercedes SL represents the soft-edged sector, with cars of the ilk of Porsche's 911 the choice of more committed enthusiasts. With their XK coupe and convertible models, Jaguar always tried to satisfy both groups, the standard V8 model there to snaffle SL sales and this car, the supercharged XKR version, produced with Porsche and Maserati firmly in its sights.
When this supercharged car first appeared in 2006, it represented a principle fine on paper but not quite so effective in practice, seeming to be less of a 911 and more well. simply an XK with a lot more power. Like an AMG Mercedes, it was quick in a straight line but you wouldn't want one on a trackday. So the Coventry engineers tried again - and in 2009 brought us a much more effective machine. So-called 'Active Dynamics' were introduced to sort the suspension, while a clever Active Differential aimed to properly aid delivery of even more tyre-smoking power to the tarmac.
The result was good enough to convince Coventry that an even faster version was feasible, so to coincide with minor styling and interior updates for the 2012 model year, a supercar-slaying 542bhp XKR-S flagship model made its debut. Enough reasons then to open your wallet wide and say 'R' before opting for this as the used performance sportscar you've always promised yourself? Let's find out?
What You Get
Be honest: you want one don't you? You probably wouldn't be reading this otherwise. The dramatic seductively sweeping curves of the bodywork are supposed to have been inspired by those of actress Kate Winslet - according at least to stylist Ian Callum. This was his first Jaguar design and it was also the first of the brand's cars to feature the aluminium construction supposed to make this model 30% stiffer and 100kgs lighter than its XK8 predecessor. You wouldn't know this of course from looking at the shapely profile - and to be frank, you wouldn't guess the fact from looking at the stats either: this car's 1.7-tonne kerb weight makes it no lighter than a rival Mercedes SL and that car has to carry a heavy metal-folding roof.
Still, forget the facts: just revel in the contemporary fusion of power, style and uncompromised luxury which, according to Jaguar, is what we have here. It certainly looks an assured piece of work, with the oval front grille and the way the rear cabin tapers in over the haunches both classic E-Type-inspired touches. Even the front badge is a nod to that illustrious sports coupe. The car looks sinewy and muscular, the sheet metal stretched over something seriously purposeful.
Not that the whole look didn't benefit from refreshment throughout the XK model's lifetime - as you'd expect given a spell on the market that dated between 2006 and 2015. The 2012 model year wash 'n brush-up we're focusing on here saw the adoption of slimmer front headlamps that incorporated LED signal functions and running lights. Combined with a larger grille and a sleeker bumper design, this all gave the XK a bit more 'rear view mirror' recognition.
XKR-specific bits include a more aggressive colour-keyed front bumper that, if not quite as extreme as the one you get on an XKR-S, is certainly menacing enough to scatter fast lane dawdlers as you bear down upon them, incorporating tall air intakes on each side that complement potent side power vents and old-school bonnet louvers. As you walk round the car, you glimpse 'R'-logo-ed brake callipers peeping out through enormous 20-inch 'SUPERCHARGER'-branded alloy wheels, while below the LED lamps at the back, the post-2011 XKR models feature a revised lower valance.
Opt for a Convertible XK or XKR and you'll find that like Porsche and BMW - but unlike Mercedes - Jaguar has opted for a fabric roof, the triple-layered hood rising or falling in under 18seconds and slotting neatly beneath an aluminium tonneau cover when not in use. You'd expect the rag top approach to facilitate a larger boot than would be possible on a metal folding topped rival like Mercedes' MK6 SL. In fact, the XK lags a little behind the 364-litres available from its Stuttgart competitor. Still at least the 313-litres you get from the XK Convertible is only 17-litres less than you'd get from the Coupe. And that's almost three times what you'd get from a Porsche 911 Cabriolet from this era, enough to make the difference between pleasant packing into conventional suitcases for a weekend break and uncomfortable cramming of your designer clothes into squashy bags.
Inside the wonderful snug yet spacious leather and alcantara-clad cabin, owners of earlier XK models will notice that the fit, finish and choice of materials of the post-2011 version is noticeably more up-market - once they've adjusted to the replacement of the original XK's J-gate auto gear lever with a neat rotary JaguarDrive Selector. It rises up into the palm of your hand after you press a Start button that pulses red on the centre console while around you, the dashboard illuminates and the cabin features are highlighted in a cool phosphor blue.
At the same time, the 7-inch colour touchscreen that dominates the centre of the dash lights up, controlling satellite navigation, climate control, Bluetooth 'phone functionality and in-car audio. Around it, dark wood veneer and aluminium trim supply the necessary sporting ambience and electric adjustment of both seat and steering wheel mean it's easy to find the ideal driving position. Behind you, all models offer a couple of occasional small child-orientated seats that'll doubtless be more usually be used for the carriage of designer jackets or shopping bags.
What You Pay
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What to Look For
Early XKRs had their share of niggling faults, but by the time production reached this post-2011 model, the company had ironed out most of the issues. Most of the issues reported concern suspension issues - and there are a few reports of electrical issues that can prove costly to fix. A few gearbox and clutch issues have been reported too. Make sure that the big alloy wheels haven't been unduly kerbed too.
Otherwise, the usual cautions still apply: stick to main dealers or reputable specialists and don't be tempted by a potential bargain car that doesn't have its service history present and correct. The supercharged engine can suffer cooling problems if subjected to hard track use.
Replacement Parts
(approx - based on a 2013 XKR Coupe 5.0 Supercharged V8) At dealers, parts are inevitably quite pricey. As a rough guide, a full exhaust system (without catalyst) is just under £600. Front shock absorbers are about £110 a pair. An alternator is about £300 and a starter motor around £300. Shop around a bit though and you can find cheaper prices; we found a brake disc at around £85, a water pump at £74, an oil filter at £26 and an air conditioning condenser at £95.
On the Road
In this supercharged XKR, you don't have to travel very far before you understand one thing very clearly: this is a very fast car indeed. The 5.0-litre V8 it uses may be essentially the same as that of the standard XK model but the addition of a supercharger to this unit is enough for ballistic performance. Even a gradual stroke of your right foot is enough to see quite a number of the 503 available braked horses make a break for freedom, such is the low-down torque of this engine, its peak on offer from as little as 2,500rpm, at which point you're starting to fully appreciate the multi-layered pulsing V8 bellow with its accompanying but unobtrusive supercharging scream. Sixty two mph from rest flashes by unnoticed in just 4.8s, less than a second and a half slower than the equivalent Porsche 911 Turbo from this era that would cost you much more. But the really telling increment is the 50-70mph overtaking one, demolished in under two seconds. The 25% improvement this represents over what you'd get in an ordinary XK might not sound much but on the road, it's the difference between picking off one overtaking victim or a whole queue of them.
Flat out with the nannying 155mph speed limiter removed, this would be a 190mph car - as indeed it is in its ultimate 542bhp XRS-S guise, this the fastest and most powerful sportscar Jaguar ever produced in this era. If ever you were tempted to wonder just how much of a supercar a Jaguar XK could be with extra-power, sharper handling, more extreme looks and an exclusive Ferrari-style interior, then wonder no more: this is that car. This flagship version's appeal doesn't shine out too brightly from the balance sheet - the 4.4s 0-62mph figure is, after all, just 0.4s faster than that of an XKR - but that's because its appeal is more tactile, rawer and more emotional, as it needed to be. Many will think the louder, crisper engine note worth the price of admission all on its own - though your neighbours may not agree. More importantly, the handling created the closest thing to a Porsche 911 that potential buyers back in 2013 had yet seen with an XK badge, thanks to much sharper steering, reprogrammed damper and differential controls, wider tyres and lighter wheels. The XKR-S spring rates were also 28% stiffer though fortunately, this doesn't seem to be enough to completely spoil the supple high speed ride.
The ride, in fact, is the thing that sets any XKR from its German rivals and this was further enhanced in the second half of this Jaguar's production run by the adoption of what Jaguar called 'Adaptive Dynamics'. It's a system that continually monitors steering response, brake input, wheel position, body motion and throttle settings, then, millisecond by millisecond, adapts the Bilstein dampers to suit. It's far better than the original XK model's rather crude selectable 'soft' or 'hard' damping system, 'Adaptive Dynamics' able to automatically choosing the right set-up for the mood you're in and the road you're on. Put simply, it's a confidence thing: with this improved set-up, the car always feels as if it's working with you. Which is nice to have when you've the kind of power under your right foot that F1 drivers used to have back in the mid-Seventies.
If you want to stay permanently in red mist mode, pressing a centre console chequered flag-logo-ed 'Dynamic' button will not only keep the suspension firm and the gearchanges quick but also let the engine sing more lustily as the exhaust silencers are bypassed. Brilliant. Go a step further and select 'TracDSC' - one of four modes in the Dynamic Stability Control set-up - and you really need to be on a racetrack, for here there's enough slip allowed for you to hang the back out, though with a helpful safety net built in should your enthusiasm exceed your talent. If this Jaguar could only have replicated its Porsche rival's pin-sharp steering, then it could have got itself right on the 911's tail.
In an XKR, in doing all of this, you'll appreciate another great handling aid: Active Differential Control. It's there to generate extra traction on all kinds of surfaces in all kinds of conditions, but you notice it most the first time that you throw this Jaguar into a corner. That's when the system can instantly divert torque to the outside rear wheel to stop the tail beginning to slide. So the car always feels planted, shifting its weight through the corners with the lithe confidence of a world class downhill skier. It all further emphasises that feeling we were talking about of complete control, complete confidence in its abilities. The faster you go, the better it feels.
Especially if you're in a Convertible model. The noise any XK makes is one of its biggest selling points and being able to drop the roof down and get a little more exposure to the angry bark the V8 engine delivers only makes the open top version's appeal all the greater. The Coventry engineers behind the XK's design emphasised that this Jaguar was designed right from the outset in Convertible form, so body rigidity is very little affected by the roofless stance. Something you can convert to either stationary or at low speeds in less than 18 seconds, the triple-layered fabric top disappearing into the bodywork when retracted to be concealed by a neat aluminium tonneau cover.
Overall
To be able to create a car that rides like a Grand Tourer yet changes direction and grips like a supercar is no mean feat. Yet that's exactly what Jaguar managed with this XKR. It still isn't quite as focused as a Porsche 911 for dedicated enthusiasts, but then if it was, it probably wouldn't be able to reward as much as it does on those occasions when you're not fighting against the clock.
Of course if you are, you'd want to be behind the wheel of the XKR-S version if you could afford to be. Lacking our own private runway, we'd find the standard XKR frighteningly fast enough when we wanted it to press on, relaxed and laid back when we didn't.
No other car of this kind offers quite this Jaguar's blend of speed, refinement and driver involvement. To call it an E-Type for the 21st century is as big a compliment as we can give. This XKR is nothing less.
