WHILE Jaguar's volume-selling XF large sedan deservedly earns the kudos for turning Jaguar’s stuffy old image (as well as sales) around, it was the XK coupe from 2006 onwards that really started the British marque’s design renaissance, with progressive styling and an aluminium body underpinned by a thoroughly modern rear-wheel drive chassis. But only the supercharged XKR version realises the Jaguar coupe’s full performance and driveability potential, especially in the face of ever-improving competition like Porsche’s sensational 997 Series II. And, as we eventually found out, there is more to a sports grand tourer than mere styling and barnstorming abilities.
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Jaguar XKR
Released: May 1998
Ended: March 2007
Family Tree: XKLike the Aston Martin DB7 of the same era, the previous-generation XK was derived from the 1975 Jaguar XJS, and so was compromised by a narrow chassis and very tight interior packaging. Yet it oozed style and won many admirers as a result. Under the long, slinky bonnet of the facelifted, 2002 XKR was a supercharged 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, producing 298kW of power and 553Nm of torque. Straight-line performance was exhilarating at the time, although the ageing XJS underpinnings meant that the X100-series XKR could not keep up with its Porsche or BMW contemporaries around a twisting road.
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