Jaguar shows XKR-S in action

JAGUAR has heightened anticipation for its most powerful production model ever – the forthcoming XKR-S – by releasing a new two-minute video showing the potent two-door sportscar in action.

Due to arrive in Australia in very limited numbers in the fourth quarter this year, the XKR-S is likely to crash through the $300,000 barrier here, well ahead of the current XKR that tops the range at almost $255,000.

The Indian-owned British company launched the XKR-S at the Geneva motor show last week to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaguar’s legendary E-Type, which made its debut in Geneva.

In the new video, the car appears in the same eye-catching French Racing Blue colour scheme as it did at Geneva, but looks somewhat sexier on the road than it did on the show stand.

And, while the video soundtrack is dominated by somewhat pretentious music, there was just a hint of the active sports exhaust system’s growling note that audibly reveals the power unleashed from the car’s third-generation supercharged 5.0-litre quad-cam direct-injection V8 engine.

With 405kW of power and 680Nm of torque on tap – some 30kW and 55Nm more than the already-epic XKR – the S will race to 100km/h in just 4.4 seconds compared to 4.8 seconds for the ‘regular’ XKR.

Top speed for the fastest series production Jaguar ever is listed at 300km/h, which is 50km/h faster than the XKR and still 20km/h faster than last year’s XKR 75 special edition that did not make it to Australia.

Other changes to the aluminium-chassis 1753kg XKR-S include revised interior, suspension tuning and aerodynamics (reducing front and rear lift by 26 per cent).

In addition to slimmer LED headlights, a more compact main air intake and vertical side power vents, the car features aero tweaks to keep the car stable at its new top speed.

At the front is a new bumper design with near-vertical feature lines running down from the edges of the oval air intake and supporting the new carbon-fibre splitter and lower spoiler, as well as vertical slots at the extreme edges of the front fenders to channel air down the sides of the car and along the wider sills for increased high-speed directional stability.

Keeping the back-end connected to the road are a separate rear wing – a first for the XK – with a carbon-fibre centre section, along with a lower venture also made from carbon-fibre.

Jaguar claims the XKR-S is not merely its quickest car ever but also the most agile, responsive and driver-focused, with a harder-edged character that allows the enthusiastic driver to explore the outer limits of the car’s dynamics without losing the refinement and usability for which Jaguar is famous.

The suspension includes reworked aluminium front suspension knuckles and revised rear geometry allied to 28 per cent stiffer springs and dampers, 20-inch lightweight forged alloy wheels and recalibrated steering.

In addition to the French Racing Blue, Jaguar is making the XKR-S available in Italian Racing Red to “reflect Jaguar’s racing heritage”, but not the British Racing Green colour in which its cars traditionally raced.