Jaguar XKR: image and tech spec frenzy
Newswheel staff :: 30 June 2006 :: Filed under Cabriolet, Coupe, Jaguar, Jaguar XKR, Europe & UK, US
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Supercharged, all-aluminium uber-GT unveiled
With three weeks to go until its first public outing at the British Motor Show, Jaguar has pulled the trigger on the all-new XKR. On paper, Jag’s new flagship GT (available from launch as both a coupe and cabriolet) doesn’t deliver many surprises. But there’s plenty of power courtesy of a mildly fettled version of the trusty AJ-V8. And with significantly less poundage to drag around thanks to that all-aluminium construction, the latest XKR should be fairly nippy…
Coupe and cabriolet variants available at launch
At 1,665kg, the new XKR coupe is around 70kg lighter than the outgoing model. That’s a useful improvement, though hardly a stunning return on the investment the company has made in an all-aluminium architecture. Especially considering the fact that the old XK’s chassis traced it roots back to the late 1960s. Anywho, with peak outputs of 420bhp and 413lb/ft, the XKR’s supercharged 4.2-litre bent-eight is around 20 ponies stronger than the outgoing model. The result is a zero-to-60mph sprint of just 4.9 seconds (the old XKR is a 5.2 second motor). As with other high performance Jags of recent years, the XKR’s top speed is electronically limited to 155mph. For now, Jaguar is claiming identical performance numbers for the coupe and cabriolet, despite the fact that the latter tips the scales at 1,715kg.
Bonnet vents, a big old air damn and acres of mesh. Imposing? Yup. A timeless Jag classic? Nah
As for chassis upgrades, Jaguar has fitted 355mm steel discs up front along with uprated springs and dampers all round. The CATS (Computer Active Technology Suspension) active damper system has also been rejigged. Other XKR-only extras include an active exhaust system that’s claimed to deliver both refined cruising and a suitable bellow when giving the big cat a good spanking, new 19 and 20-inch alloy wheel designs and a raft of cosmetic tweaks. But don’t be fooled by the shiny new vents in the XKR’s front wings. They’re aluminium-effect, not actually aluminium like much of the rest of the car. Oh, the irony.
Move along folks, nothing to see here. Like many modern motors, Jag has sheathed the XKR’s lump in swathes of anonymous plastic. Shame
Unsurprisingly, Jaguar is bigging up the XKR’s performance and handling credentials. And with the new XK8 currently suffocating under a mountain of positive reviews, we don’t doubt it will deliver. That said, we suspect the XKR’s single transmission option – a torque-converter slushbox – betrays the car’s true dynamic colours. It’s high performance cruiser at heart, rather than an out and out sportster.
While we’re on the subject of that auto box, it’s worth noting that Jaguar claims superior shifting speeds to any other transmission on the market. To quote Jag’s press bumpf, “gearshifts are achieved in less than 600 milliseconds, from the point at which the driver operates the shift paddle to the point at which the shift is complete.”
According to Jaguar, that’s 400 milliseconds quicker than a standard auto box and 100 milliseconds quicker than the fastest automated manual boxes. It’s not exactly obvious how Jaguar has come up with comparison figures, but suffice to say that Ferrari for one reckons the F1 box in an F430 changes gear in 150 milliseconds. Audi would also raise an eyebrow to the idea that its dual-clutch box can change gears no faster than 700 milliseconds. The truth is probably tied up the particular language Jaguar has chosen and the inevitably different metrics used by each manufacturer to measure the time taken to shift gears.
Orders for the new XKR open in July with prices kicking off at £67,495.
Posted 16 January 2007, by Johnnson.y
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