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New Jaguar XJR - specs, price and photos
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New Jaguar XJR - specs, price and photos
Matt Hubbard
Speedmonkey
March 27, 2013
Jaguar's XJR super saloon has been unveiled at the New York International Auto Show
This is Jaguar’s new flagship performance saloon, the XJR, which combines supercar performance with the usual XJ levels of luxury and refinement.
The XJ was redesigned from the ground up in 2009. The top model has been the XJ Supersport , but the XJR takes everything up a notch - and then some. Taking the 550PS supercharged 5 litre V8 from the XKR-S Jaguar have returned to their roots as masters of the performance saloon.
As well as 550PS the XJR produces 680Nm of torque, which is good enough for a top speed of 174mph and 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds.
To handle the extra power the XJR gets a recalibrated Electronic Active Differential and DSC system. To give the XJR an edge over the rest of the range it features a front splitter, R bonnet louvres, R specification side sills and quad tailpipes outside, with carbon fibre or piano black veneers, semi-aniline leather trim, and contrasting colour stitching in the seats inside.
Oh, and it also gets a bootlid mounted lip spoiler, 20” forged alloy wheels and Sport Pack grille with chrome surround and mesh.
The transmission is the ZF 8-speed semi-automatic unit, which has been calibrated to provide rapid shifts under power whilst still maintaining the XJ’s composed ride at lesser speeds. A brilliant feature of the gearbox is Corner Recognition, which holds the right gear for the exit, providing that extra power for a quick getaway.
550PS in such a large car has it’s price when it comes to fuel economy. Despite having Stop/Start the XJR returns just 24.4mpg and emits 270 g/km of CO2.
We’ve driven several variants of the XJ and have found it massively capable as a sports saloon and a luxury car. Its competitors are the Mercedes S Class, Audi A8 and BMW 7 series but the XJ delivers the goods in quite different ways. The interior is more up to date than any of the German rivals and the power is delivered in a much punchier style – and with a lot more noise. The XJ Supersport in particular makes the most fabulous V8 howl, something which is completely suppressed in the S Class.
The Jaguar XJR will cost £92,335 and is available to order now.
