Skip advert
Advertisement

Jaguar XKR review - prices, specs and 0-60 time

The revised XKR has been almost overshadowed by the XFR, but it’s a great car

Evo rating
RRP
from £72,400
  • Fastest, best-looking, most rewarding Jag
  • The kids will have to stay at home

There’s a tendency to think of the new Jaguar XKR as a contractual obligation rather than a fresh initiative. You know how it goes. XFR hogs the headlines with its shiny new 5-litre supercharged V8 and hi-tech underpinnings – XKR gets the same drivetrain and chassis updates but as a fortuitous spin-off rather than measures implemented at the leading edge of its development. But that would be to seriously underestimate the XK’s importance to Jaguar. It might be the old man of the line-up but it by no means bows to the XFR and has been configured to deliver a different driving experience to its saloon sibling. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

There’s a crucial relationship between cross-range harmony (the family DNA, if you like) and model differentiation. It’s particularly interesting in this case because the current- generation XK has been the touchstone for so much of the cross-range development work that has come downstream of it.

What does it offer that the XFR doesn’t? Beyond the obvious points – two fewer usable seats, more stares from the street – it’s the logical extension of the XK’s sporting personality, a car that applies some bias to the broad repertoire of abilities so meticulously balanced in the XFR. In short, it’s lighter, a little faster, a little louder when pressing on, more responsive (throttle, steering, brakes) and more playful in Dynamic mode, allowing slightly more mobility of the tail within prescribed limits before the electronic safety net is deployed. In cold figures, the power/weight ratio jumps from the XFR’s 270bhp/ton to 291bhp/ton and the 4.6sec 0-62mph time shaves a tenth from the saloon’s.

Naturally, there’s some rationalisation, too. Apart from sharing the terrific new 5-litre supercharged V8 (503bhp at 6000-6500rpm, 461lb ft at 2500-5500rpm), the exterior and cabin have been treated to a similar ‘R’-style makeover with a new aggressively ducted front bumper, LED tail-lights and, on the inside, the adoption of the XF’s centre console rotary gear selector while, cosmetically, the mix of dark wood and aluminium trim apply the necessary sporting tweaks to the ambience. 

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

Even setting off from the hotel car park at the launch, the XKR’s sharper character is immediately evident. With just a light prod of the throttle that would have seen the XFR step briskly but unremarkably into Seville’s morning throng, the XKR leaps forward with genuine brio and a small chirrup from the tyres. Braking to a perfectly smooth stop isn’t as easy, either. It’s as if the XKR is straining at the leash, yearning for a stretch of open road. Even at this stage, it feels tauter and more eager than the saloon.

Confirmation that it is comes soon enough as we strike out for Grazalema and Ronda. Whereas the XFR is a willing accomplice in any raid on three figures, the XKR positively eggs you on. And if you want to know how the new, blown V8 really sounds, this is the place to hear it. Thanks to the Ferrari-style active exhaust valve, it has a fine, gravelly timbre that went completely unsuspected in the XFR.

As with the saloon, though, the astonishing torque delivery defines the quality of the performance. Using the paddles to flick between third and fourth delivers punishing thrust for what seems like just a handful of revs. Anything much more than half throttle and the acceleration acquires a sustained weight rarely experienced outside an airport runway. 

The XKR feels a little edgier and harder than the XFR but still rides with great composure. Turn-in has real bite and conviction, mid-bend responses are beautifully clean and crisp and damping control is simply sublime. Equally impressive is the transient behaviour. The intestinal S-bends that characterize the CA9104 between Grazalema and Zahara present no problem at all; the Jaguar shifts its weight with the lithe precision of a world-class downhill skiier. Great as the XFR is, the XKR sounds better, goes that bit harder and, on the right road, is more fun. It’s the best car Jaguar makes.

> Find used Jaguar XKRs for sale on the Classic and Performance Car site here

2009 Jaguar XKR specifications

Engine   5000cc supercharged V8
Max power   503bhp @ 6000rpm
Max torque   461lb ft @ 2500rpm
Top speed   155mph (limited)
0-60mph   4.6sec (claimed)
Price    £72,400
On sale  Now
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – from grassroots greats to supercar slayers

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
10 Mar 2025
Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming
2025 Porsche 911 GT3
News

Porsche's EV U-turn means more new petrol cars and hybrids are coming

The 911 will get even more exclusive and desirable variants with increased customisability going forward
12 Mar 2025
Pagani Utopia 2025 review – £2.2m Huayra successor nails the hypercar formula
Pagani Utopia
Reviews

Pagani Utopia 2025 review – £2.2m Huayra successor nails the hypercar formula

Only Pagani’s third model-line in more than 25 years, the Utopia builds on everything that made the Zonda and Huayra great, then adds its own unique c…
12 Mar 2025