There comes a point when it doesn’t matter from a driving point of view, how much more kW you add or weight you shred off. At that point fast is fast, and the difference between a 4.7 and 4.1 second 0-100 km/h sprint sounds might like a lot of paper (because it will cost you a lot more to lose those 0.6 seconds), in reality it doesn’t feel that much quicker at all.
Hardcore special editions often fall prey to this, as they are normally just slightly tuned versions of their vanilla counterparts; with a bigger body kit, wheels and a few extra horses strapped to the side with low weight carbon-fibre reinforced plastic stirrups.
And that was what I thought would happen to the new Jaguar XKR-S; a hardcore, more powerful and louder version of the Jaguar XKR. And to make matters worse, a louder more hardcore version of the XKR already exists in the Black and Dynamic Pack, two option packs which make the regular XKR meaner looking with better handling.
But luckily the XKR-S is one of those cars that has to be driven to understand its appeal, because while it is more aggressive, louder, faster and has more visual impact than the Black Pack, it is also more drivable than a Audi R8, and more fun than a Porsche 911 Turbo.
It has a very unique set of characteristics in that from the outside it looks and sounds like a modified racing car. The supercharged 5,0-litre V8 has a life of its own, over throttling on shift ups and holding it there as the rev’s build up, making a noise that would be more at home in a chase scene featuring a T-Rex and a Jeep (and the Jeep is silent). The sound forces people to look and see what is coming their way, and they are rewarded with a lightning blue exterior which says that it is most certainly you that is making that noise.
But on the inside it is one of the most refined cars that I have ever driven, with huge cushy seats and a touch screen entertainment system linked up to a surround sound speakers. There’s air conditioning, heated seats and heated steering wheel, along with the same premium switch gear that you will find in the regular XKR.
There are two usable seats behind the front set, which are small and cramped, but are more comfortable than what you would find in the back of a 911. There is also a decent amount of space in the rear luggage compartment because the power plant lives in front, unlike the R8 with its rear engine configuration.
It can also be driven like a normal car, riding comfortably at slow urban speeds, thanks largely to its supreme six-speed automatic gearbox. It’s not a fancy dual-clutch transmission, but it just feels great on this car. It also doesn’t have to be loud, and as long as you keep it under 3,000 rpm you can stealthily roll by without raising the hounds of hell.
But then, when you switch to Dynamic the engine’s rubble becomes a chorus and the throttle transforms from being the go-fast pedal to the declare-ware pedal. It’s impossible to get off the line in first gear, unless you are trying to create a distraction through smoke and racket, and the tail will happily swing round and wish you well if you pretend you are a F1 driver through the bends.
The XKR-S is a lucid marriage of insanity and comfort; that perfect car that will be as comfortable in the traffic every day as it would be pushing the limits on a track on the weekends. These have traditionally been the stomping ground of the Porsche 911 Turbo and Audi R8, but the XKR-S takes their lead and improves on it, greatly.
When you spend R1.7 million on a car you want people to notice you when you drive by, and the Jaguar offers you that, servings denoted in 500ml man-sized cans. But it will bring you that 6-pack on a silver platter, because you don’t need to sit in a cramped roll cage encased fibreglass shell to access it.
If I had R1.7 million to spend on a car, this would be it – without a doubt.
