I spotted a classic 1960s Jaguar XKE the other day and couldn't get over how small, pencil-thin, and dangerously good-looking it was. The old V-12 Jag was a true gentleman's sports car-made for open-top driving down narrow country lanes at irresponsible speeds. Flash forward to today's XKR convertible, Jaguar's most potent two-door, and you may be hard-pressed to see any immediate resemblance.
Jaguar has long abandoned 12-cylinder engines in favor of some of the industry's most exceptional V-8s. The XKR sports an aluminum 4.2-liter, 420-horsepower, supercharged power plant that moves its massive yet stylish form from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. The contrast in power and torque between the XKR and the standard 300-horsepower XK is stunning. And the XKR's six-speed sequential-shift transmission works so seamlessly with that big engine that you'll never need the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters Jaguar provides.
Inside, the XKR offers all of the luxuries one associates with Jaguar. Connolly hides, Wilton carpets, and burl veneers remind us that this is an English car. The lavish interior bears more than a little resemblance to those of far costlier models from Aston Martin and Bentley-making the Jaguar a virtual bargain at $90,000-plus. That said, the XKR can feel a bit cramped under the steering wheel, though accommodations are much improved over the previous-generation XK. With its rakish hood and aluminum side louvers, the XKR even looks like an Aston Martin-albeit one whose father was a Range Rover.
The XKR's aluminum infrastructure offers much greater stiffness (for much less weight compared with steel) than the old XKE ever could. I've driven both the hardtop coupe and the convertible, and could not discern any chassis flexion in the ragtop.
Beauty and aggression coexist as the XKR's aggressive-looking hindquarters telegraph the car's beastly capabilities. The Jaguar delivers supercar acceleration and braking, though not quite the lateral handling chops of comparably priced models from BMW, Mercedes, or Porsche. However, I doubt Jaguar seeks to compete with the Germans for Autobahn bragging rights. This cat is much more of a boulevard and highway cruiser, tuned for comfort as much as for performance, and designed to look good while doing it. The old XKE would be proud.
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