Jaguar seem to have finally awoken with the sole purpose to reinvigorate our senses by reinventing themselves with their latest line of cars, led by the recently launched lip-smacking, monstrously gorgeous XKR.
The key word here being ‘gorgeous’, Jaguar has gone on a mission to find its inner beautiful beast, to create cars that are contemporary, powerful, fast and fashionably comfortable.
The new XK line promises to take Jaguar to the next level and launch it once again at the top of the food-chain within the motorcar industry. But if one car can bring back the glamour and the prestige, in style, to Jaguar, it’s the XKR.
Arguably one of the most impressive sporting GT cars to emerge in its category in recent years, the XKR is a jewel that Jaguar should be proud of, and one that any self-respecting driver would be proud to be behind the wheel of.
Beautifully crafted, efficiently designed and masterfully conceived, the XKR is an elegant piece of contemporary motor engineering. The all-aluminum ‘monocoque’ body makes it a much lighter yet stiffer car while its highly advanced six-speed automatic transmission offers an elevated performance.
The Jaguar Sequential Shift brings the better of two worlds together, the speed and involvement of a sequential manual gearbox and the comfort and convenience of a full automatic one. The transmission system also allows for remarkably smoother gearshifts that steadily maintains the flow of torque throughout the process, without any hiccups.
The three different gearbox modes (Drive, Sport and Manual) are flexible, easy to use and adaptive to the kind of environment the driver is tackling, making the driving experience much more enjoyable. The driver is in complete control. The manual mode features a state-of-the-art, steering-wheel-mounted paddles, similar to the technology used in Formula One race cars.
The ride and handling of the XKR is further enhanced with the recalibrated Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS), ensuring that the 1665kg Couple and the 1715kg Convertible, with their unique 19 to 20 inch alloy wheel designs, have a much smoother grip on the road.
The CATS optimizes comfort and control. The CATS intelligently analysis road conditions so as to constantly adjust the suspension settings and augment the ride and handling of the car while the Active Exhaust System not only ensures superior cruising but also gives the car a boisterous roar,
“We have maintained the previous engine with minor enhancements because it is a reliable engine and one that we feel confident in and comfortable working with,” explained Kevin Mellor, Regional Sales Manager, “The XKR is both a sports car and a grand toured which has a tremendous power and ample performance levels,”
Designed by the prolific Ian Callum, the XKR has a powerful 4.2 liter supercharged V8 engine with 420bhp (SAE) that is able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kHz in 5.2 seconds. The car is a exhilarating to drive, giving the driver everything they’d expect from a Jaguar, dynamic, responsive and perfectly balanced.
The XKR clean cut lines, sleek and smooth curves, and contemporary exterior feel captivates the imagination and entices your sense. The XKR is instantly desirable. From the front bumper to the aluminum finish side power vent, and from the bonnet louvers to the read ‘signature blade’, every inch of this beautiful monster is perfect
Such attitude and vigour in design is the underlining factor in establishing the new generation of Jaguar models; beautiful fast cars. As a design statement, Jaguar have already have proven their worth with the launch of the beautiful XK last year, and the presentation of the insanely fast XKR.
The car’s interior is just as exhilarating as its exterior. The driver is greeted with a technologically advanced yet driver-focus environment, fitted with many user-friendly and practical features. “We focused on adding features that will enhance the driving experience and that are easy to operate,” said Mr Mellor. “The supercharged XKR is our second stepping stone following the launch of the XK last year. And we are now looking ahead to the anticipated release of the CXF in 2008,”
Among these is the Touch Screen system which provides easy access to the driver to a number of features, such as controlling the vehicle climate, entertainment, navigation system and the Bluetooth compatible telephone connectivity in addition to security and seat-adjustment features.
The XKR is a luxurious, comfortable yet powerful sports car. The amount of precision and thoroughness that has gone into its designs and features is remarkable and will most certainly be a hit amongst the more youthful driving generation.
“It’s Jaguar’s intention to tap into the younger market, we believe that the XKR – and the upcoming CXF, has the capability of transforming the old perception of Jaguar and win fans over again,” said Desmond R. Alphonsus, Regional Manager, Dealer Network Development. “
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