Detroit 2009: Jaguar XKR

Following on the heels of yesterday's debut of the 2010 Jaguar XFR sedan comes the refreshed 2010 Jaguar XKR Coupe and Convertible.

The new-generation XK, which debuted in 2006, utilizes an aluminum monocoque (much like the larger XJ sedan) to keep weight down.  It is still a traditional front-engine, rear wheel drive grand touring coupe.  The big news for this year, though, is under the hood: the XKR's top engine is now the same as in the new XFR sedan.  The 5.0L AJV8 uses direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, a supercharger, and variable intake geometry to produce a wholly adequate 510 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, making it the second most powerful Jaguar road car in the company's history, after the ridiculous XJ220 supercar.  This engine replaces the previous top of the line motor, the 4.2L port-injected supercharged V8, which made a paltry 420 horsepower. The new AJV8 can power the 3700lb XKR to 60 miles an hour in only 4.6 seconds, on it's way to an electronically limited 155mph top speed.

The XKR gets similar aesthetic tweaks as to the XFR sedan - the same enlarged, chrome-trimmed front intakes, ventilation slots on the hood, quad exhaust pipes, and redesigned taillights that now use LED's instead of bulbs.  I think the car looks quite mean - Jaguar's strong suit has always been making menacing looking cars that are still elegant, and for me the XKR raises the bar even for them.  This kitty's got claws!

The tweaks under the hood aren't the only news.  The XK gets a mildly reworked interior, with Audi-style white gauges with red needles for increased legibility (replacing the traditional Jaguar green gauges.)  The XK now sports Jaguar's swanky JaguarDrive Selector transmission "knob," which is still connected to the excellent ZF 6-speed automatic gearbox.  The XK finally has all the modern electronic goodies it was lacking before now, too - iPod connectivity, USB port, laser cruise control, satnav, etc etc.

The base model XK also benefits from these updates, using a naturally-aspirated version of the new 5.0L V8 that makes 385 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque.  This 85-horsepower bump has cut almost a full second off the 0-60 sprint, now at 5.2 seconds - just a touch slower than the old supercharged XKR!  And thanks to far more efficient direct injection, both engines are reported to deliver better fuel economy as well as reduced emissions over their predecessors.

Like always, the XK is available in both coupe and convertible forms.  The XK 'vert is still as gorgeous and flamboyant as ever, and who's going to be buying Aston V8 Vantages now that the XKR can swallow them whole, at a lot less money?

This is all good news. It's great to see Jaguar bringing their products up to date with the market, and fighting to stay afloat.  The XK has always been an attractive vehicle, and now it finally has the grunt to match the looks and be class-competitive.  Jaguar hasn't announced pricing or availability dates at this point, but stay tuned for more news.