Jaguar XKR 75: Kitties' Got Claws!

Jaguar's latest XKR super-coupe is not exactly lacking in the performance department. With a 32-valve 5.0L direct-injected, supercharged V8 the British hot-rod spits 510 thundering horsepower to the ground, allowing it to do things like this in front of Jaguar's PR cameras:

And in celebration of the marque's 75th birthday, Jaguar took a pair of diamond hones to the quickest kitties' claws, eking another 20bhp and 22lb-ft of torque out of the V8.  That brings the totals up to 530 and 483, from a piddling 510 and 461 previously.  The XKR 75 also boasts lowered, stiffened suspension and a louder exhaust to let everyone know what a pipe-chomping badass you are.  Jaaaaag says the XKR 75 will blast to 60mph in 4.4 seconds and howl up to 174mph flat-out, 2-tenths of a second faster than the pokey standard XKR.

The XKR 75 also gets some aesthetic jewelery to distinguish it from regular XKR's.  I'm particularly fond of the gray "shoulder highlight" stripes, which really bring the gorgeous curves of Henrik Fisker's design out.  There are also small touches like red brake calipers hiding behind 20" satin finish wheels, a suede headliner, a piano black center console, and ivory stitching on the grey leather seats.  Not exactly old-school burled walnut and deep-pile wool carpeting like Jag's of old, but it's modern and sexy and very, very cool stuff.  Jag clearly sees these days that they need to sell modern cars with modern designs to modern people to stay afloat, and it's good to see them breaking out of their traditions.

The XKR 75 will be limited to 75 units (of course), priced at a hefty £85,500 including VAT in the UK, with deliveries starting in October.  It seems expensive until you consider how much more the slower, almost identical-looking Aston Martin DB9 costs these days.  If you want the meanest snarling cat Jag's ever put on the road (short of the XJ220) you had better get your order in now!