ON THE ROAD: JAGUAR XKR COUPE

Another Fast Jaguar In The House?

Most certainly. XKR is actually one of the fastest cars IN4RIDE has ever tested, boasting a 0 – 100km/h time of just 4.5 seconds at high altitude. The bassy supercharged V8 liberates enough thrust to propel that thing so quickly into triple figures that you can completely miss the moment. So solid and self-assured is the British Indian pussy that you will be mighty tempted to keep foot flat on the floor, way past the legal speed limit.

But You Didn’t, Right?

Uhm, well…let’s just say we know for sure that it can do 250km/h. Maybe more, we don’t know. In any case, driving this car like that all day will result in a deep, black hole in your pocket. Just check the average fuel figure. Not to mention all those donated boxes of Nando…

Damn! Thirsty Bugger!

That’s correct. However, bear in mind that dropping something over a bar on a set of wheels probably means you own a petrol garage. In your backyard. Nevertheless, we are yet to find a car that combines most of our favourite attributes this well into one almost-perfect pot. Handling is one. Despite being almost 5 metres long and 1.8 ton heavy, it carves through curves with sticky familiarity, as if it were at home. Rear-wheel-drive is of course standard. So are those four round tailpipes, R badges, chrome pieces around the window frames and on the boot ledge, and gills with the word “supercharged” laid bare on the bonnet. This car means serious business, just from looks alone.

Same Story Inside I Suppose?

Not quite. The opposite in fact applies. The stitching on the seats, steering wheel, dashboard, is a constant reminder of the high quality road taken here. Swash leather walls inside the doors, chrome door handles, wood veneers, an electrically adjustable steering wheel, a touch-screen satellite navigation system are just some of the luxuries to be found. What you won’t find is enough space at the rear to sit anyone over 1 metre tall. Seriously (check the pictures on our FaceBook page). Nevertheless the car is very comfortable for the two front passengers.

A Cool, Fast, Jaguar?

Jaguar’s new slogan is “Beautiful Fast Cars” and none embodies this better than the XKR. Where the Jaguar brand used to be much more closely associated with stinky rich old men, over recent years it’s become decidedly younger. And dare I even say, cooler, thanks to creations like the current XK and XF. The XKR is the cherry on this cake. It can take on anything on the market, slap it upside down, turn it inside out and spit it out. All the while wearing a tux.

QUICK STATS

JAGUAR XKR COUPÉ

ENGINE: 5.0-litre V8, Supercharged

POWER: 375kW / 517hp at 6000rpm; 625Nm at 2500rpm

0 – 100KM/H: 4.5 seconds

GEARBOX: 6-speed automatic

TOP SPEED: 250km/h

FUEL AVERAGE: 17.9 l/100km

CO2 e: 292 g/km

PRICE STANDARD: R1 256 706

NATURAL RIVALS: Aston Martin Vantage, BMW M6, Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG, Porsche 911 Turbo

*PRICE RIVALS: Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG, Mercedes-Benz S 500, Mercedes-Benz G 350 BlueTec, Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet PDK, Range Rover TDV8

BABE-MAGNETIC FACTOR: Very High

*A price rival falls within R30 000 or so of the subject’s price on either side of its price spectrum for cars over R350 000, R20 000 for cars of between R250 000 and R350 000 and R10 000 for cars below R250 000.