Vehicle: 2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible with High Performance Brakes and Wheels Pkg
Price as tested: CDN$120795

Performance: Jaguar’s R performance division has always produced some sweet rides, ranging from the early XJR to S-Type R. The XKR is the latest entrant into the performance coupe and convertible categories. Will the new XKR live up to Jaguar’s reputation of putting elegance and performance together in a neat package? We intend to find out after this test drive.

Jaguar’s AJ-V8 has always been a nice engine. Mated it with an Eaton supercharge in their 3rd generation evolution and it becomes a true sweetheart. This 5.0 liter DOHC 32-valve V8 has plenty of power. 510 horses and 461 lb/ft of torque to be exact. Unlike a turbo, supercharge doesn’t have any lag. All it delivers is instant power right after driver drops the anchor. Instant throttle response without any nasty lag usually associated with a turbocharger. Even when our tester weights in at 1800kg of British luxury lined of luxury, it manages to get off-the-line with authority. With 510 hp on tap, it never run out of breath even at high rpm. This supercharge V8 is really as good as anything else come from Germany. Both the refinement, smoothness and flexability are world-class. 6-speed automatic is the only gearbox mated with this blower. Its equally smooth and coordinated. Other than a short low gears for excellent bottom-end acceleration, the top gears are tall enough for comfortable highway cruising. On XK’s latest redesign, Jaguar finally ditched their outdated and awkward J-Gate for the knob. The knob is much more user-friendly than the outgoing J-Gate. It also features paddle shifters on the steering, which encourage manumatic mode, in order to fully use this cat’s potential. As a team, the powertrain works in rare harmony.

Handling: The XKR is based on a stiff and rigid platform, which is completely free of any cracks and rattles. In convertible’s case, it also means the lack of those annoying cowl shakes. With rear-wheel-drive and nearly ideal 50/50 weight distribution, XKR is surprisingly balanced consider its status-of-life as a comfortable highway cruiser. Even if XKR got stifter suspension, springs and shocks than standard XK8. XKR remains drives more like a blvd cruiser than a capable handler as what Jaguar would like you to think. The forte of XKR has to be its exceptional ride comfort. Its suspension is compliant to absorb all those roughness and patholes. For a Jaguar, it also supple and firm enough to attack corners without lots of body rolls. If you treat the XKR as a highway cruiser, its handling capabilities are more than live up to its reputation. Its just the steering doesn’t have enough feel and feedback when its time to have fun. Yes, it remains precise and track on path correctly. But it lacks the edgy feel in some of its rivals. The Dynamic Stability Control is uninstrusive enough consider its a Jaguar, which usually have a system that steps in quite abruptly in the past. What it works best is it acts as an active safety feature whenever a driver rears the cat’s ugly head. That means the oversteer and understeer are well-tempted, although for a rear-driver, a little bit of oversteer wouldn’t amiss in a car with this performance prowess for any enthuisasts.

Brakes: Our XKR has an optional High Performance Brake Package. The larger brakes really help to haul this heavy cat to a stop without any drama. The stopping distance is short while the pedal feel is excellent. The ABS acts wonderfully, as it doesn’t instrusive much until the right moment. An added bonus is fade-free after a couple of hard stops.

Interior: As one would expect from a Jaguar, there are plenty of firmly contoured Connolly leather covered seats. Those seats have plenty of support for the back but need more for side. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog, same goes for the climate control and navigation system, which is surprisingly user-friendly for a British ride. In terms of materials, XKR matches up to the rest of the class.

Conclusion: The new XKR certainly lives up to its reputation as a performance cat. Its comfortable, got plenty of power, handles decently and, best of all, its very comfortable for a sunny cruise around the beach.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2010 Jaguar XKR Convertible
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 4/5