Jaguar XKr road test review

Try Before You Buy – 1999 Jaguar XKR 2+2 Coupe
by Matt Nichols

370 horse power. It’s got a nice ring to it hasn’t it. 370 horse power in a car that weighs in at just over 1700kg to give a power to weight ratio in the order of 210-220 bhp/tonne. Important in as much that it sits above the magical 200bhp/ tonne mark and therefore enough in a road car to let you know it is going to be quick without having to do any more calculations. Couple that to a massive 387lbs/ft of torque, an official 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds and an all too easy to reach top speed of 155 mph and you have the Jaguar XKR 2+2 coupe that, if you choose, will propel you up and down the A-Roads of Great Britain all day long at extremely high velocity. Slightly ironic then, once sat behind the wheel that the thought of racing anyone else off a set of lights couldn’t be further from your mind.

The reason, well this is a Jaguar after all, and as with many other cars from the same marque you find yourself being seduced by its charms and adopt a far more laid back style than something with this performance should engender. The gentle warble from the very British and new at the time 4.0 litre AJ-V8, Jaguar’s fourth engine derivative and first V8, quite literally purrs along combining beautifully with the ‘J-Gate’ 5 speed ZF auto to select gears that match your every need. The left hand side of the ‘J-Gate’ selector introduces engine braking and restricts forward gears to the first two, three, or four ratios for quick and controlled progress. With the right hand side offering conventional ‘D’ drive, ‘R’ reverse and ‘P’ park options. There is also a sport ‘S’ button which holds onto gears longer whilst in drive, a combination that seemed to work best overall during my time with the big cat coupe in its dark blue hue.

Which brings me onto this cars looks. It is stunning, particularly when viewed from the side and the colour of the Great Escape Classic Car Hire model really nails it, enhanced by an original Jaguar body kit that adds some more subtly aggressive styling cues around the edges. I am ignoring the miniature chrome Jaguar added to the front of the bonnet which thankfully is out of sight once sat inside. Get in and you wonder why Jaguar tried to copy Jensen’s Interceptor in terms of massive proportions on the outside and yet restricted space within. One or two adults on board, there is plenty of space to stretch out and room in the boot for any amount of luggage with soft bags in the back. Do what I attempted in embarking on a three hour round trip to the seaside with my wife, son, who at 14 years old is taller than me and ‘tweenager’ daughter and things can get a little too close for comfort. Inside is also where the Ford influence reveals itself the most, with familiar looking; ignition key, switchgear and central console. Still what you can say in their defence is that they all work brilliantly; cruise control, climate and CD changer, no classic car traits to report here then.

So what does 370 bhp and 387lbs/ ft of torque feel like? Well I’ve driven the quite mad TVR Tuscan which packs 360bhp into a much lighter frame and in theory at least touches 300bhp/ tonne. TVR’s horsepower claims were always optimistic though and the normally aspirated Speed Six unit is shy of 100 lbs/ft of torque, an often forgotten performance statistic that closes such gaps extremely effectively. Back in the Jag and the XKR’s auto-box, particularly whilst in drive mode, masks the immediate impact of applying such a large amount of twist through the 245 profile 18 inch rear tyres by apparently having to drop two or three ratios before anything remotely resembling acceleration can be experienced. Even knocking the box down to 2 on the left hand gate means if you are already rolling one down change is still required. Personally I’m amazed anyone got it to 60mph in the claimed 5.2 seconds when, as far as I can tell, it takes until 60mph to really get going. What is happening aurally though is still dramatic enough, like the drum roll before a grand finale.

What a finale as well, because when everything does finally connect, the correct ratio is selected, the supercharger starts its spine tingling banshee war cry, drowning out the already impressive V8 roar and the XKR sits back on its E-Type like haunches and heads for the horizon at a truly breath taking rate of knots. This is exactly what this sort of power and torque should feel like, acceleration that never lets up despite the ever increasing physical forces acting against such rapidly advancing progress. It is so strong that the only conclusion I can draw is that the claimed 155mph max is due to an artificial restriction, because there’s no way it ends at that point naturally. This car really shifts and what’s great is that the brakes and handling are all well up to the job. Better still ease your right foot back from where it was firmly embedded in the pile of the plush carpet and the first question the car asks is whether this is going to be the cruising speed today. Now that is Jaguar. This isn’t about acceleration after all. It’s more about high speed travel, arriving somewhere faster than anyone else and in comfort. Although I think my family would argue, as long as there are no more than two of you on board at the time.


Verdict
1999 Jaguar XKR 2+2 Coupe
Driving
Slightly light steering is disconcerting at first, but then tightens up nicely on fast flowing roads. Jaguar’s supercharged V8 is a gem.
Engine
Supercharged 4.0 Litre Jaguar AJ-V8 DOHC with variable valve timing.
Performance
Power: 370bhp
Torque: 387lbs/ft
0-60: 5.2 Seconds
Max Speed: 155mph
Brakes
Superb and well up to the job
Handling
1700Kg aside, XKR is true to E-Type handling characteristics of excellent ride, regardless of road surface, combined with relatively low levels of pitch and roll
Desirability
Appreciating asset that reflects close ties to DB7. Values still tantalisingly low at present
Pro’s
Those looks and that engine
Con’s
Buying: Avoid anything without Jaguar or specialist service history
Renting: None except remember the fuel gauge is not dropping as quickly as you feared only because it is connected to an enormous 20 gallon tank.
Overall
4/5

Grace, Pace and just enough Space (For Two) by Matt Nichols
Sir William Lyons had a simple vision for his beloved Jaguar cars during the time he presided; grace, pace and space, and so the question is how do the beautiful 60’s E-Type, rectangular shaped 70’s XJS and retro styled 90’s XKR square up. Well one thing they do share in common is space, or more precisely a distinct lack of it, because all three offer a snug fit for two, with any notion of there being room for plus two more best translated as meaning plus two more bags, perfect then for that weekend getaway.
First impressions
E-Types are stunning cars that draw you in the minute you first clap eyes on them, and so unfortunately for the other two here, win your heart in an instant. Their long slender bonnets that hand over to curving rooflines, for the coupes at least, to then meet with the distinctive and equally curvy rear haunches. It doesn’t get any better and therefore any surprise that the newest Jaguar here, the XKR, takes many of its good looks from its granddaddy, albeit on a physically much larger scale. So what of the XJS a car that spanned the 21 year gap between E-Type and XK8 on which the XKR is based? Well back in the day straighter lines were in, and working on the basis that Ferrari were at it with the Daytona, Aston the same with the V8 Coupe and Jensen likewise with the Interceptor, I don’t think anyone can really criticise Jaguar for doing something similar. Of course looking back now it is all a bit academic with the E-Types being the clear winners of the beauty pageant, XKR second and XJS a distant third.Sat insideWithin the cabin is where everything starts to become a matter of taste and just how snug you want to be. Squeeze yourself into an E-Type and you face two stunningly large dials for engine and road speed with a surprisingly modern looking long row of rocker switches mounted dead centre on the dash between you and your passenger. There is no getting away with one thing though, as comfortable as they are once installed, E-Types are tricky cars to enter and exit from with tiny doors and extremely wide sills. If mobility is at all an issue, the cruel truth is looking at one from the outside may be as close as you get.This is where the later XJS and XKR derivatives come into their own, as both offer far easier accessibility from their more conventional interior design. The XJS is still low slung, but with plenty of room up front for both driver and passenger with pleasantries like powerful heating and ventilation systems and in the convertible, an electric folding roof. The XKR coupe offers similar, this time being more modern again, marred just slightly by the Ford sourced console and switchgear which thankfully falls below your eye-line whilst on the move. Surprisingly all three do share one thing in common; perfectly placed elbow rests either side of the driver, and so time now to hit the road.
Engine and exhaust note
When you do turn the key it’s the E-Types and XKR that truly deliver. Depending on which model you plump for depends on just how aural your experience is, as the Great Escape Classic Car Hire E-Types come with 5.3 V12 and smaller 6 cylinder engines with and without sports exhausts fitted. Volume levels therefore range from 1 to 10. The XKR has its own glorious sound in the form of a Jaguar V8 power-plant that rewards at tick-over with a distinctive throb giving way to the shrill of its supercharger as the loud pedal is fully depressed. Both are truly inspiring and completely different. The XJS on the other hand is much more ‘grace’ and the sleeper of the three as its V12 is almost completely silent until pushed really hard, with the only noise generated being that of wind passing quickly overhead when the roof is down.
Out and about
If you are after a relaxing and classy jolt around the countryside with something extra on tap if required then the XJS might just be for you. This car by its very nature is grace personified, combined with easy entry and exit as well as a heater so powerful you could probably drive to the north-pole roof down. The XKR takes away some of that grace and replaces it with much more pace, courtesy of its 4.0litre blown V8 that at 370bhp and 387 lbs/ft of torque is enough to see off any hot hatch and most other things up to Porsche, Ferrari and TVR standards. This car is extremely quick on fast flowing roads only needing to slow on tighter sections, largely due to its bulky 1700kg mass.E-Types on the other hand are lithe machines, particularly in 4.2 litre guise, and can be hustled along any road at any speed in relative comfort. The absence of body roll combined with comfort over virtually any road surface is a revelation with the only constraints being the car’s systems, such as the heater and fit of the roof around the windscreen, if a convertible. There is also the mild inconvenience of exhaust fumes being sucked into the cabin in the coupes, meaning a stop every 60 minutes or so is essential to preventing brain fade.
Ownership prospects
This is really a question about available funds, or maybe a gap that needs filling if you have a collection. The good news is that space aside, all three cars fulfil the ethos of grace and pace and so allow you to enjoy Jaguar ownership as its owner intended. E-Types provide the ultimate in classic car ownership in everything that means. Whilst XJS’s are now gaining recognition in their role in providing a basic platform for the later XK8, XKR and Aston Martin DB7 models and respected all the more for that with prices holding firm. XKR’s are now looking remarkable value for money for a car that is quite simply bonkers fast with an uncanny ability to cruise all day long at high speed. Each has something to offer, and so all three are cars Sir William should be, and I’m sure would be, extremely proud of.
Overall
An E-Type offers the ultimate in classic car ownership; the squarer XJS is for those on a tighter budget or for anyone who doesn’t quite bend and flex as well as they used to and the XKR serves as a useful halfway house both in terms of its looks and the investment required whilst providing serious pace to boot.
Driving
E Type - Incredible balance of cross country pace and grace, truly amazing for a 50 year old car
XJS - More grace than pace and so the XJS is by far the most refined of the three here
XKR - A supercharged V8 ensures this car wins the pace race, once the auto-box has done its thing
Engine
E Type -4.2 litre 6 Cylinder DOHC or 5.3 litre SOHC V12
XJS - 5.3 litre SOHC V12 with Lucas fuel injection
XKR - Supercharged 4.0 litre Quad Cam V8BrakesDisc brakes front and rear work well
Handling
E Type - Flat with hardly any roll, can be driven anywhere and rewards at any pace
XJS - Soft and cosy, best driven at a gentle pace
XKR - Comes close to E-Type but cannot hide its 1700kg mass in tighter corners
Desirability
All E-Types are sought after cars, Series 1 convertibles commanding the highest values, with later 2+2 coupes being the most affordable
XJS -Has suffered in the past but prices have now settled with interest on the increase
XKR - Just starting to be of interest now especially when compared to its higher valued cousin, the DB7.
Pro’s
E Type - Instantly recognisable fame
XJS - Accessible to more people and can be used all year round
XKR - Rocketship with some nice E-Type styling cues
Con’s
E Type
Buying: Tricky and potentially very costly to maintain
Renting: None
XJS
Buying: Not so tricky maybe, but still potentially costly to run and maintain
Renting: None
XKR
Buying: Same.
Renting: None
Overall
E Type - 5/5
XJS - 3/5
XKR - 4/5

Big Cat in Lincolnshire

Great Escape Classic Car Hire has added a second Jaguar XK8 to its fleet of classic and performance cars. The new car is the only Jaguar XK8 convertible for hire in the UK and is based at Great Escape's Lincolnshire site near Grantham.
The Jaguar XK8 developed the excquisite lines of the Jaguar E Type to create a modern, extremely luxurious grand tourer. It is widely acknowledged as one of the most successful and beautiful Jaguar designs of modern times. It is a large convertible with an automatic gearbox and 2+2 seating layout.
The Great Escape Jaguar XK8 for hire in the East of England is finished in burgundy metallic with a cream leather interior. It has a power hood and is very easy to drive.
The Jaguar XK8 is available to hire by the day, weekend or week. Every hire day includes a full 24 hours use, unlimited mileage, comprehensive insurance and full UK breakdown cover.
Great Escape Classic Car Hire operates a fleet of 50 classic and performance sports cars. This includes the largest range of classic and modern classic Jaguars for hire in the UK. The company already has a Jaguar XKR for hire from its site in Worcestershire.
For more details call 01527 893733 or visit http://www.greatescapecars.co.uk/.
View external link