Monday 12th August 2013

Jaguar XFR-S: Review

Less string-back driving mitts and more a pair of boxing gloves, there's nothing subtle about the XFR-S

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14 and a half large ones. Even if you're in an envious position of not having to worry every time you open your bank statement each month, £14,500 is hardly small change.

Wind tunnel dictates rear wing, honest guv

That however is how much that extra letter S will set you back on the rump of a brand new Jaguar XFR. According to Jaguar, where its R models mean high-performance luxury, the R-S moniker denotes ultimate road performance.

Certainly its brief for this XFR-S, to produce the fastest, most powerful and agile Jaguar sports saloon, doesn't pull many punches. Nor do its on-paper bragging rights. There's the same 5.0-litre supercharged V8 as in the standard XFR but further tuned to provide 550hp (the same as in the new XJR) giving it a 0 to 62mph time of 4.64 seconds and an artificially capped 186mph top speed. Average fuel economy and emissions levels are unchanged.

It's a stiffy
Under the skin are a host of changes too including revised front suspension, new spring rates (that are 100 per cent stiffer than the standard XF) as well as corner recognition and intelligent torque management for the eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox to avoid it changing gear mid-corner.

V8 gets 550hp and a fancy carbon cover

Added to that is a further 100 hours of wind tunnel time resulting in a deeper chin spoiler with vertical vanes and 'that' rear wing. Which is a delete option it should be noted, with a small lip spoiler available instead. If you like that standard wing, that's fine, but be warned it seriously hinders what is already a limited rear view.

Not that anything behind you will be visible for very long mind you. The XFR-S is noticeably more responsive than the plain XFR, which is hardly a slouch let's face it.

21-gun salute
As ever with the XF, the steering feel is good and it imbues confidence on the road with masses of grip and powerful brakes. All the while too you're accompanied by that gorgeous V8 that doesn't just sound superb on hard throttle but also pops and bangs on the over-run like the F-Type. It's not quite machine-gun loud like the two-seater, but it's noticeably more aggressive than the M5 or E63 AMG.

Lovely on smooth tarmac, less so elsewhere

If we were to leave it there, you'd be asking where to sign on the dotted line, but unfortunately that's not the whole story. Nobody reading here or any potential buyer is pretending that this is a luxury saloon, but we have some reservations over the XFR-S's refinement.

As on the XJR we drove on the same launch (full story soon), the bespoke Pirelli P Zeros are very sensitive to road surface changes in terms of noise. Also, if you were being polite you'd say the ride was fidgety and if you weren't at times it's verging on unbearable. Cat's eyes crash through the cabin and you feel every expansion strip. Make no mistake, it's so firm it sometimes makes an Audi feel compliant. Whether related or simply because the tyres were going off after a long day of abuse, our car was getting a serious wiggle on under hard braking on track too.

We'll reserve our final judgment until we've driven it on UK roads, but you'll need to be committed to drive it on a daily basis without it wearing you down. It's no wonder that Jaguar only expects to sell around 120 of them.

You'll not miss that in your mirrors

On home turf
There are other issues too. Don't get us wrong, we love it and it works well, but there's no question that some elements of the XF's interior are beginning to look and feel a bit dated in terms of the controls and layout. Most notably, the sat-nav urgently needs updating.

All of which sounds very negative, but we're glad that the XFR-S exists and that we've driven it. If nothing else, as with the limited edition XKR-S GT, it shows Jaguar's commitment to pushing the boundaries, particularly when it comes to even more driver-orientated and enthusiast-led cars. That all bodes well for the future too.

Is this XFR-S a push too far though? We certainly wouldn't criticise anyone for buying one but it would require a degree of understanding (from your other half and your osteopath) to drive every day. We never thought we'd say this, but with £14,500 left in your pocket, a standard XFR is probably the better all-rounder. We must be getting old...

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JAGUAR XFR-S
Engine: 5,000cc, V8, supercharged
Transmission: 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 550@6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 502@2,500-5,500rpm
0-62mph: 4.6sec
Top speed: 186mph (limited)
MPG: 24.4 (Combined)
CO2: 270g/km
Price: £79,995 (before options)

[AdvocatusD]

Is it just me, or is Jaguar the most exciting main stream car company at the moment?

The CX-75 and the F-type, etc. It really has risen well since the TATA takeover.