Tuesday 6th March 2007

Jaguar updates the XKR

Portfolio edition gets uprated brakes, stereo and interior

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Jaguar XKR Portfolio

Jaguar hasn't wasted any time in coming up with a special edition of the XKR -- it's come up with a special edition called the Portfolio. It features bigger brakes and some visual external tweaks, along with upgraded materials in the cabin and a better sound system.

In addition to the XKR's standard features, it come only in black and the 20-inch polished Cremona five-spoke alloy wheels, normally an option, are standard.

And bigger wheels allow for bigger brakes, so it now gets 400mm grooved Alcon discs with R-branded six-pot calipers at the front and 350mm grooved discs gripped by four-pot calipers at the rear.

Inside, aluminium veneer is standard along with a new alloy and leather gearshift selector, soft-grab door handles, contrast stitching throughout the cabin, leather-edged mats with a Jaguar logo and special plates on the sills. The interior also gets soft grain leather with seats in either grey with cream contrast stitching or vice versa.

The stereo's better too. Hi-fi speaker vendor B&W's been co-opted to develop a speaker system to handle the 525W audio system's Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound. It's come up with high-output, low-distortion Kevlar mid-range speakers and specially designed aluminium-dome tweeters for improved mid-range and high-frequency responses.

The Jaguar XKR Portfolio special edition is available to order from the end of March 2007 with deliveries expected later in the summer.

[Florian]

Looks very elegant. Well done.
Did you notice the old school jaguar logo on the wheels?

[qube_TA]

Looks lovely.

[Lord-Flasheart]

qube_TA said:

Looks lovely.

Seconded

Edited by Lord-Flasheart on Tuesday 6th March 13:21

[Oddball RS]

Proper none drilled discs..................

Wheels look a bit Halfordy though

[jayjoejones]

Anyone know where I can find performance figures for the coupe?

[a8hex]

jayjoejones said:

Anyone know where I can find performance figures for the coupe?

I don't think Jaguar are allowed to tell anyone the performance figures until after Ford sell off Aston Martin.

[steelej]

The performance figures are identical to the current XKR coupe. This is just a special edition with loads of currently available extras with a couple of specials, no real substance to any of the changes.

John.

[Fezant Pluckah]

Gorgeous - unlike the TV adverts

[red997]

have any of you driven one ?
I have - today;
not the additional spec version, obviously !
very nice - almost fell asleep driving it....

strangely, it seems to come alive & drive much better when you push it hard - loafing around town it nearly made me travel sick !

[steelej]

Mine will be here in around 4 weeks Loved it, great balance between comfort(as you found out ) and performance.

John.

[triple7]

All this should have been on the car in the first place!

Jag seem to be doing a continious running make over on the thing already, what with the first face lift due soon without that aerial!

Next will be a far better interior, I hope................

[steelej]

There's nothing really special on this particular car, a bit of chrome some stitching and a paint job, it's just a bit of Marketing, the car I'll receive in 4 weeks is better specc'd than this special edition...

John.

[fwdracer]

steelej said:

There's nothing really special on this particular car....

John.

The Brakes? 400mmm Alcon stoppers?

[steelej]

Yeah ok, the brakes are different, but the standard brakes are damn good, so wether the new brakes are worth it remains to be seen. I'm sure you'll be able to fit them to the standard XKR though if they're any good obviously as long as you have the 20" wheel option.

John.

[fwdracer]

I think the 400mm brakes will become standard production items as the XKR moves through it's product lifecycle. More HP is going to demand more stopping power

[steelej]

The problem with making the 400's standard is that Jag would also need to make the 20" wheels standard and they're currently a 1500quid option to upgrade from the standard 19" wheels.

John.

[astonboy]

those pictures look great. They've taken it a step further than the regular XKR. Looks like the chrome grille on the front has been changed to be a different, more aggressive looking grille. The red calipers make it look more sporty. The better brakes should make a difference, particularly on a track - better brakes, lower stopping distances - faster times.

If I'd just ordered a standard model, I'd be changing it to one of these.

[steelej]

astonboy said:

those pictures look great. They've taken it a step further than the regular XKR. Looks like the chrome grille on the front has been changed to be a different, more aggressive looking grille. The red calipers make it look more sporty. The better brakes should make a difference, particularly on a track - better brakes, lower stopping distances - faster times.

If I'd just ordered a standard model, I'd be changing it to one of these.

Good thing you've not just ordered a standard model then, eh Jimmy

John.

[shakennotstirred]

I'd have to side with astonboy and the others on this one. Definitely an improvement on the standard car, with options that should make it more of a sports car proposition (rather that putting on useless stuff like parking sensors etc.) And it does look special.

That being said, what are Jaguar marketing up to? A few months after launch, first cars just being delivered, then releasing a special edition - usually reserved for when you're desperate to generate sales. What next? A facelift in a couple of months? Hardly what you want to see if you've just ordered one of these.

Come on Jaguar, it's hardly befitting of the class of car that you're aiming this to be. Could you see this happening with the baby Aston?

Edited by shakennotstirred on Friday 9th March 15:47

[kryten22uk]

I cant see how this is an "improvement" on the current model? Everything of any substance is spec'able on the current model (like the wheels, the colour, the alumin, the front grille, soft grain leather, Dolby Prologic stereo). Other than the contrast stitching, the rest is pointless (new floor mats and interior door handles, whoopee!)