When you talk of the supergods of super cars, Porsche and Lamborghini spring to your mind. But hang on, isn’t there the big brother of speed, Jaguar as well? In the rush of 911s and Gallardos, the good old XKR is almost forgotten. But not quite, as we fall in love with the 2007 XKR all over again.
THE BEGINNING
The XK series was introduced in 1997 as a replacement of the till-then Jag flagship, XJS. It went through an upgrade in 2005 when the more efficient Jaguar AJ-V8 engine was introduced. The XK8 and XKR were a mere 290 and 370 bhp respectively till then. Did we say ‘mere’? Let’s explain why, in a minute. The ‘07 XKR
Feast your eyes on the speedster on this page. It is already considered as one of the future design classics, but that’s not really surprising since the Jaguar design team had a great starting point. The sleek likes of the original XK and E-type sports cars, from which the XKR was developed, were matched with classic Jaguar silhouette making it the perfect blend of grace and sporty. The crouching, swept-back look of the headlights suggest the car is almost ready to take off… in a most Jaguar-like way.The new bonded and riveted aluminum body is rigid yet light structure. Unique front bumper, aluminum-finish grilles and bonnet louvers, self-levelling xenon headlights, option of 19 and 20 inch alloy wheels and the quad-exhaust system all go into making the XKR the stunner it is. And if you really want to cash in on all the second glances you will get on the road, fold in the top in just 18 seconds. The top is conventional cloth, but with the XKR, the car’s looks are best appreciated top down.Inside it is all aluminum and leather. The interiors are all driver centric with sports seat, easy-to-decipher touch screen to manage radio, navigation system and a host of car settings. There is also the ingenious PDBS (Pedestrian Deployable Bonnet System) that detect if a pedestrian has been hit and triggers two pyrotechnical charges instantly to lift the bonnet. This increases the space between the engine bay and the head of the pedestrian which hits the bonnet. Almost like a metallic, exterior air bag.NO JUST LOOKS
The Jags first made news for their to-die-for looks, while the German Porsche or Italian Lamborghini were more about taming the roads with power. The 2007 XKR finally comes of age to give a comparable if not better ride than a 911 or Gallardo.At 420 bhp, the XKR has massive reserves of power right from start up. The 4.2 liter AJ-V8 engine, with its 413 Nm @ 4000 rpm of torque is capable of rocketing the car from 0-100 kmph in just 4.9 seconds and then onto an electronically limited speed of 250 kmph. Then there is the beauty of using the Jaguar Sequential Shift, which perfectly combines the feel and involvement of a manual gearshift with the convenience of an automatic. All you have to do to shift is touch a paddle on the steering wheel and a gear lever gets activated. LOVE AT EVERY SIGHT
At nearly a crore of rupees, the Jag XKR as a vehicl s a treasure. But price has always mattered little for those with the means and love of sports cars. The latest XKR especially is a worthy dream car, what with most of Jag’s classic faults set to rest. Go ahead and feast your eyes!
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