ROADTEST: 2014 Jaguar XKR

[Jaguar Owners Club]

The Jaguar line-up includes just four models: the brand new F-Type, the sumptuous XF and XJ sedans, and the sporty XK. The latter first appeared on the market in 2007, which makes eight years now. Eight years in the life of a car is like 80 human years.

But life doesn’t end at 80! Heck, these days being 80 isn’t like it used to be. Fifty years ago, the few 80-year olds out there were old geezers. Today, many octogenarians lead very active lives. For various reasons, we’re aging better. The Jaguar XK is one of those 80-year olds whose heart and legs remain solid. Even more so than a lot of youngsters...

You’re either a pro or you’re not
The Jaguar XK still turns heads and garners thumbs-up of approval. Just imagine its brawnier version, the XKR. There’s even an XKR-S and, for five lucky (and rich) Canadians, an XKR-S GT. We recently had the opportunity to test drive an XKR. We tested the same model for a week in 2010 and we were curious to know if time had taken its usual toll on it.

I must say that the last three years have been less kind to my body than they have to the XKR. Life is so unfair! In fact, this lovely English car is showing its age primarily in the passenger compartment. Sure, it’s top-notch in terms of luxury, quality of materials, and assembly in general. However, since it arrived in 2007, the central console has lost its traditional shifter in favour of a very modern drive selector that disappears as soon as you cut the engine, like on all current Jaguars. People always get a kick out of that – as long as it works. Personally, I never had the slightest problem with this drive selector on any of the Jaguars I have tested but, knowing the English brand’s (now owned by Indian manufacturer Tata) poor reputation for reliability, questioning this system’s durability is completely justifiable.

Compared to the version tested almost four years ago, the car has gained a factory-standard rear camera. Although the audio system and communication centre of the center screen don’t seem to have evolved in terms of design, I cursed much less while using it this time around. Since the menus haven’t been improved, my ability to understand them must have. Some buttons and levers located on the steering column are reminiscent of the sad era when Ford owned the brand.

The grocery bags strike back
The front seats prove very comfortable. On the other hand, the back seats are fit only for grocery bags – and preferably those that aren’t ones to complain. Surprisingly, the trunk is reasonably large. Not for a set of golf clubs, but sufficient for the grocery bags that you’re unable to put on the back seats. And if you think that Jaguar has hit rock bottom in terms of back seats, remember that there’s an even less agreeable convertible, too.

Pleasure you can hear
Nothing’s changed with the engine for years. The XKR has a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 that produces 510 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 461 lbs.-ft. of torque at 2,500 rpm. With numbers like that, it goes without saying that there’s a lot of available power lurking just underneath your right foot. The roar of the V8 in flat-out acceleration is pure pleasure, but making your ears happy has a direct effect on the wallet. Even with proponents of Sunday driving, the V8 easily averages 11.5 L/100 km, so you can imagine what happens when you aren’t careful. At the end of our week-long test drive, our XKR had consumed 14.2 L/100 km, which is within two-tenths of what we recorded in 2010. As you’d suspect, this isn’t the type of Englishman that likes common 87-octane beer. No sirree! It runs on 91-octane scotch!

With only six speeds, the automatic transmission is starting to get outdated. Today, in a car class that includes the Porsche 911, BMW 6 Series and Mercedes-Benz SL, at least seven speeds are a must. Like the other versions, it comes with rear-wheel drive. It’s possible to deactivate all of the driving aides to have some fun fishtailing and creating a big white cloud of smoke that smells like burnt rubber. That’s what I’ve been told, anyway...

Taming a cat is not as easy as it sounds
Because of its feline name, the Jaguar is often compared to a cat. As everyone knows, a cat has two sides to its personality: one that likes its daily dose of petting, and the other that sends its master packing. In comfort mode, the suspension isn’t too bothersome, though it’s a far cry from the immense XJ sedan. The seats are extremely supportive, which means the occupants (it goes without saying that I mean those in front) can go on long rides without any problem. Visibility is surprisingly good, except in back, of course. The steering is lively and offers good feedback from the road. Saying the handling is safe would be an understatement. You’ll be shocked at how you’ll be able to take corners faster and faster without breaking a sweat. The electronic differential does an extraordinary job of always transmitting maximum power to the road without sacrificing grip.

Even the most docile cat has a mean streak. Select Sport mode and you’ll see what I mean. At 100 km/h, the engine goes from 1,800 to 3,000 rpm, the transmission becomes entirely manual and the rear wheels want nothing more than to sprint off into the sunset. And that can only be done on a race track or at a safe location.

The Jaguar XK is due for an update. Let’s hope that the next generation will be less expensive (ours sells for a whopping $111,000!), offers usable back seats and more fuel-efficient engines. In the meantime, the XKR remains an extremely attractive car that, at 80 years old, still has a lot to offer.

Evaluation Test model 2014 Jaguar XK Trim level R Coupe Price range $98,625 - $179,000 Price as tested $109,125 Warranty (basic) 4 years / 80,000 km Warranty (powertrain) 5 years / 80,000 km Fuel economy (city/highway/observed) 13.9     / 9.2     / 14.2     l/100km Options N/A Competitive models Aston Martin Vantage, BMW Série 6, Chevrolet Corvette, Mercedes-Benz Classe SL, Porsche 911 Strong points

• A work of art on wheels
• Guaranteed luxury
• Superior performance
• Exquisite sound in acceleration
• Solid handling

Weak points

• High fuel consumption (super only)
• Poor resale value
• Insulting back seats
• Expensive
• Unproven reliability

Fuel consumption     If you’re worried about fuel consumption, buy yourself a Prius. Value for price     Worrisome resale value and reliability. But what do we care? Styling     Only the Jaguar F-Type is nicer-looking. Comfort     Surprising for such a dynamic car. Performance     Fantastic! Overall     We don’t like it, we love it!