When his Lordship must be there promptly.
It’s been a good four years since we last saw a Jaguar XJR, with the last outing of the high-performance nameplate back in 2013 at the New York International Autoshow. The 404kW/680Nm British uber-limo was described by Autocar as being “devastatingly rapid” and “thoroughly gratifying to drive.” Now though, there appears to be a new one.
The Jaguar XJ was facelifted last year to bring it more in line with the very latest crop of Coventry cats, and while it’s still easily distinguishable from the rest of the range (that sleek roofline is unmistakable), its fascia is now much more corporate than revolutionary. It’s matured, like wine. So it’s only natural that the XJR sees a facelift too (immediately apparent from the front-on shot), though the changes to the performance flagship is far more exciting under the skin.
Though it’s wearing camouflage, the camo does little to hide what resides under the bonnet. While still a V8, we hazard a guess that it now packs the same engine as the one found in the nose of the F-Type SVR. It’s definitely an educated guess, thanks to the smattering of ‘575’ numerals all over the place. Should it pack the same engine as the aforementioned F-Type, the engine employed ought to offer an eye-watering 423kW and 700Nm from 5.0-litres of supercharged V8 goodness. This will slingshot the XJR right into contention against cars like the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG and Audi S8, in a rarefied category of super-fast high-luxury limousines.
And like its contemporaries, the XJR isn’t expected to scrimp on luxury, quite unlike the XE SV Project 8 that Jaguar also brought to Goodwood. Where the Project 8 bins just about everything in the name of speed and performance, the XJR will take a far more refined approach, offering about all the creature comforts one might desire. High-speed meets high-luxury, exactly how his Lordship likes it.
The Jaguar XJR is slated for launch before the end of the year, with those close to the company suggesting a Q3 introduction. While there’s been no official word about its availability on our shores, it’s unlikely not to make it, and will probably sport a retail price on the wrong end of $300,000 (before ORCs).
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