jaguar xjr

FIRST DRIVE REVIEW

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2014 Jaguar XJR

The most sporting luxury flagship gets even more power.

So, absent since the current-generation XJ debuted, the XJR is back—because what’s a flagship performance subbrand without a flagship? The XJR’s supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 is cranked up from a previous high of 510 horsepower in the XJ Supersport—which will disappear when the XJR goes on sale—to 550. Torque increases from 461 lb-ft to 502. Both figures nicely square up against this car’s competitors—except for the totally gonzo Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG. This being a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8, the changes necessary to realize such gains amount to a little bit of ECU tweaking. The fruit of those tweaks travels to the rear tires through the same eight-speed automatic transmission as found in other XJs, although the electronically controlled differential gets minor programming changes to suit the fiercer character of the XJR.

The standard XJ already is the sportiest of the full-size luxury pack, but the R sees its springs and adaptive dampers firmed up by 30 percent and its steering fine-tuned for a sportier feel. Executive-class rockets typically don’t get very ostentatious with their exterior decorating, and neither does the XJR. A unique front fascia, rocker panels, and a lip spoiler are the extent of its bedazzlement. Inside, the only major difference from less-powerful XJs is the sport buckets for the driver and passenger.

Blah Blah Blah . . . What’s It Like to Drive?

Arguably, there’s no better venue to reflect on Jaguar’s performance image than a race track. So it was off to Seattle’s challenging new Ridge Motorsports Park to see if the hardware in the 550-hp, near-4500-pound sedan could hold up its end. The XJR’s all-aluminum construction keeps it light for this class—lighter, in fact, than the XFR that sits below it in Jaguar’s lineup. At the track, we found that even the long-wheelbase XJR felt fantastically responsive and nimble, the lengthy span between front and rear axles endowing it with superb stability at all speeds. With steering that was weighty and immediate and brakes that placed uncommon strain on optic nerves, it became obvious the chassis was developed with track use in mind. While the XJR’s tailpipes didn’t emit the raspy bark of the XFR (or, for that matter, the F-type roadster), the flagship sedan’s exhausts had sufficient growl to turn the heads of bystanders.

We’ve previously clocked a 510-horse XJ Supersport to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds; the R should stop the clock at four flat. Meanwhile, back in the XJR, we were reaching north of 145 mph at the end of the track’s roughly half-mile straight.

Finally, Some Character

Cars in this class are almost antagonizing in their perfection. The Audi S8 and outgoing Mercedes S63 AMG excel at seemingly every last small detail. The XJR, however, avoids fussiness and makes an emotional appeal. It engages the driver with abundant personality. Yes, there are quirks: the XJR’s steering borders on twitchy, the ride is less silky, and the ZF eight-speed’s downshifts can stumble a bit in Normal mode (but they tighten up in Sport mode). Still, the Jag feels focused, its purpose helping it to show a little swagger in the face of the German overachievers. That said, those overachievers’ smoother rides would probably make one of them our preference if we had to drive over our nation’s tortured roads tomorrow to, say, Oklahoma. But if we could pick the route and maybe find a few side roads with which to exercise this car’s charms, we’d be leaning toward the Jag.