Vehicle Review: The 2011 Jaguar XK-R

This weekend gave me the opportunity to drive one of the most wonderful cars of my life. In fact, as I write this I am experiencing a twinge of withdrawal from a car so amazing that giving up the key took a concerted effort. What car do you ask? Why, the 2011 Jaguar XK-R.

Getting into the Jaguar isn’t like other cars. Open the door and you will find an interior that screams luxury, with suede headliner, hand stitched leather seats that are both heated and cooled, as well as a dash that looks like it is out of a sci-fi movie.

That isn’t where it ends either. When you get in the car, the start engine button is glowing red, blinking in a way that resembles a heartbeat. Simply put your foot on the gas, and all of those luxury features are completely forgotten as all 510 horses of the supercharged V8 roar to life. I have to be honest, having driven Porsche 911s and Maserati GranTurismos, I still assert that there is no sound quite like the XKR. 

Thankfully, that sound represents enormous amounts of power. Enough power in fact to rocket the XKR to 60 mph in just 4 seconds. That’s less than the amount of time it takes to read this sentence. Even with all of those numbers on a page, it is still difficult to convey just how epically fast this car really is. 

Then there is the handling. The car is so crisp, so easy to drive, that it makes everyone who drives it feel like they can be the next Sir Sterling Moss, or Michael Schumacher. It takes the bends with authority, and didn’t feel like there was a moment when it didn’t have it all under control.

It’s also good that the car is outfitted with lots of creature comforts too, because the car is literally so ready for high speeds that normal traffic makes the car feel like it is barely moving. So in traffic, the iPod integration, Bowers& Wilkins stereo, and air conditioned seats made driving this car very pleasant.

So in conclusion the XKR is comfortable, handles well, and is unbelievably fast. That is just what you would come to expect from the most high performance version of the Jaguar sports coupe.