Jaguar XKR 75

By John Barker

June 2010

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It’s Jaguar’s 75th birthday, and a few lucky owners will get a special present: a limited-edition XKR complete with more power and the sportiest chassis yet.

The XKR 75 makes its debut at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Production is restricted to 75 examples, and even from a distance, it looks as if it means business.

The 75 sits lower than a regular XKR, on stiffer suspension, but appears even more ground-hugging, thanks to its bodykit. This adds a lower front splitter, sill extensions, a neat tail spoiler and 20-inch diamond-cut alloys. All the shiny chrome is black, and the Stratus Grey paint can be adorned with the silver graphics on our car’s wings as an option.

Fire it up, and the newcomer sounds as good as it looks. The supercharged 5.0-litre V8 now produces 523bhp – up by 20bhp – and comes with a new exhaust that adds a wicked, rasping edge to the deep-chested V8. Inside, the XKR 75 gets a combination of piano black trim, dark leather and a midnight black headlining.

As soon as you pull away, you can sense this XK’s steely demeanour. Around town, the suspension relays more detail of the road surface, and the steering has more weight, too. Yet the Jag is as cosseting as ever; the suspension is compliant and the six-speed automatic gearbox is smooth and responsive.

Performance is huge, the V8 delivering a mighty push from modest revs and sustaining it to the red line. It also produces a delicious exhaust crackle when you back off. Low-speed traction is strong, helped by Jaguar’s clever electronically controlled limited slip differential, and the 4.4-second 0-60mph time is quicker than the stock XKR’s.

The top speed is limited to 174mph, as it is on the Speed Pack model. With the traction control turned off, the tail will kick wide, but it’s pretty easy to catch.

At higher speeds, though, the XKR 75 feels planted, with the precision and directness of its steering and the tautness of the suspension inspiring confidence. This slack-free feel is down to some unique suspension components which give enhanced wheel control under pressure.

Not surprisingly, the XKR 75 has posted an impressive lap time at Germany’s legendary Nürburgring circuit; 8m 01 seconds with a little traffic, so sub-eight minutes is feasible. It’s a fitting birthday celebration.