The Jaguar XFR-S may be the new performance flagship of the range, but now, as part of a host of updates for 2013, you can also upgrade your standard XFR with a £2,750 Speed Pack.
As the name suggests, this will buy a new top speed, with the limiter lifted from 155mph to 174mph. That’s little use in the UK, admittedly, but there is more to the Speed Pack than that.
A new bodykit gives a more aggressive look and is claimed to aid high-speed stability, should you ever manage to get near 174mph. The new front splitter, rear diffuser and larger bootlid spoiler all help create a look that’s more befitting of the incredible performance, too.
The supercharged 5.0-litre V8 is no different to the standard XFR’s, so it boasts the same 503bhp output. What has changed – and this applies to all XFRs for 2013 – is the new eight-speed auto, which replaces the old six-speed gearbox. It shifts quickly and seamlessly, even when you take control with the steering wheel-mounted paddles, allowing you to make the most of the XFR’s mammoth amounts of torque. The 0-60mph sprint takes 4.7 seconds – the same as for the old car – but the new gearbox makes the performance more readily available. The Jaguar punches through the mid-range as soon as you put your foot down.
There are also a few changes to the Speed Pack models’ suspension, but unless you’re an absolute XFR aficionado it’s unlikely you’ll spot them. It still feels as comfortable as ever over flowing undulations, but can be caught out by the occasional deep pothole. That’s mostly due to the low-profile tyres, though.
Also new for the 2013 XFR – and not only for the Speed Pack – is stop-start. It helps improve fuel economy from 22.5mpg to 24.4mpg and cuts CO2 emissions from 292g/km to 270g/km. The system is a little jerky around town, though, so we ended up switching it off.
If you were to weigh up the benefits of the Speed Pack against its near-£3,000 price tag, you’d struggle to justify it. But, if you can afford the extra outlay, you’ll get not only an eye-catching new look for your XFR, but bragging rights over the Mercedes E63 AMG and BMW M5, too: those cars are limited to 155mph.
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......against its near-£3,000 price tag, you’d struggle to justify it. Of course you would. JLR seem to sailing extremely close to the scumbag tricks BMW foist on unsuspecting mug punters. Of all the myriad changes you herald in this article, most apply to the standard XFR - whatever that is. So for your £3,000 odd premium you get.......a further compromised suspension, and your words....."but can be caught out by the occasional deep pothole. That’s mostly due to the low-profile tyres, though". You would, of course, pay more, for less. It beggars belief that JLR would slavishly and merely follow someone else, [not a market leader though!], and try and turn an entirely respectable luxury executive express into a boy racer. Must be because 75-80% of owners drive these cars at 90%.......NOT. The XF finally became a good looking car when the front was fixed, and matched the rest of the car. The halo car in the range came with a supercharged V8. No car proliferating from this point, regardless of confusing letters in the name, went any harder or faster. JLR simply dumbed down the car with rock hard suspension, and insane rubber band tyres, that go a long way to stripping any semblance of ride comfort out of a car. What significant engineering changes were made to the suspension of the XFR or even the XFR-S to compensate for the major loss of comfort rubber band tyres bring. None I'd suggest. One might imagine the XF-R was the go-fast version of the XF, so what in heavens name is the XF-R S??? Has JLR completely lost its mind, and bottle. A landmark car of the sixties was the MkII, and confident Jaguar was not lost in the stupid name game. That car in fact came with 2 different sized engines, and Jaguar needed no more than to reflect this in the 'growler' on the grille, and boot lid. The next bigger landmark car was the XJ6.......where now is anything in their range emulating this car? They employed a genius suspension engineer [who's name eludes me - was it Jim Randle?] who had every European car maker scratching their bums in wonderment as to how they came close to perfection in the ride/handling dept. And today..... that engineer has long gone, and they got left with a mere designer who has lost the art of communication, and speaks in mumbo jumbo pseudo intellectual garbage-speak. Name?? The self aggrandising Callum. Nuff said.......