Skip advert
Advertisement

Jaguar XKR-S

XKR-S supercoupé takes the big cat into Aston Martin territory, and we put it through its paces

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Find your Jaguar XKR
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Jaguar has produced a coupé with the pace of an Aston V12 Vantage and the agility of a hot hatch, while retaining the luxurious refinement of the standard XKR. It’s an incredible achievement. It could be more hardcore, but by adding a dose more driver appeal to the XKR package, the firm has created its best performance model for years. It’s not cheap, but few rivals at this price can touch it.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Two hundred miles per hour. They might not openly admit it, but talk to the men behind the new Jaguar XKR-S, and if the 
most powerful big cat since 
the XJ220 wasn’t electronically limited to 186mph, it would 
be knocking on the door of 
that magic speed barrier. And having driven it, we can reveal it wouldn’t need much road to do so.

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_narrow","fid":"69329","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image"}}]]

The XKR-S is billed as the 
fastest, most driver-focused Jaguar ever made (excluding 
the XJ220), so it has some responsibility resting on its shoulders. Can it do almost 
everything a Ferrari 599 GTB 
can do, but for over £100,000 less? Or is it simply a faster 
version of the XKR? Auto Express took a test drive to find out.  

The Coventry firm showed there was even more potential 
in the supercharged XKR when 
it produced the limited-edition XKR-75 last year – but this car turns things up a notch. Every XKR-S appears ready for a 
punch-up, and our metallic 
black example looked about 
as menacing as Jaguars get. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Crossland

2022 Vauxhall

Crossland

9,396 milesManualPetrol1.2L

Cash £15,122
View Crossland
Civic

2021 Honda

Civic

41,524 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £12,536
View Civic
Focus

2017 Ford

Focus

39,707 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £7,991
View Focus
Yaris Hybrid

2025 Toyota

Yaris Hybrid

21,679 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £16,354
View Yaris Hybrid

Tweaks to the exterior 
start with a fresh nose, which incorporates twin air scoops above the grille, plus a deeper spoiler. Wider wheelarches, extended side sills, a carbon 
fibre rear wing and quad exhausts poking out of a new diffuser give the XKR-S incredible aggression.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Adding to this are LED daytime 
running lights, new tail-lamps, a host of R-S badges and 20-inch Vulcan alloys. All this isn’t simply to turn heads on the high street, though; the spoilers and skirts help reduce lift by 26 per cent. 

That’s important when you consider the mighty 5.0-litre supercharged V8. A standard 
XKR boasts 503bhp, the limited-edition XKR-75 had 523bhp, but this version gets 542bhp thanks to improved fuelling, a revised ECU and a new exhaust system. 

On paper, it means 0-60mph 
in 4.2 seconds (four-tenths faster than a standard XKR), 0-100mph in 8.7 seconds and a top speed of 186mph. That’s enough to 
out-accelerate a £109,995 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, a £135,760 Bentley Continental GT and a £179,022 Aston Martin DBS. And it’s nearly enough punch to knock out even more expensive supercars from Ferrari and Lamborghini. 

What’s it like on the road? Slide into the luxurious sports seats – which feature neat embossed R-S badges in the 
integrated headrests and extra side bolsters – and you’ll be met by a classy cabin that’s subtle 
yet beautifully made. Thumb the starter button, and the V8 roars into life, but as you pull away 
it settles to a hush and the 
six-speed automatic gearbox shuffles the ratios smoothly.  

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Even though the suspension has been lowered by 10mm, and the springs are stiffer all-round, the ride barely feels any firmer than the standard XKR’s. Indeed, with refined motorway manners, the XKR-S is still every inch a grand tourer. Floor the throttle, though, and all hell breaks loose. With 680Nm of torque, the big V8 throws the 1,753kg coupé at the horizon, and as the rev counter sweeps past 4,000rpm, the soundtrack has a harder edge than any XKR before it. You can hear some supercharger whine, but it’s drowned out by a race track-style V8 roar, accompanied by some wonderful pops and bangs when you lift off.

Slick changes from the six-speed box ensure the XKR-S just piles on speed. Third and fourth gears prove the real party trick ratios, boasting such flexibility and seemingly endless, Airbus A380-style acceleration. 

But the newcomer isn’t only rapid in a straight line. “This is a car that will transport you to the Nürburgring and then complete 
a sub-eight-minute lap,” said the man who’s done just that, chief chassis engineer Mike Cross. 

Changes to the suspension include new aluminium steering knuckles to increase precision, revised rear geometry and an updated Active Differential and Adaptive Damping system. 

The result is increased steering urgency, sensational damping at high speeds and brilliant body control. The chassis balance is beautiful and adjustable – with so much power, it’s easy to arouse the traction control, but set the XKR-S to Track mode and you can slide the rear within a reasonable safety net. It’s hilariously good fun, and full of character. 

The car doesn’t feel quite as keyed into a bend as a Porsche 911 GT3, but few rivals are as fast and capable. A Mercedes SL63 AMG, for example, just isn’t as involving. And there’s always the knowledge that if it was let fully off the leash, the XKR-S would be a proper 200mph car.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,255Avg. savings £1,848 off RRP*Used from £7,649
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £2,233 off RRP*Used from £12,420
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,495Avg. savings £1,831 off RRP*Used from £15,519
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £2,911 off RRP*Used from £16,700
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025