Jaguar stunned everyone at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed by showing off the immense talents of its forthcoming super-saloon, the XFR. The XFR doesn’t go on sale until early 2009, and wasn’t down to take part in any of this weekend’s Goodwood activities, so we were as surprised as the next bloke when we spotted this large, matt black cat crawling out of Goodwood’s stableyard, sounding very bassy.
The XFR is expected to be powered by a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 and produce in excess of 500bhp – this would make it Jaguar’s second most powerful production car ever after the XJ220. Forget M5 rival, this thing will put the blushers on a few supercars.
Even though the car was finished in stealth mode matt black, our pictures can still pick out some of the subtle detailing which will make this ‘R’ version stand out from the existing range. Up front, a lower, deeper front bumper gives the car an intimidating “get out my way” rear-view mirror stance, while a set of large bonnet scoops compliment the stealthily aggressive look as well as improving cooling. Walking around the back you'll find new sills, quad tail pipes and a new lip spoiler. The multispoke alloy wheels are embossed with ‘Jaguar Supercharged’.
The standard XF is already a fine handler, but extra revisions such as a wider track, re-tuned adaptive dampers, lower ride height and quicker steering rack should make this a proper driver’s car. Especially if Jaguar test driver Mike Cross’ antics are anything to go by. Cross, seemingly impervious to pressure, managed to drift the Jaguar XFR through the first corner of the Goodwood hill climb to the amazement of 40,000 gawping spectators.
The XFR may have four doors but this is a thoroughbred sports car, so don’t expect any partial hybrid technology like BMW’s Efficient Dynamcis Technology. That said, a diesel hybrid version of the XF isn’t out of the question for 2011. According to Mick Mohan, the XF’s chief programme engineer “there are a lot of avenues we’re investigating and we’re investing heavily in green technology with Land Rover to consider the options”.
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