2011 Jaguar XKR-S 5.0L SC 6AT (550 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Based on the experience with the previous 2008 XKR-S, Jaguar considered introducing an S version for the facelifted version of this car’s second generation, and the result was impressive.

The XKR-S came in the grueling times of the world financial crisis when economies around the world slowly moved up a bit. But there was still room to grow in the luxury-performance car market, so the British automaker took advantage of that. It took the regular XKR and enhanced its performance without sacrificing the luxurious interior, transforming the majestic go-fast GT into a vehicle that could feel at home both on a race track and in front of the Opera House.

Outside, the car impressed with its meaner look. At the front, it featured a piano-black mesh grille where the Jaguar’s silver badge took center stage. Above it, the automaker placed a pair of air intakes that helped cool the engine, while below it, under the apron, it installed a carbon-fiber splitter that enhanced the car’s look. The headlights featured arrow-style LED daytime running lights on their outer sides.

From its profile, the XKR-S showed customers that this was no regular XKR since it featured black trims around the windows line instead of the chromed ones installed on the non-S version. The large 20-inch alloy wheels with a six double-spoke design were wrapped in high-performance tiers and let bystanders see the red brake calipers. Like the previous XKR-S from 2008, the new version came with a lowered ground clearance and new side sills made from carbon fiber. Out back, instead of the ducktail installed on the regular XKR, the high-performance version came with a wing that increased downforce on the rear axle. On the lower side of the bumper, Jaguar installed a carbon-fiber diffuser that integrated the quad-exhaust system with a growling sound.

Inside, the automaker installed sports seats with integrated headrests with a race-inspired design. The leather-wrapped interior was luxurious, and the automaker installed dark aluminum trims on the dashboard, with an R-S badging in front of the passenger. Still, the center console housed the same rotary dial for the automatic transmission that automatically raised when the driver started the engine.

Under the hood, Jaguar’s engineers worked on the five-liter engine to produce more power than before. They installed a Roots-type supercharger and re-mapped the injection. As a result, the mighty V8 powerplant produced 550 PS (543 hp). The six-speed automatic gearbox provided by ZF was still strong and quick for those times standards, but it wasn’t a dual-clutch system. To help the car corner faster, Jaguar also installed new dampers with stiffer settings. In the back, the axle was fitted as standard with an adaptive differential to send the maximum power to the wheel with the highest grip. Last but not least, the automaker removed the speed limiter, so the 2011 XKR-S entered into the 300 kph (186 mph) club.