Jaguar XJR 1998

A road going luxury rocket. That is the best way to describe the Jaguar XJR. Using the same all-aluminum 4.0-litre dohc powerplant of the XK8 plus an Eaton M112 supercharger and twin air-to-liquid intercoolers increases the output by 80 horsepower and 97 lb-ft over the aforementioned car. At just 1600 rpm the XJR is making more torque than the XK8's normally aspirated engine at its peak. Coupled with a five-speed automatic tranny purchased from Mercedes-Benz that provides the Jaguar with a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds and a 1/4 mile trap speed well into the 100's, this bad-ass cat is more suited to tuned competitors such as the Mercedes E55 AMG and BMW M5. And its price shows too. The XJR is a full $14,000 more expensive than its nearest seemingly obvious competitor, the BMW 540i. No wonder either, don't look now but the XJR just out braked, slalomed and accelerated the Bimmer.Compared with the M5 and E55 AMG, however, the tables change. Suddenly the prices are more evenly matched and the two Germans manage to easily out-perform the Coventry cat. On the inside a handcrafted interior and abundant Connolly leather make up for its tight rear quarters, as the interior can be quite "cozy" even for groups of four over longer distances. No matter, with God's own torque curve and a graceful design which is unmistakably Jaguar, the XJR is a premium worth paying for. - by Traian Popescu

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