Jaguar XKR Convertible 2007 Review

Model: Jaguar XKR Convertible
Engine: 4196cc V8, dohc, 32v, s/c
Max Power: 306kW @ 6250rpm
Max Torque: 560Nm @ 4000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
0-100km/h: 5.3sec (claimed)
Price: $249,900
On sale: Now

The new Jaguar XKR Convertible is the star car from central casting. This is how big GT cars should look and behave, with a striking presence and a controlled, energetic performance wrapped in all the expected comfort and elegance demanded of a car retailing at $250K.

The latest Ian Callum-penned XK is a glorious-looking creature with great proportions and a ready-to-pounce stance. It's lighter, faster, stiffer, more comfortable, better mannered and more desirable than the model it replaces.

While the Coupe and the Convertible are identical under that pretty aluminium skin, the fixed-roof XKR owner puts a priority on performance over attentionseeking. The drop-top attracts a showier individual who likes to feel - and hear - the power as they get sunburnt.

The R is differentiated by that simple masculine mesh grille, revised bumper design, louvred bonnet, aluminium side vents, and standard-fit 20-inch Senta alloys with fat 255/35 R20 (front) and 285/30 R20 (rear) Dunlops.

More functional changes include a blower which hikes the peak power of the 4.2-litre V8 to 306kW at 6250rpm and torque to 560Nm at 4000rpm. An absence of lag and a lovely, juicy mid range is the result, best felt by a gratifying surge when you grab a lower gear and nail it to overtake. The growling four-pipe aurals are damned nice, too.

The ZF six-speed automatic gearbox is also used by Maserati and BMW, and in garden-variety Ford Falcons as well. Recalibrated for a more performance-orientated role here, the ZF melts from gear to gear in Auto mode, but becomes more urgent in Sports, banging off swift, crisp shifts via the wheel-mounted paddleshifts.

Powering through a bend, the 'box cleverly holds the selected gear, and recognises climbs and descents, reacting appropriately. No hunting. It's not quite a manual, but its refined delivery is impressive; this is a cleverly engineered performance car that excites but never perturbs the driver.

The 1730kg XKR Convertible weighs 44kg more than the Coupe (and pays the slightest penalty in acceleration), but it still boogies from rest to 100km/h in a slick-enough claimed 5.3sec. But when the throttle is used judiciously, it can return a touring highway fuel figure of around 11.5L/100km.

The R gets upgraded suspension (the front springs are 38 percent firmer, and rears 24 percent) and there's also an additional rear suspension brace to ensure the back end behaves. Its anti-roll bars are also heavier. The CATS (Computer Active Technology Suspension) two-stage damping system, with switchable stability control and traction control, has also been reworked to address the extra oomph.

The XKR comes with bigger ventilated anti-lock brakes (with black R-branded calipers) which laugh off fade, and a Servotronic steering system which the boffins have tuned mechanically and electronically to give the driver more road feel through the tiller and a sharper response. It's an improvement over the standard car and hard to fault. Only rarely during did we feel a little stutter through the steering, and then only on crappy surfaces.

Jaguar boasts that the Convertible's torsional stiffness is 16,000Nm/degree, which is more than sufficient to provide a strong platform for excellent handling, and overall, the ride/handling package is good enough to satisfy both cruisers and fangers alike.

Ride comfort on the 20-inch rubber is terrific (except on the aforementioned rough bits), and steering feedback and roadholding exceptional. Lumpy asphalt won't unsettle progress, and even with the electronics off, poise is maintained during a brisk workout. Unleash full throttle at high revs, and the grip never wavers, the ZF's paddleshift instantly grabbing the appropriate cog with a mere finger tap. It's as relaxing as a drive can be when the scenery is moving at a blur.

The Convertible XKR buyer pays a price premium of $22,000 over the Coupe for the privilege of living in the breezy, sunny, goldfish bowl. The cabin is a contemporary working environment with some traditional splashes, while the cockpit is pleasantly and thoughtfully laid out, with easy-to-use controls that don't require Mensa membership to operate.

XKR is gunning for the soft-top versions of BMW's M6, Porsche's 911 Carrera S, Aston Martin's V8 and of course Mercedes' AMG SL55. Already, the 2007 allocation of XKR Convertibles has been snapped up. Time to get in line.

The Cat that got the cream
It might be a cosy cabin but, as expected of a $250K car, the Jaguar is packed with kit, including dual-zone air-con, touch-screen sat-nav, and MP3 capability in its premium sound system. Optional Active Cruise Control is tricky, though. Comfy leather seats, with lumbar and side support, feature 10-way electronic adjustment. The now seemingly obligatory stop/start button gives a clue to the car's sporting credentials, as do the supercharged-inscribed bonnet gills that vent the blown 4.2-litre V8. To help keep 306kW and 560Nm in check, Australian-bound XKR's come with sexy 20-inch Senta alloys that give it a masculine edge, despite its drop-top sunny demeanour.

Jaguar ruled out a voguish folding metal hardtop on "aesthetic grounds". We're not sure that argument holds up against the folding hardtops of Merc and BMW. Still, the fabric roof does its stuff in just 18 sec, stowing beneath an aluminium tonneau.

This third-gen 4.2-litre V8 gets an Eaton twin-induction supercharger which lifts torque by 36 percent, and improves the power-to-weight ratio by a handy 34 percent over the regular atmo XK. This increase over the last XKR can be attributed to a Variable Inlet Camshaft Timing (VICT) system.

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