Jaguar XK and XKR-S put through their paces

Jaguar’s lithe and lovely two-door coupé has been around since 2006 and is now available in a range of trims, power outputs, convertible and trackfocused variants. Given that they are all based on the same basic chassis, transmission and engine, how big can the differences really be? We let the XK and XKR-S fight it out on the streets of the UAE to find out.

HE SAYS
Jonathan Castle is a writer, speaker and chef with petrol in his veins. He can’t decide what he loves more, cars or food, but few things get him as excited as a new car to drive.

In the red corner: 2012 XK Coupé

The new Jaguar XK Coupé comes with an aluminium-bodied design fresh from the pen of Ian Callum. Its stunning design has only improved over the years. Independence from Ford allowed Jaguar to increase the size of the engine to its current five-litre capacity, and steady refinement of the design has made it ever-more beautiful to behold.

Make no mistake, this is one of the sleekest, most elegant and accomplished shapes on the road today, and in its 2012 form it looks even better. New brightwork in the chromed mesh radiator grille and surrounding the reshaped lower air intakes highlight the improved face, and chrome accents on the wings and the exhaust tips provide further visual delight. This is a shape you can gaze at for hours, every curve is sinewy and essential, not a line or a detail is out of place.

Our car was finished in a particularly attractive shade of deep metallic red, which glowed beautifully in the setting sun and accentuated every voluptuous curve. The mesmerising effect was completed by the fitment of 20" Kalimnos alloy wheels, which filled the wheel arches with real menace.

However, don't for a minute imagine that this car is all about the looks and not performance. Lets start with the figures. Underneath that lightweight aluminium bonnet is a full-size five-litre V8 in normally aspirated form, producing an ample 385bhp and 515Nm of torque. For a car that weighs just a shade over 1,700 kilos, this is plenty, providing instant acceleration and relaxed fuel-efficient cruising as the mood takes you. Drive goes through a six-speed automatic gearbox to the rear wheels, although you have the option of shifting by paddles mounted behind the wheel, should you feel like driving around a bit more enthusiastically.

If you choose to do so, you will be amply rewarded. Light weight means both rapid acceleration (0-100pkph in just 5.2 seconds), but equally important, rapid changes of direction. Lower weight means higher cornering speeds and better response to your input through the wheel, and it is here that the XK particularly excels. Grip is phenomenal thanks to the wide and low-profile tyres, the steering light, pure and responsive, untroubled by the weight and complications of four-wheel drive systems often favoured by other manufacturers.

But what really defines the XK experience is its ride quality. Despite its large rims and low-profile tyres, the XK rides like an executive saloon thanks to the Adaptive Dynamics handling package. This manages to reconcile the twin desires of handling precision and driving comfort by the use of continuously variable shock absorbers. These succeed in filtering out harsh intrusions from the road surface and yet eliminate body roll through the bends. The result is a car that glides serenely over the road, dismisses bends with disdain and delivers you to your destination relaxed, refreshed, and somewhat earlier than you expect.

Verdict: The Jaguar XK succeeds not so much because it offers an engaging and satisfying drive; an accomplished and luxurious grand tourer that's blessed with all the throttle response and dynamic ability you could wish for. The fact that it also happens to be one of the most beautiful cars Jaguar has ever made is simply a bonus, something you will thank yourself for every time you approach it with the keys.

Vital stats

• Jaguar XK – twodoor four-seat coupé, from Dh319,000
• Engine 5 litres, V8, normally aspirated
• Power 385 bhp, 515 Nm torque
• Performance 0-100kph 5.2 secs, 250kph top speed
• Transmission sixspeed automatic, RWD

SHE SAYS
Jonathan’s wife, Susan, is a corporate coach who, having started driving when she was just 11 years old, shares her husband’s passion for cars.

In the blue corner: Jaguar XKR-S

In my book, if you're going to do something, you've got to do it properly or not at all. I say, leave the space to the Jaguar XJ and the grace to the XF. The XK should be all about pace and if that's what you want, then this model has got to be the quickest Jaguar ever. The fact that the XKR-S it is the most responsive and driver-focused as well, is all the bonus I need.

From the moment you set eyes on it, you know what its purpose is. Speed. The body is a riot of bulges, intakes and grilles. The large fixed rear wing completes the amped-up look, just managing to stay on the right side of the line between purpose and ludicrousness

Everywhere there are gaping, gulping inlets, cooling ducts for the brakes, inlets under the edge of the bonnet and a pair of slots either side of the central power bulge to allow heat to escape. Interestingly, all of these aerodynamic addenda actually work - lift at high speeds is reduced by 25 per cent, for stable progress.

The whole car rides 10mm lower and sits on lovely 20" Vulcan-forged alloy wheels with a lovely dark grey technical finish. Our car was painted an eye-popping French racing blue, but all the details were black, black, black. The black and blue theme continues inside, with neat blue piping on the black leather sports seats, and blue stitching highlighting the leather trim throughout the cabin. Inside, there is a 8.5" SatNav display with clever Dual View technology. Whilst the driver is presented with navigation, the passenger can see an entirely different image, even watch a DVD if they want. The rest of the interior is all exquisitely built, and the Bowers & Wilkins stereo is amazing.

Start the S up, and the first thing that strikes you is the noise. Literally. Jaguar calls it a ‘performance active exhaust, delivering an authentic, race-car inspired soundtrack'. I call it loud, but it does suit the outspoken nature of the car.

This is not a wallflower of a car, but it is one that you can actually drive and live with every day. That's part of the fun. It's perfectly comfortable purring along Dubai's roads, attracting attention as you go. The other part is that the XKR-S is also breathtakingly fast, so much so that I doubt I will ever get even close to exploring the limits of its abilities.

But it's a car in which you can stretch yourself, because it is so beautifully weighted and controlled. Going fast in safety is just so effortless and easy, so you're always in control. That's one of the things I loved about the XKR-S, the fact that at the sort of speeds that would be on the limit for a lot of cars, were well within this car's envelope, and yet, there is a much wider margin of safety and control around you. But you don't have to drive it fast, because you know exactly what it's capable of.

Verdict: Absolutely awesomely gorgeous, hooligan car. I loved the fact that you could drive it as fast or as slow as you wanted, and that it made me a better driver. The perfect combination of style and performance, this car is as much at home on a race track as it is on a leisurely weekend supermarket run.

Vital stats

• Jaguar XKR-S – two-door fourseat coupé, from Dh599,000
• Engine 5 litres, V8, supercharged
• Power 550 bhp, 680 Nm torque
• Performance 0-100kph 4.2 secs, 300kph top speed
• Transmission six speed automatic