Jaguar XKR (2006 – 2015) Review

Jaguar XKR (2006 – 2015) At A Glance

4/5

+Understated yet purposeful styling. Stunning performance from supercharged V8. Amazingly quick yet refined. XKR-S takes it into another league.

-Only comes with an automatic gearbox. Other high performance sports cars are more driver focussed.

Insurance Groups are between 48–50
On average it achieves 95% of the official MPG figure

Sitting at the top of the Jaguar performance range is the thunderous XKR - the supercharged version of the standard XK. It really is a very special car with stunning performance, great muscular looks and an elegant interior. As feelgood factor cars go - the XKR is right up there with the best - this is a car that always makes you feel special every time you get behind the wheel.

Much of that feel comes from the superb interior with its high-quality craftmanship feel and stylish design. It's incredibly refined and that translates to the rest of the car. Power comes from a supercharged V8 engine which was originally a 4.2-litre with 420PS but as if that wasn't enough, it was upgraded to a new 5.0-litre unit in March 2009 when the XKR was revised.

This larger engine delivers an astonishing 510PS along with a hefty 625Nm of torque so it's no surprise that 0-60mph comes up in just 4.6 seconds. The engine sounds great too with a deep V8 growl accompanying acceleration, but it's the effortless way the XKR builds speed which is most impressive.

It handles superbly as you'd expect, with great poise and precision. It's quite large for a two-seater sports car, most of it accounted for by the large bonnet, but in corners it feels incredibly nimble with immense grip. The only slight letdown is the steering which could do with more feel, but this doesn't detract from what is a great performance car. It's also equally at home on the motorway where it cruises smoothly, or even in traffic where it's docile and easy to drive.

The XKR is available as a Coupe or a Convertible, allowing you to enjoy that great engine noise even more. The Convertible hood is incredibly well insulated, so much so that with it up, you'll easily forget you're in a soft-top. Other changes in 2009 saw the interior upgraded, including the trademark JaguarDrive Selector - the dial gear lever control which rises out of the central console - another wonderful touch.

And in August 2010, Jaguar introduced Speed Pack for the XKR. This removes the 155mph maximum speed limit, allowing the XKR to an electronically controlled speed of 174mph. That's unlikely to be much use (especially in the UK) but the pack does include styling extras and the choice of unique colours, allowing you to make your XKR really stand out, as our pictures show.

However the ultimate model is the XKR-S which was launched in 2011. With 550PS and a 0-60mph time of just 4.2 seconds there's no doubting its thunderous performance.

Jaguar XK and XKR 2009 Road Test and Video

Jaguar XKR-S 2011 Road Test

Real MPG average for a Jaguar XKR (2006 – 2015)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

95%

Real MPG

18–28 mpg

MPGs submitted

60

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

Can I clear faults on my car with an OBD reader?

"I have a 2007 Jaguar XKR. When I plug in a reader under the dashboard I see historic and intermittent faults. Can I have these removed by a garage or by myself as when trying to sell the car potential buyers are put off? There are no warning lights on the dashboard."
An OBD reader is a tool that can communicate with your vehicle and highlight any problems that are present. Some tools provide the facility to clear fault codes while some do not. If you take your car to a garage offering diagnostic services they will be able to clear the codes for you, but that does not guarantee that they will not return if the fault is still present. If you want the best possible price when selling your vehicle it would be worth investigating the cause of the codes yourself or taking it to a garage and ensuring that the components responsible are replaced or repaired.
Answered by David Ross

What can I use to restore and protect the hood on my convertible?

"My 2007 Jaguar XKR soft-top is in need of some TLC. The car is kept outside on my drive and the fabric is beginning to look a bit tired with some discolouration in places. The fabric is a light tan colour and so will tend to show markings. Is there a product I can use to clean and maintain it or do I need to take it to a specialist? "
You can take it to a specialist but if you want to save yourself some money, cleaning it yourself isn't too difficult. First, remove dirt from the hood with a soft brush - some people vacuum the hood but that isn't necessary unless it's really dirty. Soft top convertible owners can be a bit split on whether or not to soak the hood before applying products, so that's a decision only you can make. Plenty of people soak the hood but if you're worried about leaks, then better not to. If you do, make sure the hose isn't spraying high pressured water directly at it, have it on a gentle setting. We'd recommend Autoglym's two-part maintenance kit to clean and preserve the fabric: https://amzn.to/2Xnfws0 Once soaked, apply the Soft Top Cleaner to the hood. It sounds like a lot, but for a two-seater convertible, you need to use around half of the bottle - so you might find you use the whole thing for your XKR. Use the sponge from the kit to create a foam, especially of extra grimy parts, just avoid your car's paintwork. Leave it to soak into the hood for five to ten minutes and then rinse it off with clean water until the water runs clear. While the hood is still damp, spray the Soft Top Protector onto it. Wipe away any excess and leave it to dry.
Answered by Georgia Petrie

I was sold a car with a falsified service history - what should I do?

"I bought 2007 Jaguar XKR with 25,000 miles on it. I returned the car after 10 days because it had a few issues. I also took the car for an MoT, where £450 worth of faults were found - which was odd because I'd covered less than 2000 miles in the six months I'd had it/since the MoT it was sold with. I then checked the MoT history and the mileage, and the service book does not correlate with the MoT history. There are mileage discrepancies as big as 10k miles, which tells me I was sold a car with a falsified service history. This obviously devalues the £20,000 I paid for this car. I've contacted my credit card company, but I would like to take him to court as well. What do you think?"
Knowingly selling a car with falsified mileage is a criminal offence, conviction for which can carry a jail sentence. So this is a police criminal matter, not merely a civil matter. Tell the vendor that if he does not take the car back and refund your money you will not only sue him in the county court you will take out a private criminal prosecution of him, which you can do if the CPS refuses to prosecute. Law here: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/
Answered by Honest John

BMW M6 or Jaguar XKR - which will be a future classic?

"I have a 2013 Jaguar XKR (34,000 miles - out of warranty) and am considering changing to a 2013 BMW M6 convertible. Which car has the longer term "classic" potential? "
It's almost summer so obviously the convertible will be the more enjoyable car during the coming months (assuming the XKR is a coupe). As for classic status, the Jag has the looks because an M6 is extremely ugly, but in the future the M6 will probably have the edge.
Answered by Honest John
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