LAS VEGAS, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in North America,
Jaguar today showed a development of its XKR Coupe sports car, the XKR-R
Performance Prototype. The vehicle debuted at the Specialty Equipment Market
Association (SEMA)'s trade show here. This also is the first time that Jaguar
North America has had an official presence at the SEMA show, the largest
aftermarket component show in the world.
"From our earliest days under company founder Sir William Lyons, Jaguar
cars have always been about the excitement of driving," said Mike Massey,
development manager for Jaguar's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO), based in
Coventry, England. "The XKR-R Performance Prototype was produced to show just
how far we could go with the basic XKR architecture, with the addition of a
few modifications. We aimed to build a road car -- comfortable, easy to live
with and very drivable -- that could acquit itself with the very best track
cars. I think we've succeeded."
To meet the SVO team's design brief, the car was built from the ground up
using new, modified and custom-built parts. Not a single component escaped
the team's attention in the metamorphosis from stock XKR to the unique XKR-R,
from the revised shape of the front bumper to the quad-outlet exhaust.
The team started the process of strengthening the car by seam-welding the
unibody. To enhance rigidity, the front suspension crossbeam was mounted to
the underbody using aluminum bushings, rather than the standard rubber items.
The steering rack is shared with the XK180 show vehicle -- another SVO
creation -- and gives a fast 2.2 turns lock-to-lock. The custom Eibach
springs with fully adjustable racing-type remote-reservoir shock absorbers are
specific to this vehicle.
SVO began strengthening the rear by installing an eight-point roll-bar.
The rear suspension is greatly revised from the stock XKR, and features the
entire rear floor area from the S-TYPE sedan, along with the rear axle from an
S-TYPE. As Massey explains, "Use of the S-TYPE axle allowed us a greater
range of adjustment and tuning, keeping in mind the dual personality of the
car."
The XKR-R rides lower than a stock XK8 by 30 millimeters, and the
purposeful look of the car is further accentuated by the fitting of Jaguar's
own 20-inch BBS-sourced R-Performance wheels. The wheels are filled with
Jaguar's Brembo-sourced R-Performance brake calipers and cross-drilled rotors.
With the addition of specially produced front and rear bumpers, sculptured
rocker panels and trunk lid spoiler, the car looks more purposeful and
aggressive, yet retains that Jaguar elegance.
Inside, the XKR-R is a showcase for planned R-Performance dealer-installed
options and one-off components. Occupant protection is paramount, so, in
addition to the rollbar, SVO installed Recaro racing seats and four-point
seatbelts. The instruments are ringed with R-Performance aluminum bezels, the
dash is trimmed with carbon fiber, rather than Jaguar's usual wood, and the
pedals receive aluminum covers for sure footing in fast driving.
But the real fun is under the louvered hood. Twin carbon-fiber air
intakes, enlarged intercoolers and an increased supercharger crank-pulley
ratio increase the stock car's 370-horsepower toward SVO's 450-horsepower
target. The car currently produces about 400-horsepower, with 400 lb./ft. of
torque.
Behind the engine, SVO replaced the stock five-speed automatic
transmission with a customized Tremec T-56 six-speed manual unit, similar to
that found in the Dodge Viper and Chevrolet Corvette. The T56 is a stout
unit, and paired with an AP Racing twin-plate clutch, is a suitable partner
for the XKR-R's power and torque.
So will the XKR-R Performance Prototype ever see production? It is
currently both Jaguar and SVO's fastest parts test-bed and serves as an
example of the skills and talents of the company's designers, craftspeople and
engineers. It was intended to stretch the limits of the XK chassis and
engine, to prove the performance that is latent in the car. Certainly, some
of the R-Performance items are either already available or will soon be.
Interest within the company to move it toward production is high, but at this
time, no final decision has been rendered as to what the future holds for the
car.
KEY SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: V8 DOHC 4 valve per cylinder
Material: Aluminum block and heads
Displacement: 3,996 cc
Bore x Stroke: 86.0mm x 86.0 mm
Compression Ratio: 9.0:1
Horsepower: Approx. 400
Torque: Approx. 400 lb./ft.
Suspension: 4-wheel independent
Front: Double wishbones with coil over shock remote reservoir units and
stabilizer
Rear: Double wishbones with coil over shock, remote reservoir units and
stabilizer. Unit sourced from S-TYPE sedan
Brakes: Cross-drilled discs, four-piston calipers (derived from Jaguar R-
Performance) with integral Anti-lock System
Front: 355 mm rotors
Rear: 330 mm rotors
Wheels/Tires: Jaguar R-Performance/Pirelli P-Zero
Front: 20"x9"/ 255/35ZR20
Rear: 20"x10"/ 285/30ZR20
Performance:
0-60 mph: Approx. 4.6 secs
Top speed: Approx. 180 mph
SOURCE Jaguar North America
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