XFR-S is fastest Jaguar saloon ever

Published Nov 28, 2012

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Following last week's teaser, the cat is finally out of the bag.

Jaguar has pulled the wraps off its fastest and most powerful saloon car ever at the Los Angeles Auto Show and just as we suspected, it'll be shunted along by the same supercharged 5-litre direct injection V8 as the XKR-S.

This means thunderous outputs of 405kW and 680Nm, putting it firmly in the same ballpark as the 386kW/700Nm E 63 AMG and 412kW/680Nm M5.

This urge is shoved through the back wheels via an eight speed ZF automatic gearbox with a corner recognition system designed to hold the correct gear for exits.

Expect it to take just 4.6 seconds to screech from standstill to 100km/h. Keep the pedal planted and it shouldn't take too long to reach the electronically-nannied top speed of 300km/h.

IT CRACKLES ON LIFT-OFF

You'll also enjoy a more enthralling aural experience to go with your speed, as the super saloon's bespoke XFR-S exhaust system, with an X-piece and near straight-through rear pipes, is said to 'crackle' on deceleration.

The dynamic aspect has been well thought out too, with comprehensive revisions to both the front and rear suspension allowing Jaguar to boast about lateral stiffness increases of up to 30 percent.

Furthermore, the electronic active differential and DSC stability systems have been recalibrated to sharpen the Jag's cornering talent.

As you'd have gathered by glancing at the pictures, this cat's no sleeper thanks to some dramatic exterior styling modifications (including an 'ironing board' boot spoiler) and a set of 20-inch 'Varuna' alloy wheels.

Of course, the body mods have an aerodynamic purpose too, Jaguar claiming a 68 percent reduction in lift and, because many of the bits and pieces are hewn from carbon fibre, some weight is saved as well.

The racy theme creeps inside the cabin where a host of exclusive trimmings abound, including 'carbon' leather and contrasting highlight micro-piping and stitching.

Just don't haul that cheque book out just yet. Our local Jaguar contact tells us that the XFR-S is currently under investigation for the South African market, but hasn't been confirmed yet.

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