2014 Jaguar XK: A Clutter of Cats

Jaguar got a fresh new start in 2008, when the company saw a new influx of resources after Indian automobile conglomerate, Tata Motors, bought the prestigious brand from Ford. Tata made waves in 2009 when it introduced the home-market Nano, a twin-cylinder micro car whose claim to fame was that it was the most inexpensive mass-produced automobile in the world.

It seems appropriate in retrospect that the company would want higher-end offerings under its roof, hence the acquisition of Jaguar. Well, despite how cheap the Nano may be, Tata did not skimp with Jaguar, and the British nameplate is as prestigious as it has ever been.

• Also: 2014 Jaguar XKR : Age and Beauty!

A good example of the company’s dedication to its products is the Jaguar XK. Originating on the drawing board of renowned designer Ian Callum, the grand touring 2+2 coupe shares a profile similar to the Aston Martin DB9, which Callum also designed. That’s actually a very respectful pedigree, being that both cars claim the same designer, yet the Jaguar XK can be had for about half the price.

What makes the XK purr

Three versions are available, the XK, XKR and XKR-S, each one sportier and more powerful than the one before. You can also choose to go topless because each variation is available in convertible form.

At the basis of all XK models is a 5.0-litre, direct-injection, aluminum block V8 in various states of tune. The twin-cam engine is naturally aspirated in the base XK and produces a respectable 385 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque.

Step up to the XKR and you’ll find a supercharger under the hood. In this tune it produces a more substantial 510 horsepower and 461 lb.-ft. of torque, which is comparable in output to the DB9’s 6.0-litre V12, which makes 517 horsepower and 457 lb.-ft. of torque.

The XKR-S, added to the line up in 2012, is the power leader, and its supercharged engine produces 550 horsepower and 502 lb.-ft. of torque. Regardless of the model, all engines drive the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission that gives you the option to shift manually via steering-wheel-mounted paddles. Also regardless of which engine drives the XK, they all have one more thing in common: an aurally intoxicating exhaust note. The sound is a result of Jaguar’s reluctance to resort to turbocharging to produce power.

The drawback of staying away from turbocharging is that Jaguar still uses a relatively large engine to produce big horsepower, unlike other carmakers, like Audi and BMW, who have resorted to smaller displacement, 4.6-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engines that produce comparable horsepower but achieve slightly better fuel economy. Although the factory claim for the Xk’s supercharged engine is 11.9L/100 km combined, we averaged 14L/100 km on our XKR test car.

Of course many drivers will forgive these felines’ thirsty nature when they look at the performance numbers. The slowest of the bunch, the XK convertible, will launch from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.6 seconds, which is commendable considering it has a curb weight of 1,780 kg. The XKR-S can cover the same distance in 4.4 seconds from a stop.

XKR-S GT: the wildest cat of all

But wait, the XKR-S is not the fastest XK model you can get your hands on. We neglected to mention the arrival of the 2014 XKR-S GT, the newest member of the XK family, introduced at the New York auto show last March, mostly because only five lucky and wealthy Canadians will get their hands on one.

Yes, Jaguar’s ETO division, introduced in 2012 to build special edition, high-performance models, is producing only 30 of these rare, track-ready jewels, and only for the North American market; only five of those will be available in Canada.

Like the rest of the XK family, the GT is all aluminum, but is incorporates a number of aerodynamic body components, like a carbon-fibre front splitter, wheel-arch extensions, twin dive planes, an aluminum undertray, a rear diffuser and a raised rear wing. These aerodynamic components contribute to a maximum downforce of 145 kg. Wider and stickier Pirelli Corsa tires (255/35 front; 305/30 rear) are mounted on 20-inch wheels, further contributing to elevated grip levels that make the GT a track-ready weapon.

Spring rates are increased by 68% and 25% in the front and rear respectively, and the height-adjustable suspension uses adaptive dampers. The car also features Jaguar’s first production application of carbon-ceramic brakes, with large-diameter discs, and monoblock calipers, six-piston units in the front and four-pistons in the rear.

The XKR-S GT uses the same 5.0-litre, 550-horsepower supercharged V8 as the XKR-S, also mated to a six-speed automatic, though the package propels the GT to 100 km in just 3.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to a modest 300 km/h.

With the addition of the XKR-S GT, there’s no doubt that Jaguar’s Indian owners are serious about continuing to elevate the English brand’s prestige, performance and brand recognition to ever higher levels.