Jaguar will be revealing their fastest XK model ever in Geneva next month. At the same time they will be revamping the XK lineup with revisions for the 2011 model year.
If you throw the Jaguar technicians £3500 for the optional Speed Pack the lads at Coventry will fiddle about with the electronics of your XKR and increase its top speed to 174mph (280km/h), up from 155mph (250km/h). They’ll also splash a bit of extra paint around on your body kit and throw in some extra chrome trim so you don’t actually have to take your car up to 280 clicks to prove you have the Speed Pack. The 20″ Kasuga alloy wheels also help you stand out from the povo spec XKR.
If it’s a bit of bling you’re after Jaguar have you covered there, as well. For a lazy £4000 you can tick the Black Pack option box and be rewarded with some gloss black alloys, fancy red brake calipers and a few bits of black trim. The only downside is you can only get the Black Pack if you have already signed up for the Speed Pack.
Take the jump for more pics and a full press release from Jaguar UK.
JAGUAR TO UNVEIL THE FASTEST XK EVER AT GENEVA SHOW
Jaguar will unveil the latest dramatic evolution of its supercharged XKR coupe at the Geneva Motor Show in March. This XKR delivers a significantly raised maximum speed – up to 174mph from 155mph – and bold styling changes that create an evocative and unique supercharged Jaguar.
The XKR Coupe unveiled at Geneva showcases two new optional performance and styling packs – Speed Pack and Black Pack – that are introduced to the XK range at 2011 Model Year. Jaguar customers have the option to personalise their vehicle to create a car that offers even greater performance without compromising the refinement and luxury for which every Jaguar is renowned.
By raising the XKR’s maximum speed the new car has extended its sporting credentials taking it even further into supercar performance territory.
Russ Varney, Chief Programme Engineer, XK Series, explains the philosophy behind the uprated XKR: “With 510PS and 625Nm of torque, the XKR has immense reserves of power and acceleration which impress everyone who experience it. The car has always had the potential to reach speeds far beyond its original electronically limited maximum and many of our customers have expressed an interest in a car that can safely be driven faster where conditions permit. The new Speed Pack allows them to release some of that potential and give them control of the fastest Jaguar XK we’ve made to date.â€
The XKR Coupe featured at the Geneva Show on 4th March 2010 pairs both the optional Speed and Black Packs to create the bold new model, which also sports optional Piano Black veneers on the dashboard and red brake callipers.
The XKR Speed Pack
The XKR Coupe with new optional Speed Pack allows customers to further strengthen their XKR’s already impressive breadth of capability, by extending the car’s top speed from 155mph (250km/h) to an electronically limited 174mph (280km/h) thanks to a unique engine and transmission recalibration.
To ensure the XKR with Speed Pack remains stable at high speeds, the coupe uses a revised front aerodynamic splitter and larger rear spoiler to provide increased balance and a reduction in lift. The XKR’s computerised Active Differential Control also adjusts to reduce steering sensitivity at very high speeds, further improving stability and driver control.
Every XKR with the Speed Pack will come with body-coloured side sills and rear diffuser, and a chrome finish to the window surrounds, upper and lower mesh grilles, side Power Vents and boot lid finisher. Red brake callipers with a Jaguar ‘R’ logo sit inside 20-inch Kasuga alloy wheels.
Customers who order the XKR Coupe with the Speed Pack will be offered a paint palette that is part of the Jaguar Designers’ Choice programme – a range of colours that have been specifically chosen to compliment the performance potential of the car. Seven colours are available on Speed Pack models – Ultimate Black, Polaris White, Salsa Red, Liquid Silver, Lunar Grey, Kyanite Blue and Spectrum Blue.
The XKR Speed and Black Pack
For customers looking to create a real statement with their Speed Pack XKR Coupe, the new optional Black Pack allows them to own a bold and purposeful Jaguar with undeniable visual impact thanks to menacing gloss black wheels and exterior detailing.
Available only with the Speed Pack, XKRs fitted with the Black Pack have a paint palette selected from colours that Jaguar’s Design team believe to be ideal for creating a coupe with immediate exclusivity. The Black Pack models will be available in Ultimate Black, Polaris White or Salsa Red and boast eye-catching 20-inch gloss black Kalimnos alloy wheels.
Further gloss black finishing is applied to the window surrounds and front grilles. Red painted brake callipers contrast strongly with the black alloy wheels, while body coloured front and rear spoilers and boot lid finisher round out the package. Customers also have the option to apply a sweeping ‘XKR’ side body graphic that runs along the door sills.
Jaguar’s Design Director, Ian Callum, says the new Black Pack is a fitting addition to the XKR: “While Jaguars are about beauty, they are also about speed and power. With the optional Black Pack you can now add a sense of drama and severity to that performance.â€
In addition to the Black Pack’s exterior changes, the Jaguar Designers’ Choice programme has also selected a range of interior trims that support the visual impact of the car. All XKRs with the Black Pack will be trimmed with Charcoal leather hides that can be personalised with a range of colour stitching and grain. Three interior finishes and veneers for the fascia and door trims are also available – Dark Oak, Dark Mesh Aluminium and Piano Black.
Other enhancements for 11MY
To underline the XKR’s sporting credentials at 11MY red brake callipers become standard on all XKR Coupe and Convertible models.
A tyre repair Instant Mobility System (IMS) becomes standard on all XK and XKR models. This frees up the 30-litre wheel well, which is now carpeted and can hold a specially designed and tailored XK accessory suitcase, substantially increasing the versatility of the car.
In the UK, retail pricing of the XK range starts at £61,955 for the 5.0 n/a V8 petrol. The Speed Pack costs £3,500 and the Speed and Black Pack costs £4,000. Both are available on XKR Coupe only. For more information go to www.jaguar.co.uk.