Currently reading: Jaguar XFR stars at Goodwood
Jaguar showed off a disguised version of its new XFR at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

The British firm’s new 500bhp super saloon made a number of high speed runs up the famous hill, with veteran test driver Mike Cross behind the wheel.

Jaguar officials are still cagey about confirming the XFR’s existence, describing the disguised saloon as a ‘sports prototype’. But sources close to the XFR project hinted that a production model could be expected in March 2009.

The Jaguar XFR will be powered by a new direct injection, supercharged 5.0-litre V8 with 500bhp on tap. Expect scorching performance as a result; the XFR capable of dismissing 0-60mph in around 4.5 seconds and pressing on to a limited top speed of 155mph. Gaydon’s also expected to offer an option to remove the limiter, so 180mph+ will be possible.

The R will have a lower ride height and stiffer springs than today’s sportiest XF, the SV8. But that model will remain on sale to satisfy drivers who want a more comfortable chassis. The XFR will be the hardcore model.

>>See more pics Jaguar's 500bhp XFR

Cosmetic changes include more vents and grilles to aid cooling, more aggressive bumpers and 20-inch alloys. Although Jaguar has agreed supplies of a new eight-speed ZF auto ‘box, at launch the XFR will only be available with the familiar six-speeder.

XFR prices will be confirmed nearer to the car’s launch, but the SV8’s £54,900 pricetag means we anticipate that buyers won’t get much, if any, change from £60,000.

Will Powell

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kerrecoe 15 July 2008

Re: Jaguar XFR stars at Goodwood

Well said.

RobotBoogie 15 July 2008

Re: Jaguar XFR stars at Goodwood

Seren Kuhanandan wrote:
The lower spec models are only worth it if rental fleets are buying the larger numbers to make them profitable. That's why they took the cloth cars out.

Sorry but this is rubbish. A rental fleet wouldn't buy cloth cars because the residual values are rubbish - almost any used buyer who wants a Jag wants leather.

The vast majority of cars in the XF class, even if they are not strictly classified as fleet sales, are bought with some kind of company money. Anyone who pays benefit in kind tax on their company car looks at the CO2 output and the current XF turbodiesels are effectively priced out of many people's range in this way. The Government has signalled that the BiK sliding scale will continue to be reduced, so the Jag will get gradually less competitive, even without bearing in mind any credit crunch effects. And that's before we get into things like the expensive car disallowance for cars over 160 g/km on lease rates.

In the medium term, once the initial sales bubble has popped, Jag needs a smaller capacity turbodiesel, whether four or six cylinder. The lack of one was what made the S-Type so difficult to shift in later years, even for the people who wanted them the tax bill was prohibitive.

kerrecoe 15 July 2008

Re: Jaguar XFR stars at Goodwood

Yes that's the point Seren. These things need to compete on several different levels, price included. I don't mean retail price, I mean lease costs. Don't get me wrong, I don't want every other car on the road to be an XF- there is a certain sense of premium gained from exclusivity (a concept lost on BMW & Audi)- but for Jag to be given the chance I think it deserves, it needs to sell cars. It will sell those cars to high end fleets if it can get the range and the lease costs right.