New Jaguar XKR-S Convertible revealed

The Jaguar XKR-S Convertible completes its mighty presence in terms of connecting with its legendary predecessors such as the beauty that is the XJ13. Explosive performance, an engaging connection with the car and discreet luxury being its foundation, the beast truely delivers a wholesome experience. The new XKR-S model line-up sits at the pinnacle of the XK range, which now consists of XK, XKR and XKR-S derivatives in coupe and convertible format.

Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar Global Brand Director, says the new XKR-S Convertible represents the pinnacle of performance and glamour in motoring: "There is nothing as liberating as life behind the wheel of an open-topped Jaguar and the new XKR-S Convertible takes the Jaguar GT experience to new heights."

The building block for the car's explosive performance is an uprated version of the 5.0-litre supercharged AJ-V8 engine, which produces 550PS of power and 680Nm of torque. These figures represent a power increase of 8 percent and torque increase of 9 percent over the Jaguar XKR. Driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox with Active Differential, this propels the Jaguar XKR-S Convertible to 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 300km/h. The lightweight aluminium structure of the XK has stiffer springs and dampers. Externally the Jaguar XKR-S Convertible is dramatically differentiated from other XK models with carefully calibrated aerodynamic aids that allow it to perform flawlessly at very high speeds.

A new feature on this car is the Jaguar Performance seats that increase support for the driver and passenger during high-speed cornering. The seats are finished in carbon leather and feature 16-way adjustment and heating while carbon is also used to trim the cabin and emphasise the car's assertive nature.

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Design

The ride height has been reduced by 10mm and the rear apron features a carbon fibre diffuser. The result is a reduction in overall lift of 26 percent and balanced aerodynamics front and rear to keep the car perfectly pinned to the road.

The exterior changes are highlighted by the application of gloss black to the exterior brightwork, complemented by the dark technical finish of the lightweight, forged 20" Vulcan design alloy wheels through which can be seen the Jaguar High Performance Brake calipers finished in either an eye-catching red or discreet gunmetal. The Jaguar XKR-S Convertible is available in a range of six colours, including Polaris White and British Racing Green, a tribute to Jaguar's competition heritage. The acoustically treated hood opens and stows in just 18 seconds and has been proven at the car's maximum speed. It comes in black as standard with a further six optional colours available.

"Taking the track-oriented ethos of the Jaguar XKR-S Coupe and applying it to a convertible is very exciting. There is a real spirit and thrill to driving with the roof down and in a car capable of these speeds that is going to be exaggerated to create a very dramatic and special experience." - Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars.

Performance

The engineering integrity of the acclaimed AJ-V8 petrol engine, now in its third generation, meant that Jaguar's engineers could derive the extra power and torque needed for the XKR-S. The advanced design of the quad-cam, all-aluminium AJ-V8 incorporates spray-guided direct injection and variable valve timing for great efficiency as well as prodigious power. The Roots-type twin-vortex supercharger nestling in the 'V' of the engine has twin intercoolers and is 20 percent more thermodynamically efficient than its predecessor. The result is 550PS of power and 680Nm of torque, allowing the Jaguar XKR-S Convertible to accelerate from a standstill to 100km/h in just 4.2 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 300km/h. Liberating an extra 40PS of power and 55Nm of torque over and above the XKR entailed remapping the fuelling characteristics and increasing exhaust gas flow though the use of an active exhaust system.

Interior

With the convertible hood stowed away, the interior of the XKR-S will be subject to as many envious glances as the exterior, with both highlighting the car's high performance intent.

Exclusive to the XKR-S models are carbon-leather trimmed versions of Jaguar's Performance seats which feature integrated head rests, racing harness cut-outs and increased side and squab support to hold driver and passenger securely during high speed cornering. The 16-way adjustable, heated seats feature highlights of carbon leather and contrast micropiping unique to the model.

Superb tactile interfaces are provided by the multifunction three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel and Jaguar-embossed bright stainless steel pedals. Other premium surfaces include soft-feel paint for the switches and a gloss black centre console. An exclusive dark aluminium finish is available as standard with an optional Piano Black finish also available.