Once you turn your back, its instincts can be unleashed in the blink of an eye.
Source: rp
It is this cunning subtlety that makes these creatures unpredictable. One minute you are playing with pillow soft snowball and the next it is clawing your eyes out mercilessly like a saber tooth tiger.
The same can be said for the new R versions coming out of the big cat brand, Jaguar. There is something magical about the two-faced genetics that make up the new R variants. One moment the XFR is cruising down a meandering path, quiet and taking bumps as though it is on a cloud. The next, its monster 5.0 liter, V8 powerplant is snorting 510-horsepower and tires are chirping from 461 lb-ft of torque.
Source: rp
What makes the new R’s special is that they have accomplished a nearly impossible goal; having multiple personalities. This is where so many others have failed, miserably. An example is the sport saloon Lexus IS-F whose suspension is so taut that it bounces like a Mexican Jumping Bean across a freeway.
Another is a small SUV that tries too hard to be a car. The BMW X3 rides over small crevices with no forgiveness; this reminds you to put its good handling to work by dodging all of the road’s imperfections.
This is how the XKR and XFR outshine the competition. It provides a soft ride – like you would expect from a Jaguar – on rough pavement and isolates the cabin from harshness, yet if you want to get on the track and beat the hell out of it you can. This is unlike a normal Jaguar, which were very common among those stuck-up, rigid types.
It is like putting some Tabasco sauce on your filet mignon. It’s an effective way to spice up a classic cut that has already proven its worth.
Source: rp
After a brief spin, to me the steering is uncomfortably light on both the XKR and XFR; however, it is direct. Think: Mitsubishi Evo-ish. Personally, I would prefer heavier steering as it provides more confidence in the switchbacks. Although this may make the XFR a bit too soft for some drivers on the track, it is not meant to be a Lotus Exige and you have to remind yourself of that. It is a practical five person saloon with a heavier design influence on an extremely comfortable ride.
But, when you are cutting through the corners with limited body roll and hitting triple-digit speeds on the straight that fact may be forgotten.
Taking this into consideration, I would suggest acquiring five track helmets. You know, in case the family wants to go to the track to do a lap. Imagine that, a family drifting through an apex at 100 MPH. Sounds like it would bring any family closer together.
With the new XF and the upcoming XJ, it seems as though the big cat has circled back to the fountain of youth. With some liveliness being pumped into the brand’s image and its motors, this is the most alive the British brand has been in years.
rp
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