Video: 2007 Jaguar XKR

The XKR augments the XK lineup with a supercharged engine, unique exterior elements and a sport tune suspension. The changes for both cars include twin hood slats up front, as well as the new grill. If you look close, the grill, isn't really aluminum or anything, it's just painted plastic. Our test car has some available 20 inch wheels. They house Jaguars performance brakes up front and in the rear. The interior's simple and elegant with plenty of nice touches to remind you that this is a ninety or a hundred thousand dollar car, such as leather along the dashboard with the optional luxury package and plenty of wood and chrome trim. At this price range though, it would be nice to see some better materials than the plastic around the navigation system and on the door handles. And it would also be nice to have fewer gaps along some of these dashboard areas. With the top up, we like the look of the coupe a little better. It's got a more cohesive roof line design, but with the top down the convertible definitely wins the styling contest, hands down. Trunk space in the convertible with the top down is pretty limited. As you can see the top takes everything past this bulkhead. So even putting in a small laptop briefcase can take up quite a bit of room. The coupe has a lot more luggage room and a nice wide opening to throw everything in. Beneath the plastic engine cover all XKRs have a supercharged 4.2 liter V8. It makes 420 horsepower which is enough to put the XKR zero to 60 in about 4.9 to five seconds. A six speed automatic transmission is standard, and it's one of the best automatic transmissions we've ever tested. Put it into sport mode, and the XKR has steering wheel mounted paddle shifters that could run you through the six gears incredibly fast. The up shifts happened quickly, and the downshifts even happen with a little bit of throttle flipping or rev matching as some people call it. And that's a nice performance touch. Step on the gas and the XKR doesn't seem like a much quicker car than the regular XK at first. It isn't until you press down on the throttle and the tachometer swings past 25 or 3000 RPMs that this really starts to pick up. The engine sounds muscular, and it isn't afraid to go all the way to the car's 6,500 RPM red line. The suspension rewards you with a great highway ride and it really makes this car a really solid grand touring car. <v Announcer>For additional information on this car or any other go to cars.com and our blog Kicking Tires.