|  Jaguar has announced the pricing of the mouth watering 2007 XKR Coupe, so start saving up guys! The new 2007 XKR is stunning piece of workmanship and includes advanced aluminum chassis, refined transmission and superior sporting exterior and interior styling cues. It includes a 420bhp supercharged AJ-V8 engine and is a perfect amalgamation of style and performance.
The XKR is equipped with a supercharged version of the 4.2-liter V-8 found all over the Jaguar lineup. This is the most potent version we’ve seen yet, with 420 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque being sent to extra-fat 19- or 20-inch rear wheels wrapped with tires aggressive enough not to be transformed into black pools of molten rubber every time you poke the go-pedal. Compared with the previous XKR, the 2007 model features enhanced breathing characteristics that freed up an additional 30 horsepower, whilst quelling supercharger while to allow the baritone exhaust note come through more clearly. 0-60 is said to be 4.9 seconds, a claim we will verify in an upcoming road test.
Enhancements have been made in other areas as well, including the springs, which are about 38 and 24 per cent stiffer front and rear, respectively. A rear shock tower brace was installed to add structural stiffness, but that was the only change made to the body itself. Significantly, both coupe and convertible models have the same suspension tuning, which speaks highly of the stiffness of the convertible’s topless structure. Brakes, too, have been upgraded to help the XKR’s deceleration match its acceleration.
The XKR’s interior is basically the same as that in the XK, with just a bit more of an edge. The R’s dashboard and doors are trimmed with standard, sporty, patterned aluminum trim which can be swapped for lustrous wood, should one desire a more traditional look. The dash itself is handsome and symmetrical, with a center-mounted screen-based interface system through which many of the controls are adjusted. This is indeed one of the car’s best features, so intuitive and well organized that it absolutely embarrasses Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi’s complicated systems that do less and do it worse.
The unique sport seats are a bit more aggressively bolstered to hold the driver in place better during more "spirited" motoring. The seats are covered in decent leather, but we recommend springing for the premium leather option, which takes its hides from cows that must have moisturized since birth. As with all XKs, the XKR does have rear "seats," but don’t try to seat anyone bigger than a schnauzer there. No, this car is for two and don’t you forget it.
One surprising aspect of the XKR is its versatility, thanks in particular to its large trunk. Combined with the rear seat, which is best used as another storage area, a full day of splurging at the mall is possible without leaving your shopping companion to fend for herself. Furthermore, the coupe is actually a hatchback, making loading things in and out a breeze without ruining is slippery lines.
The 2007 Jaguar XKR, available in both coupe and convertible versions starting after the first of the year, proves successful at blending luxurious refinement with a genuine grand touring character. And with all that supercharged power, not to mention a rich interior and stable chassis, average Joes and Janes are guaranteed their own level of fun and excitement. That's good news for Jaguar, a Ford-owned company with an ongoing aversion to profitability and competing with heavyweights such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But a possible turnaround is on the horizon – the new XJ sedan has drawn its share of praise, and the redesigned XK, on which the XKR is based, has been a hot seller. With more grunt and testosterone, the 2007 XKR looks to continue the upward swing.
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