Jaguar’s bitumen-burning XFR-S for Oz

JAGUAR has given the green light for its hottest sedan, the 404kW supercharged V8 XFR-S, to be sold in Australia, but it will only be imported on customer order.

The company is planning to import one example in mid-2013, mainly for publicity purposes, but possibly also for hard-core Jaguar customers to touch and feel should they fancy one.

However, potential buyers had better bring their best credit card as the flagship XF will be priced “north of $200,000”, according to Jaguar Australia brand manager Mark Eedle, making it at least $10,000 dearer than the current top XF, the $189,900 (plus on-road costs) XFR.

Mr Eedle told GoAuto at this week’s XF 2.0 launch that the XFR-S would be built in only small volumes, so “we will almost certainly build to order”.

“We are not going to get many production slots, so the last thing we want to do is to bring them in as stock cars in out own spec when, in my view, people who spend $200,000-plus on cars want to build them to their own specification,” he said.

“So we will build to order and let the customers have exactly the car they want.”

Mr Eedle said the marketing car would “probably get quite a lot of use” in showing “hot prospects” the vehicle.

He said he expected XFR-S to sell “only a couple of cars a year” to keen buyers.

“When you are talking $200,000-plus, it means minimal volume,” he said.

Revealed at last week’s Los Angeles motor show, the XFR-S uses the same supercharged 5.0-litre V8 as the flagship Jaguar sportscar, the XKR-S, propelling the sedan from standstill to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds – one-tenth slower than the BMW M5.

Boasting an extra 29kW and 55Nm over the ‘standard’ XFR, the XFR-S gets a range of revisions such as bigger 20-inch alloy wheels, wider Pirelli rubber, suspension and driveline refinements, and carbon-fibre front and rear aerodynamic aids to help keep the 300km/h car glued to the road.

“Near straight-through” exhaust pipes are said to deliver a throaty V8 burble, while the interior has been given a sporty makeover with “carbon leather” seats.

Like other models in the 2013 XF line-up, the XFR-S gets an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission, but with so-called “quick-shift technology” developed for the upcoming F-Type sportscar.

The F-Type convertible was shown in convertible form at the recent Australian International Motor Show and is on track for local arrival around the same time as the XFR-S, in mid-2013.

The F-Type, with a choice of supercharged V6 and V8 engines, is expected to kick off at below $180,000, placing it midway between Porsche’s Boxster and 911, as expected, and well below the most affordable XK Convertible, which was recently slashed to $213,000.