Doug DeMuro Dives Into the Jaguar XKR-S
The Jaguar XKR-S has its share of quirks, but this lovely beast has all the makings of a future classic.
Plenty of gearheads like to poke fun at Doug DeMuro, particularly about the way he articulates his now-famous “quirks and features” catchphrase. For the record, I’m not one of those folks, and I always learn something when I watch his videos. That said, I don’t know how I missed his review of the Jaguar XKR-S, because it’s one of my favorite modern Jaguars, and its more pedestrian cousin — the XKR — is on my shortlist of “affordable” sports cars.
Next time I pull the trigger, it’ll likely be on something vintage, like Series I or II XJ6, or an MGB GT, but I also feel a strong pull toward the XK, so I watched this video with particular interest.
One of the first things I learned was that upon its release in 2012, this was the most powerful Jaguar production car ever released — including the legendary XJ220. Even today, a supercharged V8 with 550 horsepower is impressive, and a decade ago? That was kind of bonkers. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that this baby also sounds like the business, and while it doesn’t add any ponies, the French Racing Blue paint on this example is just stunning. DeMuro thinks blue cars probably command a premium, and I can’t imagine he’s wrong. Unfortunately, my quick poke around the web indicated that these beasts are still way out of my price range.
As you would expect, there were some amusing “quirks and features” on this machine, many of which aren’t unique to the range-topping models. For example, there’s no button to unlock the doors. The door handle itself serves as the switch, which is just straight weird. Even weirder is that there’s a sticker on the rear hatch warning that you could bash rear-seat passengers in the head when you close it. Because yup, the backseats are that tight. On a performance model like this, I have to wonder why the designers just didn’t delete them entirely? Along with the stiffer suspension and shouty exhaust, that would have been another feather in this kitty’s performance cap.
Other stuff DeMuro points out is a little less weird. Personally, I like how the gear selector rises up when you start the car, and while I’d prefer that the controls for the heated seats weren’t buried deep in the infotainment system, it’s something I could get used to. The use of felt in the center console also seems strange to call out, but maybe it looks more glaring in person? I’ve never even sat inside one of these glorious machines, so I can’t say. If you happen to own any flavor of XK, I’d love to hear about your experience, you know, for science…
Photos: YouTube