Jaguar XKR-S takes on big European brands

December 2011

The Jaguar XKR-S is taking on and beating prestige European sports car brands, according to Jaguar Australia.

Buoyed by the recent '2011 Sports Car of the Year Award' from Auto Bild Sportscars, a German motoring magazine, the Jaguar XKR-S is hoping to woo Australian enthusiasts with a few hundred thousand dollars to spend.

The Jaguar XKR-S picked up the award at the Essen Motor Show at the end of last month, taking on 173 cars in 17 different categories.

Mike Wright, Jaguar Land Rover's executive director, said it was particularly pleasing that this latest Jaguar model – it's most powerful production car ever – had claimed the title ahead of a number of premium German brands.

"The vote for the XKR-S proves that Jaguar's desire to build powerful but beautiful cars resonates extremely well with those who have a passion for sports and performance cars," he added.

In a recent review for the Sydney Morning Herald's Drive supplement, Stephen Ottley said the Jaguar XKR-S would help high-end Australian motorists stand out from German and Italian sports car owners.

"The engine is a gem," he said. "Plenty of power and torque plus an engine note that sounds more like a World War II fighter plane than a car."