The XJ isn’t the first car that springs to mind when you think of fast Jags, but the XJR 575 is different.
Not only is it the quickest XJ ever, the car can get up to 62mph quicker than most F-Types (4.2 seconds), because it uses the same 567bhp five-litre supercharged V8 as the range-topping F-Type SVR. This is made all the more impressive when you realise it weighs the best part of two tonnes.
The flagship XJ counts the Mercedes-AMG S63 as its biggest competitor, so does it win out in this clashing of horns? We looked to what the British motoring press thought to find out….
Auto Express
Auto Express awarded the XJR 575 four out of a possible five stars and seemed rather impressed, not only by its ability on the road, but also by how competitively priced it was compared to its rivals.
A £94,000 car could never be described as ‘affordable’ but considering the S63 costs £124,995, it’s the one that makes the most sense from a value-for-money angle.
AE admitted that “the fastest XJ in history might not be quite what the world needs in 2017, but that doesn’t prevent it from being a delightful thing to drive”.
Despite its price advantage, AE noted this could largely be down to the fact that the car is based on the outgoing XJR, so the 575 was showing its age in places.
But is it as blisteringly quick as the numbers suggest? Seemingly so. “On the move, it felt very fast indeed,” AE wrote. “But it’s also luxurious, comfortable – especially in the brilliantly roomy individual rear seats – and beautifully made.”
Autocar
Autocar matched AE’s score and writer Matt Prior felt he couldn’t award any more than four stars due to it feeling a bit old-fashioned, lacking the tech touch of an S-Class and not as capable as a Porsche Panamera.
However, Matt added: “But I also don’t think it matters that much, which is why I’d recommend one in a second”.
Okay, mixed signals but whatever. The Autocar road tester seemed to like the design, hailing it as “an attractive car inside and out, mostly out” before likening the interior to that of a Rolls-Royce Phantom, “a car that is the very epitome of luxury”.
The Telegraph
Kyle Fortune of the Telegraph said the XJR 575’s 4.4-second 0-62mph sprint was “very much in the ‘silly’ category”, adding “the childlike giggles that spontaneously accompany any prod of the right pedal to the floor make you find occasion to try it again. Repeatedly.”
Car Magazine
CJ Hubbard also gave it four stars, praising it as a great option if you “want to go comfortably and quickly”, but noted its shortcomings in the gadget department, advising buyers to “run in the direction of any of the Germans if you want bleeding-edge bells and whistles”.
He signed off by saying: “the real reason you should consider the XJR575 is because it is so wonderful to drive.”
Top Gear
They echoed much of the sentiment already expressed and upon reflection, deemed the XJR 575 “pretty damn special”, delivering “the presence and luxury you’d expect from a Jag in a package that is also brutally fast and great fun to drive”.
So is the XJR 575 still on your dream car list? Let us know down there in the comments.
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