Over the last few days, spy photographers have captured several images of Jaguar XKR prototypes with mysterious front fascia camouflage, plus a new interior center console with what appears to be the production version of the “ Jaguar Drive” system found on the C-XF concept.
One prototype captured by Autogespot was equipped with a roll cage for testing purposes, and racing bucket seats, which could see production.
The updated front fascia — plus the racing-oriented interior features — suggest these cars might contain a more powerful engine: possibly a new range-topping supercharged V8 to compete with the BMW M6. Earlier this year, rumors broke about a Jaguar XKR -R (“XK double R”) with roughly 500 horsepower. AutoExpress said the car would feature racing seats and carbon fiber to reduce weight.
Jaguar Drive
Another feature found on very similar prototypes — spotted by KGP Photography — is a production-ready implementation of JaguarDrive.
So how does this JaguarDrive interface actually work? Jaguar’s press information describes it like this: “Sink into the C-XF driver’s seat and a jewel-like Power button pulses on the center console – its rhythm representing the ‘heartbeat’ of the car. Press the button and beneath your hand concentric aluminium rings spiral downwards to allow the new circular JaguarDrive Selector to nestle directly in your palm.”
The round dial looks like it will raise up upon starting the car instead, allowing the controls to fit in the palm. Four buttons sit behind the dial to alter the driving, launch, and shift characteristics of the car, suitable for different conditions. Two of the buttons are hard to decipher, but one button controls the DSC stability control, and the other button clearly shows a checkered flag (most likely for track use).
The result is a streamlined center console, which appears to have been carried over onto Jaguar’s production XF, as we revealed two weeks ago in a spy shot of the XF’s interior.
