The Jaguar XKR-S is sold only as a coupe, and it expounds on the standard XKR in more ways than meet the eye. There are a lot of changes afoot here; a lot more than a sleek, curvy body kit and eye-catching blue paint work. Jaguar has created a new power map for the 5.0L V8, and this, along with the exhaust, delivers an increase of 40hp and 41 lb. ft. of torque.

Not everything has changed; there's still a six-speed automatic driving the XKR-S' rear wheels. However, it's arguably the best automatic transmission available, and it even translates well to the track. Although it's technically a GT car and not a road racer, its chassis makes it very track-capable indeed.

The aluminum steering knuckle permitted engineers to further refine camber and caster at the front, making steering feel more secure with sudden changes in direction. The ADC (Active Differential Control) uses yaw, steering angle and wheel speed to control the amount of torque going to the rear wheels.

The XKR-S' ride height is a third of an inch lower this model year, and spring rates rose 28% up front and 32% in the rear. The car has 20", wide-track alloy wheels all around, providing better grip while reducing weight by 10.6 lbs. The wheels are clad in Pirelli P Zero tires.

Marketers will tell you that the XKR-S is a "sub-exotic" car; like its direct competitor the Porsche 911 Turbo, it is designed as a performance car for everyday driving, not a toy to be taken out on weekends. However, all illusions of practicality disappear when one puts the pedal to the floor. Jaguar claims that the XKR-S attains 60 miles per hour in just 4.2 seconds, reaching 100 mph in 8.7 seconds, and judging from the carmaker's past successes, there's little room to doubt the claim.