2002 Jaguar XKR

The Jaguar XKR was in production from 1998 until 2006. Styled in house, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive coupe/convertible range seating two adults and two children.

Based on the Jaguar XK8, the XKR took the former car’s renowned chassis and body and mated it to a more powerful variant of Jaguar’s new AJV8. The supercharged engine was taken from the range topping XJR saloon, and developed 370bhp and 387lb ft of torque. Cosmetically the change was marked with new wheels, small oval vents in the bonnet, and a mesh grille insert. The car looked more visually aggressive and had the power to match.

Like the XK8, the XKR was facelifted in 2001 and again in 2004. At all times, there were myriad personalisation options – you could have a walnut dash or a dark maple dash, or even a carbon fibre dash on later models. For 2002 Jaguar increased the size of the XKR’s engine from 4.0 to 4.2 litres, bringing 400bhp to the model for the first time. At the same time, the gearbox was replaced – from five speed automatic to six speed automatic.

A shade over 23000 of the 90000 XKs produced were XKRs, including special editions such as the Silverstone and the XKR100. Special editions are more collectible and more valuable as a result, though away from that there’s no real hierarchy of spec save for engine size. 4.2s are currently worth more, but as all models age the tables will turn and the earliest are likely to make the best investments.

Alternatives to the Jaguar XKR then and now would include the Mercedes-Benz SL in AMG form, and Aston Martin’s DB7 – while more expensive – offers similar looks and a supercharged shove. The Porsche 996 911 Carrera 4 and GT3 could make viable alternatives, though as a left field suggestion we might consider the Venturi Atlantique. The subsequent X150 Jaguar XKR might also be a sensible alternative should the original XKR be too old for you to want to use on a regular basis.