Overview

Sometimes you wonder when enough’s enough, and when you consider the thinking behind the outrageous Jaguar XKR-S you’ll realise that those who gave this thing the go-ahead simply had their hands over their ears when caution was being urged. The thing is, the brutish Jaguar XKR that preceded the ‘S’ was more than enough to please the performance junkies but Jag felt it still wasn’t done and got going with the Porsche GT3-rivalling XKR-S Coupe.

Then, just to make things even more interesting, it cut the roof off to create the XKR-S Convertible. It was a brave move and it’s fair to say that this droptop-with-attitude isn’t here to make friends. With a colossal 542bhp at its disposal the Jaguar XKR-S Convertible is predictably fast, but also inordinately loud. If you do choose to drive it at speed in a country lane expect farm animals to run for cover and disapproving looks from locals.

With the roof up, you’ll enjoy a glorious sound from the V8 when you press hard on the throttle but with the roof down you’ll fully understand what it’s like for passers-by. It’s an outrage. Apart from the attraction of wind-in-the-hair-motoring, it’s the uncompromising sound that could cause potential XKR-S Coupe buyers to shell out a bit more for the Convertible.

In the looks department the XKR-S Convertible is arguably better looking than the fixed-head version. Like the standard models, its sweeping side profile is uninterrupted by the inclusion of a soft-top – whether up or down – but unlike the standard models it’s got brutish looks that point squarely to the performance credentials. At the front there’s a revised nose with side air ducts, a carbon splitter and a redesigned bumper.

At the rear the bolt-on wing might be considered a crude addition but it is there for a purpose, helping to reduce lift and increase stability – a pre-requisite for a high performance convertible like this. It’s a mix of beauty and beast, and should turn heads. If you don’t see when it passes by, you’ll certainly hear it. It’s an impressive machine, but is this monstrous Convertible all shout and no clout?

Read the full Jaguar XKR-S Convertible review to find out.