Jaguar XKR-S GT Hits the Track (Wet)

/DRIVE’s Chris Harris takes the outlandishly expensive Jag XKR-S GT out for a drive and learns just what $174,000+ buys you. Despite the fact that Jaguar’s in-house performance team didn’t do anything to the stock engine, the aerodynamic and chassis upgrades are more than enough to boost this ride from an elegant touring sportster to a true track day monster. It’s not like its stock 540 horsepower V8 was anything to sneeze at in the first place.

Key enhancements you’ll find in the XKR-S GT include improved airflow, a large carbon fiber front splitter, flattened aluminum underbody and a large rear spoiler which adds tremendous downforce. Massive carbon fiber brakes help bring things to a quick stop without the slightest fade. It’s also got a steering system based on the one in the F-Type. Inside the cabin, it’s got a half roll cage in place of the small rear seat – which makes it much more track friendly too. To keep things grippy on the track, it ships with Pirelli Corsa radials.  All of these parts are quite expensive, hence the nearly $42,000 price difference from the stock XKR-S.

Too bad it’s always raining in England. We’d love to see how the GT performs on a bone-dry track.