Background
Back in the 1990s two German manufacturers had the super saloon market cornered. Take your pick sir, from the BMW E39 M5 or the Mercedes E55 AMG. And who would be the third maker to offer a full sized five seater that could top 155mph? Why, Audi of course, with the S6. Except it wasn’t.
Before the VAG 4x4 outside lane hogger loomed large and close in anyone’s rear view mirror, it was Jaguar that launched a car that was arguably better and undoubtedly prettier than either the BMW or the Merc. Enter the X308 XJR.
Design-wise, the 1998-2002 X308 Jaguar XJR looks similar to its predecessor, the X300. But that 8 signifies the major change. While previous XJs used six-cylinder AJ16 engines and Jaguar’s venerable V12, the X308 XJ was the first Jaguar with a V8. Specifically, two V8s – a 3.2 and a 4-litre.
But the X308 Jaguar XJR’s 4-litre V8 is supercharged. So instead of 290bhp and 290 lb-ft, it makes 370bhp and 387 lb-ft. That goes to the rear wheels via a five-speed automatic and lets the XJR go 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds.
Compared with the rather stern and sleepy standard XJ, the XJR takes things to a whole new level, by employing a supercharged version of the base model’s 4-litre quad cam 32 valve V8 engine. All that power and a similar level of relentless torque, elevated the big cat into an entirely different market sector, and ensured it’s top speed had to be limited to 155mph.
But it wasn’t just the mighty powerplant that made an XJR – it also got beefier, sportier suspension, wider wheels and tyres to give it a better centre of gravity and sharper sense of cornering at high speed, and an lower overall ride height.
The automatic gearboxes used transmission parts from the 5G-Tronic Mercedes Benz. Later, the XJR would be equipped with an R1 spec that added 18in BBS wheels and Brembo brakes, which earlier XJRs did not have.
The XJR’s supercharged AJ V8 gained a new engine management setup in 2000, a drive by wire throttle body and exhaust gas recirculation, although the prodigious power output remained unchanged. The XJR now featured standard cruise control, auto wipers, heated screen, electric seats, CD changer, electric wheel and column adjustment, metallic paint and 18 inch Asteroid alloys.
In 2001, Jaguar celebrated what would have been Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons’ 100th year by producing the XJR100, a limited edition of the XJR in black with red-stitched black leather, the Brembo brakes from the R performance option package and 19-inch BBS alloys.
In 2002 as the all-new X350 was on the horizon, what was effectively a run-out model was produced badged as the XJ8 SE, featuring improved specification and in late 2002 the final cars left the line, with the new aluminium-bodied X350 entering production in December.
