Jaguar XFR | PH Auction Block
Lest we forget, all 5.0-litre Jaguars were lovely, but those badged 'R' really were something special
Put simply, it’s unclear where the future of fast Jaguars goes from here. Given its remit and price point, whatever the Type 00 becomes clearly isn’t going to be slow by any stretch of the imagination - but we don’t know yet whether new-gen Jag will want to resurrect the idea of super-saloons from old Jag. While plenty are attempting just that with their electric cars - think of the AMG EVs, the uber Taycans, the M-badged BMW i cars - maybe Jaguar’s focus will be elsewhere. It’s hardly like 1,000hp four-door EVs are flying out of the showrooms. Perhaps the Type 00 will emerge instead as something akin to a Rolls-Royce Spectre at half the money. Frankly, we’d be happy to see it be anything right now, the production car delayed again because of JLR’s recent woes. Godspeed…
It would be sad if we've seen the end of fast Jaguar four-doors, simply because so many good ones have been made over so many years. All the way back to MkII hot rods, through XJRs, S-Types and XEs, the flagship Jaguars have always offered up a compelling blend of luxury, style, performance and panache. The engine has always been a big part of the appeal, sure, though maybe not to quite the same extent it might be in an AMG or M car. The notion of a flagship Jaguar boasting some classic attributes and electric power doesn’t seem out of the question, basically.
But let’s divert from the ifs and maybes of Jaguar’s future to the certainties of its recent past. Specifically, this 2010 XFR, set to be auctioned this weekend. Back when a top-of-the-range XF was confirmed at the end of the '00s, hopes were high, given the quality of both the standard saloon and similar R-badged Jags; this would be the first installation of the 5.0-litre V8, too, giving a meaningful boost in power to the supercharged lineup.
The 510hp didn’t disappoint, either, even faster and plusher than was expected. It tended to get the nod over the equivalent M5 in comparisons, in fact. By that time the V10 E60 was a few years old, though hardly over the hill. And it’s the era that nobody can get enough of right now (see recent auction results for evidence of that). So this was clearly a very, very good Jaguar.
Facelifts and updates would come over time, culminating in the wild XFR-S, though the fundamentals continued largely unchanged. Buying an earlier one like this most certainly guarantees the authentic XFR experience; it just has the weirder-looking headlights. This example, as well as looking like a lot of those early press cars with smoke billowing off the rear tyres, has covered just under 90,000 with three owners in 15 years. Nice numbers: the mileage has nudged up consistently by a few thousand each year, and keepers haven’t abandoned ship as soon as some money has needed spending.
Recent outlay on this one has been reassuringly generous, including (but not limited to) a dash retrim in 2022 because they shrink - which it looks great for - a refurbishment of the supercharger in 2024, plus new front discs and pads earlier this year. On a car the size and speed of an XFR, that won’t have been a small job.
Definitely it presents like a Jag that’s been cared for, the red having lost precious little of its lustre and the interior well preserved. It’s easy to imagine many more happy miles with the gear selector rising to greet you every time, especially with third-party upgrades now available to modernise the infotainment screen. We won’t say it looks like new, because it doesn’t - nothing could - but it does look like a great example of a much-loved Jag. Even the sunroof works.
Finally, without wishing to put too fine a point on it, XFRs seem to represent enormous value for money right now. There are cars in the classifieds for less than £10,000, and low-mileage minters at less than £20k, for some idea of where this might end up. At a time when M5s are regularly offered near £30k. So while the future of fast Jaguars isn’t exactly clear, one thing’s for certain right now: XFRs offer up a huge amount of V8 thrills for not very much. Despite everything else, that sounds like very good news indeed.
Lovely car, btw, just not in red.
As for subframes - mainly the rear one. Had to completely swap mine out in 2022. 2 day job with a 2 post lift!
Great fun, comfortable, fast, handled well for it's size. A very capable all rounder. The engine (believe it or not) was a bit muted (later resolved when I had the F Type R) but it pulled like a train.
Great fun, comfortable, fast, handled well for it's size. A very capable all rounder. The engine (believe it or not) was a bit muted (later resolved when I had the F Type R) but it pulled like a train.
Great fun, comfortable, fast, handled well for it's size. A very capable all rounder. The engine (believe it or not) was a bit muted (later resolved when I had the F Type R) but it pulled like a train.
These are outstanding value, stone axe reliable compared to a contemporary M5 or RS Audi, and parts prices are very reasonable. Front brakes? £90 a side for 380mm ATE discs and you only want to use the Jaguar pads to get the right pedal feel, they're £270 a set at the dealer but easy enough to find for half that. One of the easiest disc and pad changes I've ever done too.
They used a lot of the same parts across the range for years so loads of aftermarket support, and even JLR dealer parts aren't usually too nasty.
TDC have done some good features on these, had two cheap ones recently.
I test drove a lovely one a while back, I was absolutley smitten however - stuck it on a ramp - absolutely rotten. As in, 90s Jap car rotten. Had not realised they suffered like that.
The photos of this one showing 'hints' of the metallic sills and pinch welds, with the rest all hidden behind plastic trays give me the shivers. I bet there are some serious crusty bits hiding in there....
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