he XK8 was a Jaguar that showed what the brand was good at; building stylish gentleman Gran Tourers for the enthusiast. Because the black feline showed a bit too much subdued potential for some, a variant came onto the market in 1998 with considerably more sports DNA; the Jaguar XKR.

The same V8 as the power source but with a large Eaton supercharger which caused almost 100 extra British horses to be taken out of the stable when the accelerator was pulled. In addition, the undercarriage was adjusted a lot tighter and the brakes were increased. With the extra forces on the car, Jaguar’s own gearbox soon failed. That’s why she ‘borrowed’ a Mercedes gearbox, which makes it a very pleasant and reliable setup.

In 2001 Jaguar returned to Formula 1 under Ford’s wings. To celebrate this Jaguar released an XKR variant that had once again passed the gym; the XKR Silverstone. The large 20 inch BBS rims, stiffer anti-roll bars, stiffer suspension/damping and Brembo brakes made for a Jag that really wasn’t for the pussy. In total only 200 pieces were produced for the European market, 100 pieces for the American market.

All this, in addition to his original Dutch descent, very well maintained condition and beautiful lines, makes for yet another unique Cool Classic!