Jaguar XFR: 500 hp on the Prowl at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Rated at 420 horsepower, Jaguar’s XF S-V8 sedan provides plenty of bang for the buck. It outpaces its standard V8-powered rivals by a fairly healthy margin, though it stops short of challenging the likes of the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG. This will soon change with the launch of the XFR.

The thinly-disguised super-sedan was spotted recently parading at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, and is reportedly ready to be shown to the public this summer at the British International Motor Show. This vehicle sported mild styling changes, including new front and rear valances, a lowered ride height, and 20-inch wheels with a new seven-spoke design. Like the XKR, the XFR’s hood features a pair of vents, for improved cooling and ventilation.

The XFR will be powered by a supercharged version of the brand’s new 5.0-liter V8, developing at least 500 horsepower. It will be mated, at launch to a six-speed automatic, just like all other members of the XF family, though Jaguar has signed on for ZF’s eight-speed automatic, the same one that will arrive in BMW’s recently announced 7-Series, for application further down the road.

With this amount of power, the XFR will dust to 60 mph in just under four and a half seconds, which should ensure it to be as fast, if not faster than the M5. And while the car will be electronically limited to 155 mph as with all Jaguars, it is estimated that de-restricted it could top 174 mph.

Production of this purebred Jaguar could start as soon as March of next year, according to Autocar magazine.