Jaguar launches fastest ever road-legal car as women vote the brand their favourite
AT odds with its traditional masculine image, women in the UK have voted Jaguar as their favourite car brand – although male buyers could be swayed by the launch of the brand’s fastest ever road-legal model.
Data from respondents to the 2013 Auto Express Driver Survey reveals that Jaguar is now the most satisfying car brand to own amongst women in the UK. Male buyers voted it as their third choice.
Driver Power is the UK’s most comprehensive car survey. The survey results are based on an analysis of responses from 46,640 participants. Feedback from car owners covered every aspect of vehicle ownership – from performance and handling to running costs.
The positive results for Jaguar follow an outstanding achievement for the brand in the recent J.D. Power and Associates/What Car? 2013 UK Vehicle Ownership Satisfaction Study, in which Jaguar was named the number one automotive brand in the UK.
Steve Fowler, Auto Express Editor-in-Chief said: “Jaguar has always scored well in our Driver Power survey and came third overall this year. But delving deeper into the stats shows the brand doing especially well with female car buyers – they voted Jaguar the most satisfying brand to own. Women clearly love Jaguar’s cars, from the styling to the technology and the way the cars drive, while the dealers get special praise for customer service from women, too.”
In a move which might persuade a few more male buyers to consider moving Jaguar up the rankings, the company used the publication of the survey to announce plans to put of sale one of its most powerful ever models.
It plans to sell 10 examples of the extreme performance XKR-S GT sports car to customers in the UK. Interest in the XKR-S GT has been intense since it was launched by Jaguar at the New York Motor Show. Sales were then limited to 30 units in the United States and Canada. Priced at £135,000 on-the-road, first deliveries to UK customers are planned for October.
The XKR-S GT has been undertaking rigorous test programmes on roads and tracks in the UK and Germany. Supported by a team from Jaguar’s Engineered To Order (ETO) division, the XKR-S GT recently completed a lap of the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in just seven minutes and 40 seconds. This supercar-rivalling achievement makes the new XKR-S GT the fastest ever road-legal Jaguar at the Nordschleife track.
The XKR-S GT more recently made its public dynamic debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed. With six-time Olympic Champion Sir Chris Hoy behind the wheel, and flanked by the show-stopping Project 7 design study, XFR-S super saloon and XJR flagship Jaguar model, the XKR-S GT made a big impact on sports car fans at the UK’s most high-profile annual automotive event.
Powered by Jaguar’s 550PS, 680Nm supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine – driving through a six-speed transmission and active electronic differential – the XKR-S GT reaches 60mph in 3.9 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 186mph.
