New Jaguar XKR-S Cabrio

New Jaguar XKR-S Cabrio available in London

The New Jaguar XKR-S Cabriolet is the most powerful open-topped production car that Jaguar has ever built.

Just in time for spring and here it is. It's an XKR-S coupe, with the roof taken off. There have been no great chassis revisions to reflect the lack of hard-top, no softening of the engine or suspension to compensate for the lack of rigidity.

The visual changes over the standard XKR model include a deeper front bumper, re-profiled side sills and a larger-than-life carbonfibre rear wing.  These changes aren’t just for show either: Jaguar calculates these wind tunnel-influenced revisions, along with a 10mm drop in ride height, contribute to a 26% reduction in vertical lift. That’s reassuring to know when you consider this is a soft-top capable of hitting 186mph.

Revisions include stiffer springs and dampers, revised steering geometry and re-calibrated electronics that control the stability control system and active rear differential.

The XKR-S Cabriolet also comes with a booming sports exhaust and an extra 39bhp compared with the standard car, which pushes the output from the supercharged 5.0-litre V8 to a tyre-torturing 542bhp.

As a result, performance is most definitely on the wild side, but this is not a car that responds kindly to a ‘boot it and hang on tight’ style of driving. Well, not unless you want to find yourself heading sideways in a plume of tyre smoke.

Take a more considered approach, though, and you’ll discover a car that’s full of silky feel and incredible precision.

It takes a lengthy 18 seconds for the electrically powered roof to fold flat. Once it's folded, you get a great view of the XKR-S’s bespoke leather sports seats, which feature integrated headrests and racing harness cut-outs.

A three-spoke leather-trimmed steering wheel with paddle shifters, Jaguar-embossed stainless steel pedals, carbonfibre trim and gloss black centre console enhance the car's cabin.

The XKR-S has four seats, but in reality the rear seats are only suitable for carrying additional luggage. That’s a strategy you might employ on a regular basis, because boot space is rather limited.

But all in all this New Jaguar is a lovely car to drive and fits in easily with the whole Jaguar Range.