Concept cars

2004 Jaguar XK-RS Convertible Concept

August 08, 2004

The conversion from boulevard cruiser to the racecar-esque XK-RS blends road-going technology with the best of the racing

While most of the XK's cabin remains intact, much of it is covered in carbon fiber paneling. (Photo: Jaguar Canada)

car world. Its interior, on the other hand, seems to be somewhere in the middle. While most of the XK's cabin remains intact, many details have been changed. Where the instrumentation would normally be located, directly in front of the driver, is a blanked out sheet of carbon fiber paneling. Where the airbag would normally be is a carbon-fiber wheel cover with an integrated digital display. The center TFT/LCD display on the console has been left intact, but the climate controls have been tossed out for a simple three-button setup. The stock stereo unit was also ripped out and replaced with a lightweight version. Such was the reason for eliminating all luxury amenities. Just the same, in an effort to save weight you'd think 550 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque ought to be enough to balance the weight of a traditional instrument cluster.

To make the XK-RS a star on the track, Jaguar reworked the chassis to accommodate the extra power. Having learnt a thing or two in

Sadly this impressive car is a one-off project, so don't expect to see the XK-RS hitting the streets anytime soon. (Photo: Jaguar Canada)

various racing programs, Jaguar has tweaked the XK-RS to be reactive in the corners, as well as lightning-quick and rock steady on the straights. The transformation was done as a team effort with Rocketsports Racing as a one-off project, so don't expect to see the XK-RS hitting the streets anytime soon. You're about as likely to see the TRANS-AM series XKR racer on the road as one of these, simply because of the impracticalities associated with it.

Although the speed and power are tempting, a Jaguar without all the trimmings and refinement just isn't a Jaguar, at least not anymore. The days of the D-Type are over, unfortunately. The RS is merely a power tool to boost Jaguar's sporting image, and it's a very impressive power tool at that.

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