2012 Jaguar XKR-S
According to Jaguar, the XKR-S is the fastest production car they’ve ever produced. Well, we couldn’t let a claim like that go by without seeing for ourselves. So, we headed to the place we know best to figure out such things out, Georgia’s Roebling Road Raceway, to find out if this cat is indeed their quickest yet!
Well, before we find out if this 2012 Jaguar XKR-S is indeed the fastest production Jaguar yet, let’s get to know it a little better.
Based on the sleek Jaguar XKR coupe, the XKR-S takes on a more sinister look thanks to a healthy dose of performance enhancing treatments like carbon-fiber front splitter, blacked-out mesh grille, and both engine, and tall-slit-like brake cooling ducts that really visually widen the car. In profile, things take a turn to the dark side as well, with black window surrounds, fender vents, and beefy 20-inch wheels. Red brake calipers help avoid a total blackout. Out back, there’s a huge rear wing and below, a carbon-fiber rear diffuser wraps around two sets of dual exhaust tips from a Performance Active Exhaust System that really lets this cat purr.
So, as great as Ian Callum’s original design was, we like it even more after this trip through “nasty” school. Okay enough of that, off to the track, or tracks, we go.
First stop is our hometown 75-80 Dragway for ¼-mile testing, where unfortunately, cold winter temperatures or maybe it was just the 550-horsepower, made launching a bit tricky. Eventually, we nailed a good one, and scorched to 60 in just 4.3–seconds. Streaking through the ¼ mile, this thing sounds absolutely awesome and unlike any Jag we’ve ever driven. It still feels like a Jaguar though, as the engine itself is smooth and quiet for the entire 12.6–seconds that it takes to reach the end of the strip at 118 miles-per-hour. Both acceleration times are a second quicker than the last XKR that we tested in 2007.
Those quicker runs come courtesy of the 5-liter V8 engine under the hood wearing a Roots-type supercharger. It’s the same all-aluminum AJ-V8 you’ll find in the XKR, but it puts out 40-additional horsepower and 41-more pound feet of torque thanks to revised fuel mapping, making the new totals 550-horsepower and 502 pound feet.
After a comfortable and speedy 9-hour drive down I-95 we arrived at our next venue, Roebling Road Raceway, near Savannah, Georgia, where warmer temperatures weren’t the only thing that put smiles on our faces. Handling Roebling’s high speed turns? Oh yeah, this Jag’s got an app for that. The XKR’S aluminum chassis was already capable, but the XKR-S’ lowered suspension and new dampers take it to a whole new level.
Jaguar’s Adaptive Dynamics and DSC software get a sportier re-flash and there’s a new Active Differential Control. All of it helps to really put the power down out of corners. Steering feel, especially in Dynamic Mode, is about as good as it gets. You do feel the size of this car at times, mainly in tighter turns where the front tires take some abuse, but otherwise it’s one agile cat. Paddle shifters for the 6-speed automatic work well, but not well enough to forget that it’s a slush-box you’re manipulating and not a sequential manual.
One thing that hasn’t been altered is the XK’s split personality. You can flog this beast around the track all day long, and then impress your significant other with a comfortable ride and posh interior that evening. And speaking of interior, the XKR-S’ does take a sportier turn, but not at the price of sacrificing luxury. There’s still leather everywhere, but now it’s accompanied by unique color stitching and aluminum trim.
While technically not a limited edition vehicle, Jag expects to sell fewer than 100 XKR-S’s at a rarified price of $132,875; and there’s a convertible version arriving soon, as well.
So, the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S is indeed the fastest production Jaguar ever, and incredibly enough, it accomplished this without losing any “Jag-ness” along the way.
Specifications
- Engine: 5-liter V8
- Horsepower: 550
- Torque: 502 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 4.3 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 12.6 seconds @ 118 mph
2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid
Kia Adds Hybrid Assistance To Keep The Party Going
For 2022, Kia gave their minivan a major reboot. So much so, they changed the name to Carnival and even stopped calling it a minivan. Well, they can’t fool us though. After all, we love minivans for their all-around practicality. Well for 2025, Kia has updated its multi-purpose people mover, including adding hybrid power. So, let’s see if that makes time in the new Carnival even more festive.
With many brands no longer even competing in the minivan segment, it’s noteworthy that not only is Kia still in the game, they’ve given their multi-purpose 2025 Carnival a major update after only 3 years on the market. That update includes a first-time optional hybrid powertrain.
The Carnival Hybrid config is an extension of the Sorento SUV’s setup, pairing a 1.6-liter turbo-four engine with a larger 54-kW electric motor. Combined output of 242 horsepower, 15 more than Sorento. Total torque is a stout 271 lb-ft, getting to the front wheels through a true six-speed automatic transmission. Throw in a full 19-gallon fuel tank and you’ve got close to 600 miles of range, allowing you to keep the party going farther than before.
The V6 Carnival remains available, although it’s now listed at 287 horsepower, down from 290. But the Government Fuel Economy Ratings take a huge leap here in the Hybrid; from 18 City, 26 Highway, 21 Combined to 34 City, 31 Highway, and 33 Combined.
The Hybrid comes with a few additional tricks up its sleeve, the most noticeable being the dial-like shifter in the console. But there is also a pretty clever regen braking setup that Kia calls E-VMC. The Electrification-Vehicle Motion Control has three levels of regen, but also has an E-Handling component which adjusts regen going into corners and amounts of electric assist when coming out of them; E-Ride, which includes unique shock tuning for the Hybrid but also can engage the electric motors to mitigate harsh impacts; and E-Evasive Handling Assist, which kicks in during emergency maneuvers. All techy cool!
Another step in Kia’s efforts of making everyone forget this MPV is actually a minivan.
All Carnivals regardless of powertrain get updated styling for ’25 which includes a new face that trades the concave grille for a flatter, larger one. The headlights are no longer incorporated into the grille, and the daytime running lights are much snazzier. In back, the taillights take on a completely different look, with much larger vertical elements on the sides. The liftgate gets a chunkier SUV-like vibe and the rear bumper is more pronounced than before. Altogether, another step in Kia’s efforts of making everyone forget this MPV is actually a minivan.
There’s upgraded tech for the inside, namely Kia’s new frameless panoramic display that incorporates both the 12.3-inch driver display and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment. It not only looks better, but processing speeds are much faster. The driver’s display gets a completely new theme with modern bar and number style speed displays instead of virtual gauges. A Full Display Mirror is also now available, which can switch from traditional mirror to camera.
The Hybrid has a bit less horsepower but 10 additional lb-ft of torque, so off to Mason Dixon Dragway for some numbers. It certainly didn’t feel underpowered, spinning up the tires off the line and even chirping on the shift into second. We hit 60 in a respectable 8.0 seconds, which is still .80 slower than the V6. Our best quarter-mile time was 16.2 seconds at 88 mph.
There was a different vibe to the handling experience, as E-Handling virtually eliminated understeer. But there was still some body roll and stability systems were eager to engage quickly. The brakes retain a natural feel, and stopping distances averaged a good 110 feet from 60.
The Carnival Hybrid is available in four of the Carnival’s five trims, all but the base LX. So, a base LXS Hybrid goes for $42,235, a $2,000 premium over the V6.
The 2025 Kia Carnival Hybrid offers more than just much better fuel economy. Kia has found a way to integrate battery assistance into just about every mechanical aspect of the vehicle, delivering a driving experience that is unique from its V6 counterpart, and adding more good vibes to an already exceptional family vehicle.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 1.6-liter turbo-4
- Transmission: 6-speed automatic
- Horsepower: 242
- Torque: 271 lb-ft
- 0-60 mph: 8.0 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 16.2 seconds at 88 mph
- Braking, 60-0 (avg.): 110 feet
- EPA: 34 City | 31 Highway | 33 Combined