Combined, the silver and black cars displace some 11.2 litres. When their engines are fired up simultaneously, you get a meteorological event – something between a tremor and the wake of a thunderstorm, the kind of occurrence that deserves a Category-something warning.
The Jaguar XFR and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG represent what’s believed to be the last of an era, when superlative performance is a function of high octane, an even higher burn rate and a hefty road tax. With changes in legislation and ever greater pressures to go “eco”, their successors are expected to have less cylinders, less capacity and probably an electric motor whirling somewhere in the equation.
We’ll leave it to the engineers to figure out how to make a “weedier” engine sound as good as either V8. Here, the challenge is figuring out which one is the preferred super-saloon to chalk up fuel points with
XFR has an XXL gear indicator when set to Dynamic mode.
The Jaguar XF always had a V8 in its line-up. To make an “R” version, it was necessary to deploy a newer and meaner engine; one that’s 804cc bigger yet more frugal and with cleaner emissions than the old 4.2-litre from the S-Type R. The 5-litre supercharged V8 makes 510bhp and 625Nm of torque.
The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, on the other hand, uses a tuned version of the 6.2-litre V8 in the C63 (click here to our review of the latest Mercedes-AMG C63) to claim 514bhp and 630Nm of torque (it’s 457bhp and 600Nm in the C). While the figures definitely seem stronger than the XFR’s, the naturally aspirated Merc needs lots of revs to get to them – peak torque arrives at 5200rpm, whereas the supercharged Jag enjoys its 625Nm from 2500rpm to 5500rpm. So even though the Merc is supposed to be quicker to 100km/h from rest than the Jag (4.5 vs 4.9 seconds), it’s the XFR that delivers the bigger kick, pressing occupants into the seats with greater conviction.
The XFR’s performance is immediately addictive, but the E63’s V8 has an exoticar-like charm with its incredibly broad operating range. The 6.2-litre revs right up to 7800rpm (it’s a more conventional 6500rpm for the Jag), but the ferocity with which the AMG engine slams against the electronic limiter suggests that, unbridled, it can certainly rev even higher, pushing out more power in the process. The possibility of a more powerful Black Series version down the road cannot be discounted.
E63 has a special AMG menu.
The 7-speed automatic has been strengthened for this AMG application and it doesn’t hunt for ratios, having an almost psychic-like ability to apply the right ratio for the job. It swops gears incredibly smoothly too, even under a heavy right foot. Apart from the very slight lag between the tuggings of the steering-mounted shift paddles in Manual, the transmission is just about as good as current technology allows.
Ahead by the very skin of its planetary gearset is the ZF-developed item in the XFR. Having one less ratio than the AMG is no handicap and the ZF is just as slick in slurring changes. Hurried, it feels slightly more energetic, masking any lethargy inherent to the supercharged engine.
Exploiting the power and drivetrain to good effect is the XFR’s chassis set-up. For a car with its sporting credentials, the XFR certainly doesn’t ride like one. It’s amazingly well-damped. While the sensation of the engine’s weight over the front axle is obvious, the steering manages to be free from the sticky sensation of the 4.2-litre XF SV8.
XFR hides its supercharged V8 under a slabby cover.
The E63 isn’t far behind the XFR in the ride comfort department but it does a top job at hiding the heft of its V8. The nature of the engine’s power delivery makes it less hairy to turn to the throttle to adjust cornering attitude without inducing too much slip (the strong torque of the XFR threatens to break traction earlier).
Selecting Sport on the Merc for the active damping further ups the ante in body control, without ruining the composed ride. This is definitely the mode of choice. The most hardcore Sport+ mode is less relevant as it sacrifices too much to be fun to use on the road. Perhaps if an E63 were to ever find itself on Sepang Circuit, the super-firm ride would make better sense.
On those occasions, the lap timer function built into the “AMG menu” set within the E63’s instrument panel should prove useful too. The menu also displays such crucial information as the oil temperature and the status of various AMG-related matters, like which mode the gearbox and suspension are in.
E63 openly flaunts its naturally aspirated, 6.2L V8.
Behind the wheel, it’s hard to deny the E63’s status as an AMG car and not a modified E-Class. The front seats feel extremely racy (if not quite like the C63 driven two years ago) and in place of the standard gear lever with a zig-zag path, there’s a tiny joystick and a small battery of buttons by the side, including one marked “AMG” that hardens the suspension and transmission in a single click.
Those bits come on top of the car’s exuberant exterior styling. Featuring deep cuts, exaggerated fender bulges and oversized openings, the E63 is not subtle, not pretty; and you most definitely won’t mistake it for a taxi. Had the test car been black, you could imagine it playing the role of Dark Knight Batmobile.
The XFR, in contrast, seems to wear far less armoury. Yes, the side skirts and bumper valance are slightly deeper than the normal XF’s. There are also aggressive vents on the bonnet, along with a liberal spattering of “Supercharged” markings (they are even embossed on the 20-inch alloys!), but they do nothing to alter the basic design of the XF which is elegant, sleek and handsome.
On the inside, the blood-red leather upholstery definitely screams sporty, as do the suede roof lining. Otherwise, the XFR’s cabin isn’t that different from the standard XF. But the XF’s rarity – relative to the number of E-Classes – will mean that theatrics like the rising rotary gear selector and air-con vents that “rouse” on engine start-up will surely impress occupants.
Herein lies the difference between the two big V8s. Jag seems to have fine-tuned the XF to create the XFR, while Mercedes has gone out on a limb to turn the sombre and cushy E-Class into a proper AMG car. Its in-your-face styling can polarise opinions and it takes a bit of stirring to wake up. When it does, it rewards richly.
Oh, and some will also be happy to know that the Merc is (slightly) more frugal. That’s a thought that makes you go “vroom”, doesn’t it?
Jaguar XFR 5.0 (A)
ENGINE 5000cc, 32-valves,V8, supercharged
MAX POWER 510bhp at 6500rpm
MAX TORQUE 625Nm at 2500-5500rpm
GEARBOX 6-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 4.9 seconds
TOP SPEED 250km/h (governed)
CONSUMPTION 8km/L (combined)
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG 6.2 (A)
ENGINE 6208cc, 32-valves,V8
MAX POWER 514bhp at 6800rpm
MAX TORQUE 630Nm at 5200rpm
GEARBOX 7-speed automatic with manual select
0-100KM/H 4.5 seconds
TOP SPEED 250km/h (governed)
CONSUMPTION 7km/L (combined)
