The Day I Showed I Still Have the Xkr-Factor Out On the Track

Mail on Sunday › July 02, 2007

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Summary

WHEN an unfortunate driver crashed a 185mph PalmerSport Jaguar XKR at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend, I really felt for him. Because although I haven't yet managed to test the XKR, the beefed-up road-going version of the XK8, I have been in a PalmerSport XKR and, believe me, it's a monster.

The PalmerSport cars have been developed for ex-Grand Prix driver Jonathan Palmer's impressive driving experience centre at Bedford Autodrome. The instructors at the circuit really encourage you to go for it and I am pleased to say that on my visit I achieved fastest time in the XKR out of 16 drivers. But I certainly cannot claim it was all my own work you drive with an instructor sitting next to you whose vocabulary seems to be restricted to yells of Brake! Turn NOW! and More Power! He has a kill switch for the engine if things start to go horribly wrong and dual controls which mean that if you brake at what he considers is wimpishly early for a corner, he can take the anchors off so you rocket into a bend at what feels like suicidal speed.

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The Day I Showed I Still Have the Xkr-Factor Out On the Track

He doesn't have a steering wheel though, and catching ...

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