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During the last few weeks Jaguar has been the subject of quite a few headlines, fi rst with the driving launch of the new XJ – our full test of a LWB diesel model starts on page 22 – and then through the announcement of the XKR Coupe ‘Speed’ and ‘Black Packs’ at the Geneva Motor Show. Of course in overall sales terms the XKR option packs are far less important than the launch of the new XJ, but they are signifi cant nevertheless and, were I a betting man, I’d put money on there having been some lengthy debate at Jaguar about whether their introduction at all was a good idea. After all, aren’t Jaguars supposed to be discreet? Introducing a Speed Pack incorporating a range of mechanical and aero tweaks to raise the XKR Coupe’s top speed to 174mph isn’t exactly subtle, but adding the Black Pack’s even racier looks – complete with the option of XKR side graphics – eff ectively says, “hey, look, this is an XKR, and it’s damn quick!” For those wanting to keep a low profi le it’s hardly appropriate – but I think that the availability of these options (and remember, they are just that, options) is rather good, as they will help raise brand awareness. A few years back I attended a Jaguar ‘R’ driving event where dealers brought along potential customers. At that point the all-aluminium XKR was current in 4.2-litre form, but the X350 XJR and the S-TYPE R were also still in production – and it was the latter that raised the most eyebrows. After a range of top-speed, manoeuvrability and acceleration exercises, a recurring topic of conversation over coff ee was – “That S-TYPE R is incredible, but I didn’t even know it existed…” Now, I’m not suggesting for a minute that the current XKR – or any of the Jaguar range for that matter – is under the radar of the enthusiast car buyer to the same degree, but raising their profile still further can’t be a bad thing at all.