the worlds fastest limousine

Ah, a limousine. A place to kick back after a long flight or hard day in the office, maybe with a glass of fine wine and with the climate control set to just right. Meanwhile, your chauffeur is at the wheel, doing everything he or she can to provide a smooth and cosseting ride back to your country estate or penthouse suite.Or maybe not, because a British firm has just finished work on what it is calling the worlds fastest limousine. Cast aside your chauffeur hat and buckle up. Things are about to get a little quicker

Wilcox Limousines is a Buckinghamshire based coachbuilder with 68 years experience in the business. The company claims to have the largest selection of new and used funeral vehicles in Europe and can provide hearses, limousines, private ambulances., removal vans and hearsettes for Jaguar, Vauxhall, Volvo and Ford. In fact, Wilcox Limousines in the only Jaguar Cars supported Jaguar coachbuilder in the world. Which is where this super quick limousine comes in.

The limousine in question is a Jaguar XJR, complete with a 5.0 litre V8 supercharged petrol engine. Thanks to the 542 raging horses under the bonnet, the Jaguar XJR limo is capable of speeds of up to 170mph. Yep, thats one hundred and seventy miles per hour?in a stretched limousine. Ask yourself this question would you rather be in the drivers seat or the back seat? Wed very much want our hands on the wheel, thank you very much.

According to Paul Wilcox, CEO at Wilcox Limousines, creating the Jaguar XJR limousine was a fantastic opportunity and it gave us the chance to attempt something new and extremely innovative. The final vehicle is stunning, definitely something unique and were very happy of what we have achieved. We understand the stretched cat has already been delivered to a private buyer in the UK.

Where will the XJR limousine be used? That remains to be seen, but we have a few ideas of our own. How about a Run What You Brung quarter mile dash at Santa Pod? Or a blast along the 1.17 mile straight at Bruntingthorpe? Or for a road legal attempt at reaching the claimed top speed surely a trip to Germany in search of some empty Autobahns would be on the cards

The interior is trimmed in Jaguars Duotone Jet and Redzone seats, with Jet upper facia and Jet headlining. Works a treat, right? Immediately in front of the rear seat passengers youll find a panel to control the air conditioning, along with the opportunity to put a screen between you and your passengers in the rear compartment. What you get up to back there is your business.

There are also a pair of vanity mirrors located in the headlining, which could prove useful if you need to check your complexion if the chauffeur has got a bit carried away with the loud pedal. Looking a bit green around the gills are you, sir

Up front, the driver is treated to the luxuries afforded to owners of the standard Jaguar XJR, which means a set of virtual instruments, satellite navigation and Merdian premium surround sound audio system. And of course, you have the full force of the 5.0 litre V8 supercharged engine at your disposal. Oh, the fun you could have if you dont happen to like your passengers. Terribly sorry, did I take that corner a little too quickly for you?

So, is this the worlds fastest limousine? We certainly think so. Back in 2007, a limo company in Manchester created a stretched Ferrari 360 Modena, capable of carrying eight people at speeds of up to 166mph. For added effect, the Ferrari limo featured a set of gullwing doors. Bosses at Ferrari werent too impressed with the limo and ordered the owner to remove any references to Ferrari, claiming it infringed trademark laws.

The same company later unveiled ambitious plans to create an eight seat Audi R8 V10, capable of speeds close to 200mph. So far, weve seen nothing other than CGIs, but it could topple the Jaguar XJR if it does eventually make it into production.