![\"Jaguar](\"http:\/\/blog.caranddriver.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/N5E5948-440x293.jpg\" "\\"Jaguar")
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Beginning this year, Jaguar will include a one-day course at its newly established Jaguar R Performance Academy with the purchase of a 510-hp XFR<\/a> or XKR<\/a>. (The same deal is retroactively applied to owners that purchased a 2010 model last year.) Several journalists\u2014myself included\u2014recently had the opportunity to sit in on the driving school\u2019s second meeting at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for an introduction to the program and, of course, to have some fun with a couple of big cats.<\/p>\n The R Academy currently is a traveling road show of sorts that will visit various race tracks throughout the year near the company\u2019s key markets, which include Las Vegas, as well as Miami (Homestead Miami Speedway), Los Angeles (Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California), and New York (Monticello Motor Club); a permanent home base for the school is still being looked into.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n While the program is more of a responsible way for Jaguar to introduce new owners to the limits of their cars\u2014rather than a full-on track school for experienced handlers\u2014the lessons and exercises that are taught are crucial for anyone who enjoys driving quickly yet safely. And free track time never hurts; I\u2019ve spent a considerable amount of time on race tracks, including another driving school, and still found the program to be both helpful and very enjoyable. The R Academy also brings Jaguar up to par with other premium carmakers, nearly all of which offer their owners some form of high-performance driving instruction, albeit for a fee. What we like about Jaguar\u2019s setup is that it\u2019s included in the sticker prices of the XFR, XKR coupe, and XKR convertible, which start at $80,000, $96,000, and $102,000, respectively. Jaguar says that only XFR and XKR owners are eligible for the R program and that participants must use Jaguar\u2019s vehicles; those that have a 2011 XJ Supersport<\/a> on order are out of luck.<\/p>\n Although the setup may differ slightly by location, each event includes a classroom lesson on vehicle dynamics and safety, along with autocross exercises and follow-the-leader lapping of a proper road course in both XFR sedans and XKR coupes. Upon settling into the massive media center at the sprawling LVMS complex\u2014which includes 1.5- and 0.4-mile paved ovals, a smaller dirt oval, a 2.5-mile road course, a quarter-mile drag strip, and several off-road tracks\u2014we met our panel of instructors, including racers Roberto Guerrero, Davy Jones, and Adam Andretti (Mario\u2019s nephew), among others, all of whom broke down the intricacies of car control and smooth driving.<\/p>\n Once the instructors went over the settings for the cars\u2019 chassis electronics, we split into groups for a morning of autocross lapping; one group on a conventional multi-turn course of cones, the other on a short, tight oval that was designed to help you find and hit the proper entry and exit points of a corner. Drifting is not the fast way around a track and the instructors were adamant, at first, that we learn the cars with all the safety nets enabled. That didn\u2019t last long, though, as deactivating the cars\u2019 stability controls and using their 5.0-liter V-8s’ 461-lb-ft of torque to pivot around corners was too much fun to resist. So much fun, in fact, that the back end of an XFR stepped out on me and clipped a cone on my final timed autocross run\u2014a three-second penalty that bumped me from first to third on the podium for the day. Bummer.<\/p>\n After a warm lunch back at the media center\u2014and a deluge from the heavens out at the track\u2014we saddled up for an afternoon of laps on LVMS\u2019s soggy 2.5-mile road course. The unassuming track is mostly flat as it snakes around a layout that can be configured into either the full 2.5-mile course or a pair of smaller, 1.5-mile tracks. Offering a mix of surfaces, a lengthy main straight, and an array of tight yet tricky corners, I found the track to be a challenging venue, particularly in the pouring rain. As the tarmac slowly dried throughout the day, we alternated between one-on-one seat time with an instructor and solo lapping in a procession behind one of the hired shoes, the latter being especially helpful for learning how to find the proper line.<\/p>\n The R Academy is not a racing school, but the instructors kept a watchful eye on our progress and gave us plenty of opportunities to run hard and take the cars to their limits of adhesion, which on a wet track with these powerful rear-wheel-drive vehicles was more than exciting at times. It also was highly instructive; the XFR and XKR are practical cars that can be driven daily in a range of weather conditions, and the slippery track forced us to be both smooth and patient when applying the throttle and transitioning at high speeds\u2014we\u2019d all be safer if every motorist took such care when driving home from work on the highway.<\/p>\n Overall, we came away impressed with the Jaguar R Performance Academy, and applaud the company\u2014and every other carmaker that has a similar program\u2014for helping to make its customers better, safer drivers. If anything, I think schools such as this, which allow you to safely explore the limits of both your skills and your vehicle under the guidance of a professional, should be mandatory for all motorists. And I think Jaguar made the right move in including its driving academy in the purchase price of its cars; the couple of owners that attended the school with me completely agreed, noting at the end of the day that they felt both more comfortable about their purchase and safer on the road.<\/p>\n As of this writing, Jaguar is seeing how the school\u2019s first year works out before it announces plans for the future, but a continuation for 2011 with even more venues is likely if all goes well. The R program currently includes just the track element; participants are responsible for travel, lodging, and meals away from the facility. Guest drivers are not allowed, and attendees must be 21 years old and, of course, have a valid driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n Watch the video below to see some of the day’s snarling antics.<\/p>\n