JAGUAR'S claim to be one of the the leading high performers is verified by its new £62,600 XFR, which is capable of accelerating from 50mph to 70mph in 1.9 seconds.
Its sporting pedigree is further enhanced by the ability of its 5.0-litre supercharged engine to reach 60mph from a standing start in only 4.7 seconds and redline at 155mph, despite being toned down by an electronic limiter.
This epitome of sporting excellence is topped by the fact that the XFR, minus its electronic tag even reached beyond 200mph during a recent high speed test on salt flats in USA.
Sat on low profile tyres, with lourved bonnet, rear spoiler and side skirts, this sporty XF is a real mean machine - a racer from its wheel nuts upwards.
But for all this latent power and aggressive looks it is still a family vehicle boasting all the mod cons, all the safety and all the security systems generally found on its stablemates.
The XF is a beautiful car. The XFR is an even more beautiful model with added panache and from the moment I sat behind the wheel it stole my heart.
Not only does it behave itself superbly on track and roads it comes in differing forms thanks to the optional Speed Pack or the Black Pack. The latter boasts dramatic gloss black 20-inch alloy wheels, gloss black finish to the front air grilles and side vents, red brake calipers, a body-coloured aerodynamic pack including a front chin spoiler and larger rear spoiler and an optional XKR body side graphic along the lower sills.
And that's not all. There is even a special edition XKR75 with a top speed of 174mph.
But even the 'run of the mill' XFR left me breathless. Its acceleration was awesome, its straight line speed reminiscent of a single seater race car, and despite all this latent power, its public road manners were impeccable.
Enjoy the drive, enjoy the luxury - Jaguar is back in the big time.
FAST FACTS
Jaguar XFR 5.0 Supercharged
Price: £62,600
Mechanical: 510bhp, 4,999cc, 8cyl petrol engine driving rear wheels via 6-speed automatic gearbox
Max speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 4.7 seconds
Combined mpg: 22.5
Insurance group: 20
CO2 emissions: 292g/km
BIK rating: 35%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles