Power is seductive. You only have to look at the way Keanu Reeves’ head is turned by Al Pacino’s Satan in Devil’s Advocate for evidence of that.

And so it was when I jumped into the Jaguar XFR and started the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine for the first time. To coin another cliché, it’s said that it’s the quiet ones you have to watch, and that also rings true, the subdued burbling from beneath the bonnet simply hints at its potential. Even the body kit is restrained, with a revised front end, small boot lip spoiler, flared sills, bonnet vents and quad exhausts.

Press your foot hard to the floor and it very, very rapidly becomes obvious that the XFR is more than just a little bit special. The magical 62mph arrives in just 4.7 seconds while 50-70 takes an astounding 1.9 seconds. In fact, with maximum torque available at just 2,500 rpm, once you get the supercharger spinning, the acceleration is efficiently brutal. However, it’s that muted rumble from beneath the bonnet that proves to be the icing on what is a delightfully delicious cake. The Jag is a car that just keeps on giving.

Changes to the suspension mean that the ride is firmer and, consequently, imperfections in the road surface are transmitted to the occupants more frequently, but the trade-off is sports car-like handling with almost limitless grip and superb turn-in. The Jag is also remarkably settled thanks to the electronic damping system which manages to prevent unwelcome wallowing even when travelling at speed on undulating roads.

However, for all its brutality, the Jag can be more kitten than big cat if required. The broad range of torque means that progress is effortless whatever velocity you choose to travel at.

A fitting analogy and a chance to continue the Keanu Reeves-themed review would be to compare driving the XFR with "bullet-time", as witnessed extensively in The Matrix trilogy, because when travelling at speed (and I won’t reveal what speed just in case one of the boys in blue are reading this) time moves with less urgency than you would expect. It’s a wonderfully surreal experience.

The interior follows the same restrained theme as the outside, with very few changes compared to the standard XF. The seats are more supportive - and given the lateral forces that this car is capable of exerting, they need to be - and there’s the odd flourish to provide a visual reminder that you’re sitting at the wheel of something quite special.

Unfortunately those few changes don’t extend to the unremarkable touchscreen which really is overdue a serious upgrade. The infotainment system works well enough, it just lacks the polish of its rivals and, if you’re spending nearly £70,000 on a car, I think you have every right to expect better.

The XF is undoubtedly one of the best-looking cars on the road, it’s also one of the best handling in its class. In R-trim it is effortlessly fast, and slow, with brutal power delivery. There really aren’t many better ways of getting from A to B. In fact, let’s just give B a miss...

Jaguar XFR

Price: £65,440

Price as tested: £70,155

Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol

Power: 503bhp

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Acceleration: (0-60mph): 4.7sec

Top speed: 155mph (limited)

Urban: 16.7mpg

Extra-urban: 32.8mpg

Combined: 24.4mpg

Emissions (CO2): 270g/km

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