Jaguar XF SV8

A wild-card entry, the XF isn’t a natural performance model. However, as our reigning Car of the Year, we weren’t going to bet against its breadth of talents letting it shine on the track, too. Don’t be fooled by the fairly lowly placing – the Jaguar far from disgraced itself. In supercharged form its endless thrust was addictive on the straights, while the well weighted steering and superbly balanced chassis helped it corner accurately, too.

The four-door proved most fun in the wet, when its two-wheel-drive layout and plentiful power gave it a ‘steer-from-the-rear’ muscle car feel. In the dry, the Jag still had ample ability to slide gracefully in clouds of tyre smoke.

Setting Dynamic Stability Control to Trac made the XF less fun on the circuit. In the end, the superb all-rounder proved it could hold its head high off the public road, but ultimately its luxury cabin and relaxed character are more at home at a slightly more sedate pace.

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