Jaguar XJ Supersport

Alongside our collection of sleek sports cars and hot hatches, the giant Jaguar XJ appears a little out of place. But the big limousine deserves a place in our line-up, because beneath the suave styling beats the heart of a true muscle car.

Fitted with the same supercharged 5.0-litre powerplant as the firm’s smaller XFR mega-saloon, the XJ Supersport serves up blistering straight-line pace. And despite its huge dimensions, our long-wheelbase model is also surprisingly agile.

Quick steering delivers extremely sharp responses, and if you select Dynamic mode, you are rewarded with more immediate throttle response and racier gearchanges from the six-speed paddleshift transmission. As a result, the Supersport lapped the Anglesey circuit in only 66.5 seconds – that’s one-tenth faster than the trackfocused Renaultsport Mégane 250. However, this performance is hampered by excessive body roll and limited grip. When the traction control is switched off, the combination of its brutal powerplant and rear-wheel-drive chassis makes it easy to indulge in the kind of tyre-smoking tail slides that wouldn’t look out of place in a Hollywood car chase.

Head out on to the road, though, and the XJ is truly in its element. Here the adaptive dampers strike a fine balance between cosseting comfort and cornering poise, while the  engine’s almost limitless reserves of torque provide effortless overtaking pace. Adding to the car’s appeal is a finely crafted and characterful cabin that delivers supreme refinement. And while the jury is still out on the XJ’s controversial looks, there are no arguments about the Supersport’s performance credentials.