Jaguar XF review: s'charged V6 makes it to the UK

People of the UK, be grateful. The 3.0-litre supercharged Jaguar XF might be mainly for the diesel-loathing American and Chinese markets, but Jaguar has also decided to sell it over here. Happy days.

This is a stonking V6 petrol engine with a character and power that mitigates many of the ecological shortfalls that are inherent in a large petrol engine. It replaces the old 5.0 V8, but with similar power for smaller capacity. It's got 335bhp and 332lb ft and comfortably out-stats BMW's 535i, which means this XF will sprint to 62mph in 5.7secs and top out at 155mph. But the way it delivers that speed is what sets it apart from rivals. Because of the supercharger, there's no lag in the delivery - a tiny tweak of the accelerator pedal and the engine reacts instantly, which makes this a surprisingly engaging car to drive.

The new, eight-speed automatic 'box never feels sluggish, and it can block-change, shifting from, say, fifth to second, helping speed up kickdown times. So it won't be the biggest-seller in the range, but who cares? It's a good car and a great engine. Be glad it exists.