IT'S the Jaguar which will finally confound the Porsche purists and prove that genuine supercars are not the preserve of elite German or Italian brands.

The Jaguar XKR-S is about to step into the highest echelon of auto exotica taking on not just Porsche but also the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes-Benz.

With a top speed of 186mph and breathtaking acceleration of 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds the XKR-S is the fastest production Jaguar ever.

And with almost 550 horsepower on tap it matches the power of the legendary XJ220 developed for a limited edition run in the 1980s.

Priced from £97,000 the XKR-S becomes the epitome of Jaguar's XK line up - some £20,000 more expensive than the current R model and £34,000 more than the ‘conventional' XK coupe.

But for that drivers will find themselves cocooned in technology and behind the wheel of what must be the most desirable Jaguar of modern times.

It is dressed to thrill with venomous styling including prominent air scoops at the front, carbon fibre spoilers and a quad exhausts.

Underneath there's reworked suspension, stiffer springs and dampers and recalibrated steering while the electronics for the stability and traction systems have been modified to handle the extra performance.

The supercharged V8 engine is uprated from the 510PS of the XKR yet despite its blistering  credentials it is relatively economical averaging 23 to the gallon - the same as the R - and its emissions of 292g/km make it one of the cleanest true supercars. Not many can scrape in below CO2 levels of 300g/km.

Inside the drama goes on. Jaguar has broken with convention by fitting the XKR-S with sculpted sports seats the likes of which you expect to find on a concept model.

Nevertheless they are finished in leather set off with carbon fibre effect sections - a pattern which is repeated in the door trim.

With a high gloss centre console, switches picked out in shiny chrome surrounds and a brushed grey metal finish to the facia it has the necessary rigueur of a £100,000 car.

A pure touch is black headlining and, just so you don't forget, there are R-S logos on the steering wheel and above the glove box.

On the road the XKR-S drives with a degree of brilliance. Fire up this Jaguar and the noise from the exhausts leaves you in no doubt this is a very potent piece of kit.

It gets better when the car's active dynamics are engaged with the growl from underneath becoming a roar and the suspension and throttle response are tightened up.

Put the car through its paces and there is a delightful feel of suppleness when cornering. This is the sort of rare beast where you feel absolutely at one with the machinery - it is fluid and agile but never feels as if it is going out of shape.

Unlike the rock solid feel of some of its competitors the Jaguar's ride is surprisingly accommodating and comfortable - especially for a car which possesses such jaw dropping performance.

The seats can be adjusted electronically to provide an excellent amount of lumbar support and no matter how demandingly you drive it is never tiring.

The XKR-S genuinely has a special quality and it rewards enthusiasm with precision responses while its balance is such you know this is a car which is equally at home on the race track as it is handling traffic where it acquits itself in a most docile fashion.

There is little to diminish the craftsmanship which has gone into this car. Almost everything the most demanding of drivers would want is onboard.

Extras include the likes of a digital radio and a tyre pressure warning system and perhaps the graphics on the sat nav are becoming slightly jaded.

Technology has moved on since the current XK line up arrived and there are better nav displays to be had, even on other Jaguars such as the latest XF.

In the grand scale of things that is small beer and the potential that the XKR-S has to please is immense.

Jaguar aficionados will love it - and those more used to other super brands will be amazed.