JAGUAR'S latest load lugger, the XF Sportbrake,is definitely for those of us who like to use the weekend to shuck off our Monday to Friday pinstripes and get ready to rock ‘n' roll.

Or to put it another way - it will serve you beautifully and practically during the week but come Saturday you can blast it down the motorway, around the countryside, through the mud and not be disappointed.

It is also a handsome beast and in R-Sport trim in particular it possesses bags of kerbside appeal that match its performance.

The R-Sport trim adds a body kit to the exterior - a sports front bumper, side sill and a spoiler on the boot. The version I was driving also had gloss black roof bars and gloss black around the privacy glass and just for fun someone had added a black exterior pack and 20in wheels - lean and mean.

The lines from the front grille run sleekly to the rear with its twin exhausts and automatic power operated tailgate, ideal for those using this car during the week for business.

The Sportbrake title is Jag's way of telling us that this is an estate car but the R-Sport finish means it also sits lower on the ground than its siblings with stiffer suspension. Indeed, uniquely to the XF is the rear self-levelling suspension which proves its worth on corners where the car remains well balanced, agile and smooth no matter how hard you push it.

Inside, the R-Sport trim offers the most delightful heated and ventilated perforated leather seats in Ebony and light Oyster - black and cream to you and me - with a leather-clad steering wheel, lots of black gloss on the dash and a wonderful panoramic roof with an electric blind to keep things light and airy.

There is plenty of room for long-legged, wide shouldered folk in the rear and the boot space is a generous 565-litres with the seats up rising to a massive 1,700-litres with all seats down.

The tech on this version has been upgraded to Jaguar's InControl Touch Pro infotainment screen with sat nav, an interactive display, a CD and DVD player and also of course Bluetooth, DAB and Spotify.

At the foot of the centre console is the gear dial which rises up to meet you when you switch on. Next to it is the Jaguar Drive Control where you can choose the mode you want - Eco, Dynamic, Normal and Rain, Ice and Snow. This car is also all wheel drive.

There are plenty of driver assistance features - lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition with adaptive speed limiter, cruise control with speed limiter, trailer stability assist - as well as options allowing you to add features like a 360 degree parking camera, an electric deployable tow bar and a head up display.