The 2009 Jaguar XF Supercharged in our long-term fleet has been nothing short of a staff favorite, rarely left for even a single evening down on Level G3 without a chaperone. And who could blame us? The force-fed 4.2L V-8 serves up a strong-handed 420 hp and sounds good doing it. The XF's Ian Callum-designed body with its Aston-esque taillights, sexy, fender-mounted, XK-style side vents, and '68 Jaguar XJ-inspired front grille causes many of the most jaded L.A. fashionistas to lower their Ferragamo shades and gawk. And the XF's road manners, with its cracking power delivery, powerful brakes, and direct, well-weighted steering, are a delight. What more could we ask for? Or, as the case may be, what less could we ask for?

It's not a stretch to say the Jaguar XF is the car that has reshaped and reinvigorated the brand -- its S-Type predecessor a distant memory. In a recent comparison, we ranked the XF above its BMW, Benz and Lexus competitors. It was a serious contender for the 2009 Car of the Year. Despite the occasional niggle, we're enamored of the Jag sedan.

A good number of the updated Jaguar XKR's supplied action shots show the coupe sideways with a cloud of smoke in pursuit. While this alludes to variety of improvements for the 2010 model year, the most noteworthy must be the new engine -- a 5.0L V-8 with a Roots-type supercharger.

A few years ago, much of the media were saying that Jaguar really needed the X-Type, that Jag would never survive if it couldn't build this sort of popular model to generate the cashflow in order to make halo cars like the XK. But those were the days when quantity counted for more than quality, when Saab was aiming to sell oodles of cars each year, and Jaguar wanted in on the act. Unfortunately, its desperation showed.

Quick quiz time- What's the fastest Jaguar ever, not counting the XJ220? Answer: you're looking at it. This new XKR-S has been de-restricted, so the standard XK-R's limited top speed of 155mph does not apply. Good.This baby will run all the way to 174mph, which seems a lot more Jaguarish to me than a computerised restrictor. Here's a thought - remove the restrictors from all Jaguars. Just a thought.