Jaguar's Powerful New Sedan Is Like No Car It Has Ever Made Before

A year ago at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Jaguar introduced a car that was unlike anything we were expecting. We know and love Jaguar for sleek, low cars that exude sex appeal.

Then we saw the XFR-S.

Compared to its siblings, it's rather stubby, and it's got a big wing stuck on the back of it. But a peek under the hood reveals that the XFR-S isn't an abomination, it's just something new. Something very powerful, and very fast.

Over the weekend, we had the chance to spend a few days with the 550-horsepower, four-door, five-seat sedan. We took it out of Manhattan, up to Bear Mountain, where the roads all curve and the engine can do its thing.

That's where it all clicked. The XFR-S is no joy to look at. But it's a terrific performance car.

The XFR-S starts for $99,000. The version we tested cost $105,770.

Let's start with a quick look back at Jaguar's past. The brand makes fantastically sleek cars, like the iconic E-Type.

And the 2013 XF sedan.

The newly debuted F-Type Coupe is just drop-dead gorgeous.

Then there's the XFR-S. It's cool, yes. But "gorgeous" doesn't apply. It seems a bit chunky, really.

Gone are the sleek lines that mark the most famous Jag cars.

And unlike on the F-Type, where the spoiler only deploys at certain speeds, Jaguar slapped an (optional) big wing on the back of the XFR-S.

It's made of carbon fiber.

And it casts a big shadow. It's the clearest sign this is no normal Jaguar.

A Jaguar rep told us "the XFR-S buyer is different from the core XF customer, who is much more understated in comparison." For customers, the brand expects wealthy men, ages 36 to 55.

The XFR-S has, Jaguar says, "significant performance credentials and dynamic capabilities."

They're not lying. The XFR-S is uglier than the F-Type, but it's really, gloriously, fast.

Under the hood is a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine that creates 550 horsepower.

That sends the rear-wheel drive XFR-S from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.

Top speed is 186 mph. Put a grin on the cat's face.

The XFR-S sits on 20-inch wheels.

Now, this is still a Jaguar, so the inside is full of fancy materials. The front seats are heated and cooled, and you get a backup camera and blind spot detection system.