The Jaguar F-Type has been a firm favourite of mine from the moment it was revealed to the world –albeit as a concept codenamed C-X16 – way back in 2011.

My first excursion behind the wheel of Jaguar's coupe with the unashamedly loud 5.0-litre V8 under its bonnet did nothing to dampen my enthusiasm and did, instead, lend substance to my fondness.

I've reviewed other variants since then but none have quite stirred the soul in the same, unforgettable, way.

None until now, that is, because this week I've been driving the F-Type SVR, Jaguar's fastest car since the ill-fated but stunningly-beautiful XJ220.

Under the bonnet sits the same supercharged 5.0-litre V8 that has served the coupe so well since its launch but Special Vehicle Operations have squeezed an extra 25bhp and 15lbft of torque out of the motor, boosting output to 567bhp and 516lbft.

SVO's engineers didn't stop there, however, and fitted new dampers and anti-roll bars. Spring rates remain unchanged. It rides on 20in wheels that are lighter and wear wider rubber and the rear knuckles are stiffer.

The SVR also sports a new aero package – an active rear wing, rear venturi, front splitter and flat underfloor – that better manages the airflow around the car to reduce lift.

The titanium and inconel (an alloy of nickel containing chromium and iron) is designed to give the F-Type's soundtrack a harder edge – as if that was needed – and also shave 16kg from the scales.

The £4,270 Carbon Fibre Pack adds carbon side vents, bonnet louvres, door mirror caps, rear venturi and front splitter but, if you want the weight-saving (an extra saving of 25kg on top of the 25 the engineers have already trimmed from the Jag) carbon fibre roof you'll have to splash out another £2,605. The good news is you can have a panoramic glass roof, as fitted to my test car, for half that.

Start the engine and you’re greeted with the same visceral, untamed bellowing, spitting and snarling that fans of the V8-engined F-Type will be used to. The ‘harder edge’ that the new exhausts are supposed to add is difficult to confirm but, regardless, the exhaust not remains one of the great automotive audio tracks.

Anyone who’s driven an F-Type before will be familiar with some of the SVR’s traits, such as the ride that feels stiff at low speeds but improves markedly as speeds increase. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that its ride is marginally improved over lesser models, though a side-by-side comparison would be needed to confirm my conclusion.

The hyper-sensitive steering is also carried over. Even with previous experience it still requires a degree of adjustment before what at first feels edgy and nervous quickly becomes agile and direct. I found myself wishing for a touch or two more feel through the steering wheel, but it does little to detract from what is a dynamic and exhilarating driving experience.

Those new rear knuckles are less susceptible to flexing when you’re driving hard, which means that the rear contact patch is more stable and as a result, grip is bountiful. Body control is excellent and the all-wheel-drive system ensures there’s ample traction but, with so much power at your disposal and the right skills, it’s possible to toy with the car’s balance out of a corner.

Overall roll stiffness is unchanged, but it has been shifted rearwards to give a more neutral chassis balance, which improved the car’s turn-in characteristics. SVO’s alchemists have also retuned the electric steering, torque vectoring and the stability control systems to give the SVR sharper on-the-limit dynamics.

In tight corners it’s easy to get the rear to step out but the all-wheel-drive system will help rein things in before it gets too hairy.

The cabin is pretty much a case of as-you-were. It’s largely unchanged from what you’d find in other models in the line-up, which you can read about here, save for a smattering of discreet SVR logos. It certainly isn’t the high-tech paradise you might find in some of the F-Type’s direct rivals but I find the Jag’s old-school charm and brutish character particularly appealing.

The SVR’s improvements over the ‘standard’ R version are incremental, but the result is a car that is fundamentally and substantially better in every department. Both dynamic ability and performance are noticeably improved however, I have a sneaking suspicion there remains, still, some as yet untapped potential.

At £110, 880 on the road it also represents excellent value and, in my humble opinion, remains one of the most charismatic cars on the road. And loudest. And that’s what the child in me loves most of all.

Jaguar F-Type SVR

Price: £110,880

As tested: £119,020

Engine: 5.0-litre V8 supercharged

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Max power: 567bhp

Max torque: 516lbft

Max speed: 200mph

Acceleration (0-60mph): 3.5 seconds

Urban: 17.4mpg

Extra urban: 33.2mpg

Combined: 25mpg

Emissions (CO2): 269g/km

For more information visit www.jaguar.co.uk