The Jaguar XKR has pipped the classic 1950s Mercedes 300SL Gullwing to be named the sexiest car of all time by Auto Trader readers.

The second generation high performance XKR polled 17 per cent of the votes, beating the Merc – which received 16 per cent.

And in third place was another Jaguar – last year’s winner, the iconic E-Type which polled 15 per cent.

The Lamborghini Miura claimed 14 per cent and Porsche’s 911 received 12 per cent.

But spare a thought for another contemporary car, the Peugeot 206CC, which received just 1 per cent of the vote.

The XKR – which was designed by Ian Callum, who worked on the Aston Martin DB9 – is powered by a 4.2-litre supercharged engine, producing 420bhp and 413 lb/ft of pulling power.

With acceleration from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph, the British sports car packs performance along with beauty.

Stuart Milne, assistant web editor, Auto Trader.co.uk said: “Beating last year’s winner, the gorgeous E-Type is a great coup for modern day design and the British car industry.

“The XKR shows we can still produce beautiful, quick cars at a price to beat.”

Full Results: