Michael McAleer got the cream in the Cotswolds when he test drove the latest evolution of Jaguar's XK range.
This cat purrs. Soft leather interior, burr walnut veneer. A profusion of electric gadgetry discreetly incorporated in the fascia and surround: all to ease the driver's travels. The distinctive Jaguar J-gate automatic transmission is close at hand. A new 4.2-litre engine ticks over at idle.
The latest evolution of the XK range pulls away gracefully. Dean Martin croons from the nine-speaker stereo as we regally meander through the picturesque Cotswold villages. This is the heartland of Jaguar: comfort, style, tradition and refinement. All elements of raw energy or raciness are cocooned inside a soft-spoken, beautifully sculpted body. While an ageing New Labour may rule the land, Conservatives rule the roost in the English shires.
Day two and the claws come out. Flat out at 155mph down the straight, the speed limiter kicking in, thankfully, as we descend upon a 180-degree bend. We're at the Jaguar testing track at Gaydon near Birmingham and one of our colleagues, an incorrigible racer, is putting this cat through its paces.
The engine no longer purrs; it roars. No need for Dean, or any musical accompaniment. The sound that dominates our aural senses is of the 4.2-litre engine mixed with the screaming of the enormous Pirelli tyres fighting to keep us safely in touch with mother earth.
We drove straight from country road onto racetrack. This is the same car that moments earlier had eased us through Bladon, burial place of no less a bastion of all things English than Winston Churchill.
The XK is a grand tourer with the real grunt of a sports car. And you don't need a racetrack to appreciate the power available with the flick of your right ankle. Driving steadily through the weaving country roads in the supercharged XKR, we came upon everything from six-wheel tractors to badly parked quad bikes and dealt with each impediment with ease thanks to the embracing Brembo brakes, but also the throaty supercharger that kicks in when called upon to propel you out of danger. Even sliding sideways through a bend on the racetrack, the reassuring stability control eases you back into line.
This is the latest evolution of the XK range, originally introduced back in 1996 to replace the iconic XJS, the first new sports car from Jaguar for a generation.
Major power train improvements and a host of new features have enhanced the latest XK. It retains the smooth lines that call up memories of bygone days when British cars were sculpted by creatives on a par with Rodin.
The changes to the exterior are subtle: new badging, a choice of four new exterior colours, a range of new interior trim combinations and three new wheel designs. There's also the introduction of Xenon headlights - as standard on the XKR and optional on the XK8.
AT the heart of the revised XK range are two new 4.2-litre V8 engines, one naturally aspirated with 300 bhp in the XK8, the other supercharged with 400 bhp in the XKR. The result: more power and torque, pushing you back into the soft leather seating when called upon to perform. Coupled with the more muscular engine is the six-speed automatic transmission that made its Jaguar debut in the new S-TYPE R.
It's not the only common element between the XKR and its S-Type cousin. They share the distinction of having the most powerful series production engine in Jaguar's history.
The new electronic gadgetry varies from handling and braking assistance to "intelligent" cruise control. Dynamic Stability Control and Emergency Brake Assist are standard across the XK range, and traffic-sensing ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) is an option.
The adaptive system allows the driver to set cruise control, but reassuringly the "intelligent" car will adjust speed to maintain a gap when faced with traffic ahead. It also comes with the option of a forward alert system that audibly warns drivers of slowing traffic ahead.
Irish sales are expected to be between 20 and 30 a year. Whether the price tag will be significantly different from the current €130,092-€132,271 remains to be seen.