What a civilized way to travel!

For many, Jaguar is synonymous with British sportscars.

Always fast, always stylish and always with the best mix of wood veneers and fine leathers, it is hard to beat a Jaguar XK and the 2010 XK Portfolio is no exception.

The previous model was known as the XK8 and was on the market for 10 years. It was a huge step forward from the 12-cylinder XJS, an over-engined, under-engineered bouffant sportster that was a hollow version of the great XK sportscars of the 1950s and 1960s.

The XK8 was styled by the late Geoff Lawson, someone I am proud to have called a friend. Benefitting from all the research and development money poured in back then by new owner Ford, the 1998 XK8 was a standout in terms of looks and pace. In later supercharged form it was also one of the fastest 2+2s on the road.

But 10 years is a long time for one chassis to exist. Near the end, the XK8 was an amalgam of a dated engine and drivetrain including the dreaded J-Gate shifter and leading edge electronic handling aids undreamt of when Lawson laid pen to paper.

The new XK is designed by Ian Callum, another person I am proud to call a friend. He is refreshingly candid and is, to my mind, the heart, soul and public face of Jaguar.

The 2010 car is much longer than the XK8 and you can’t help but notice this sitting behind the steering wheel with the hood stretching out before you. But that’s what a real sportscar is all about; big engine out front and drive to the rear.

All the Jag styling cues are there like the muscular fenders over the rear wheels and the oval, grate-less grille at the nose. The difference is the new XK looks almost majestic.

The XK lineup is simple with a choice of coupe or convertible XK Portfolio with normally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 with starting prices of $96,500 (Coupe) and $103,200 (Convertible) respectively, excluding $1,270 destination and delivery charge.

The 2010 XKR with its supercharged V8 engine will start at $107,000 (Coupe) and $114,000 (Convertible) respectively.

Tested here is the XK Portfolio Convertible with $300 heated windshield and shipping charge for an as tested price of $104,770.

Beside the more gracious shape, it’s the new powertrain options that are at the heart of the changes for 2010 model year.

The new AJ-V8 GEN III direct-injection 5.0-litre engines are the most advanced engines Jaguar has ever produced, each offering significant increases in performance and impressive fuel economy. Both deliver significantly more torque and power than the previous generation of engines.

In the XK Portfolio, it produces 385 hp and 380 lb/ft of torque. With the standard six-speed ZF automatic transmission, acceleration from 0-100 km/h is 5.5 seconds for the Coupe and 5.6 seconds in the Convertible. Estimated fuel consumption is 17.1/8.0/11.2L/100 km city/highway/combined.

The supercharged XKR takes the same engine and belts out 510 hp and 461 lb/ft of torque with a 0-100 km/h time of 4.8 seconds for either Coupe or Convertible. Fuel rating estimates are 18.9/8.6/12.3L/100 km city/highway/combined.

The acceleration times are good as these cars are hardly lightweights. The XK Portfolio tested here weigh in at 2,120 kg or a hefty 4,674 lb.

The V8 has a wonderful burble to the exhaust very much like the Mustang fastback that Steve McQueen drove in Bullitt. Hammer the pedal and it has an almost basso howl that is unlike anything I can remember.

Called the JaguarDrive Selector, the gear twist knob is just that. When you push the “start” button on the transmission tunnel a silvery knob about the size of a hockey puck rises from the console between the front seats. By twisting it clockwise, you can select Park, Reverse, Neutral and Drive. One further click takes to you to “S” for sequential that lets you select gears by paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

This is no point-and-shoot hot hatch, but it can handle aggressively if the need be. Its all-aluminum chassis is one of the stiffest in the industry, but added to that are Jaguar’s suite of driver aids that make getting there more than half the fun.

The latest generation Jaguar Adaptive Dynamics replaces its older Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS) with automatically switchable damping modes that adapt to the road and how the car was driven.

CATS was limited in only offering two settings: ‘soft’ and ‘firm’. The new Adaptive Damping System provides a continuously variable damping strategy between wide extremes, benefitting ride comfort, ultimate control handling and grip.

Additionally, Adaptive Dynamics improves ride quality by monitoring wheel position five hundred times a second and automatically increases the damping rate as the suspension approaches the limits of its travel. Similarly it controls wheel hop on uneven roads by varying.

The JaguarDrive Control interface also lets the driver interact with Adaptive Dynamics by selecting modes for different driving conditions and moods.

This all comes together on long winding roads where the XK feels very solid and attached to the surface, whatever that may be.

Frost heaves and washboards are made short work of and the power to the rear wheels is uninterrupted at all times.

A car like this gives you confidence.

All the while, the cabin is a delight in terms of fit, finish and materials. Jaguar has always done this right by staying away from plastics.

My tester was all in white with a marvellous walnut trim on the dash and centre console and suede around the A-pillars. The standard multi-media centre mounted, seven-inch touch-screen provides access and control for the Climate Control and Audio systems, for the Satellite Navigation System, for Bluetooth mobile connectivity and for Jaguar’s Portable Audio Interface.

The satellite navigation system offers DVD mapping, ZIP code entry and a traffic message channel. The Portable Audio Interface offers iPod connectivity, and the connection of other storage devices through a USB port, to the in-car sound system, with full touch-screen control.

A highlight is the standard 525-watt Bowers & Wilkins stereo system as standard across the range.

There are many choices when it comes to premium luxury performance cars, but what the Jaguar XK offers is a sense of refinement that eschews gullwing doors and visual overkill.

It is civilized driving for those who would rather arrive at their destination than race to it.

Jaguar XK Portfolio 2010

Body Style: Premium luxury sports coupe/convertible.

Drive Method: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive.

Engine: 5.0-litre DOHC V6 (385 hp, 380 lb/ft).

Fuel Economy: Est. 17.1/8.0/11.2L/100 km city/highway/combined.

Price: $96,500 (Coupe), $103,200 (Convertible), Convertible as tested $104,770 including $1,270 delivery charge and $300 headed windshield.

Web: www.jaguar.ca