Years ago, a friend of mine bought a new Jaguar XJ6. Within six months, he had traded it in on a Mercedes. When I asked him why, he answered, “It was too small. There wasn’t enough room in it for me, my wife, the kids, the mechanic and his tools.”

His remark was very telling, because this was a problem that not only dogged Jaguar, but most British cars, and may the reason all the old British automakers are today owned by other car companies.

Now owned by Ford, Jaguar is no exception. With quality as Job 1, the Jaguar XJ8 is one of the finest luxury sedans built anywhere in the world today. Ford brought Jaguar much needed financial support and technical expertise which has greatly benefited the XJ8. Traditional problem areas like electronics and electrical systems have been eliminated since Ford took over.

There are five XJ series versions available — the XJ8, XJ8 L, Vanden Plas, Vanden Plas Supercharged and our test vehicle, the XJR.

The Vanden Plas, named for the famous British maker of custom automobile bodies, is the most luxurious of the XJ series, while the XJR is a luxurious sports sedan. The differences between the models are mostly trim level, but there are also two wheelbase lengths available. The standard XJ8 and the XJR ride on a 113-inch wheelbase while the Vanden Plas shares the longer 117.9 inch wheelbase with the XJ8L.

As the XJ8 designation suggests, these Jags are all V8-powered.

Regardless of trim level, Jaguar’s XJ is one beautiful automobile. Its lines are distinctly Jaguar, continuing the styling theme set in 1986.

The XJR is powered by a DOHC 32-valve 4.0-liter alloy V8 that’s fitted with a supercharger, boosting horsepower from 290 to 370. The belt-driven blower sits between the 90-degree cylinder banks, and forces air to the intake system to increase combustion. Intercoolers chill that air to increase its density and thus, its oxygen content, resulting in a powerful and immediate throttle response. This arrangement drives the XJR’s torque all the way up to 387 foot-pounds at 3600 rpm. At 1600 rpm, the XJR has as much torque as the normally aspirated XJ8 at its peak. The XJR does the zero-to-60 drill in just 5.4 seconds.

All this power is delivered to the rear wheels through a five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission that adapts to varying driving conditions. It senses whether the driver is just cruising down the freeway, climbing a long, steep grade or tooling down a country road, and varies the shift points accordingly to provide optimum power and efficiency. The transmission also has a unique, self-regulating adaptive capability that compensates automatically for the effects of aging by adjusting shift quality based on any slippage it detects. It also boasts sport and standard modes and dual gates which can be selected by the driver — the standard PRNDL pattern is on the right, or the XJR can be shifted manually by using the left gate.

Automatic Stability Control (ASC) is standard on all Jags. It operates at all speeds, using engine intervention to reduce wheel spin on slippery roads. The optional traction control system includes all ASC functions plus brake intervention, but on either system, if a rear wheel starts to spin, the anti-lock brake (ABS) controller signals a computer, which controls the spinning by reducing throttle, retarding ignition timing or cutting fuel to the cylinders. The XJR also has larger four-wheel disc brakes than the XJ8 and both types of traction control can also be switched off. The optional system comes as part of an All-Weather package that also includes heated front and rear seats.

The front suspension is fully independent, featuring unequal-length upper and lower wishbones, coil springs, shocks and an anti-roll bar. Double wishbones are used in the rear and arranged for anti-lift under braking and anti-squat under acceleration. The variable-ratio rack-and-pinion power steering is also speed-sensitive.

Inside, the Jaguar is distinctly British — lots of leather, deep pile carpeting and dark, polished wood on the doors, instrument panel and steering wheel. Instrumentation is simple, functional, and easy to read, yet elegantly understated — just like the rest of the interior.

The driver’s seat, steering wheel and outside mirror automatically adjust via memory. One feature I especially liked, was that they move back to the last position that was set when the ignition is turned on. The driver’s seat also moves back when Park is engaged for a more roomy exit.

On the road, the XJR responds with dignity, delivering an ever so smooth ride, while hugging the road and cornering like the cat its named for. With more than enough power for any driving situation, in the absence of an extreme road condition or an overly aggressive driver, the ride and engine are so smooth they totally relax you.

In my view, the XJR is difficult to benchmark against its market competition — because it is so different than anything in its class — making one realize just how large a spectrum the term “high-performance sedan” encompasses.

The standard XJR is a driving experience that’s very distinctive from German and Japanese luxury cars. Mercedes, BMW and Audi all share a firm ride with a tight and buttoned up feel, while. Lexus and Infiniti offer a softer, more relaxed ride. The XJR on the other has both a comfortable and elegant feel.

Whines: The worse thing I could find about this car is that the way the cupholders pop out of the console, drinks can get in the way of shifting.

Applause: Acceleration is startling and on dry pavement, the XJR will light up the rear tires with the traction control turned off. Do not try this at home. Shifting is silky smooth, even at full throttle. The XJR version of this car makes even the other Jags seem sedate by comparison. With its mesh grille and somewhat less chrome (yes, real chrome) trim, it has a macho look to match its personality.

Bottom Line: Jaguar’s XJ Series are some of the finest cars built today, and Ford deserves the credit for that achievement. Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes can really only be compared with the XJR in terms price because this Jaguar is something altogether totally different than any of them.