Jaguar’s seventh generation flagship XJ series remains the classic definition of an elegant and stylish luxury sedan. The Ford-owned British automaker’s best selling model since its debut in the late 1960s, the current XJ8, Vanden Plas, and the very hot XJR, are bigger, roomier, and more comfortable, yet faster, safer, and more fuel-efficient than any previous Jag ever built.

Jaguars have always been sleek, agile, and downright sensual in many ways. Yet Jag owners often endured a love-hate relationship with their cars due to their infamous undependability. That was Job One when Ford took over. J. D. Power now rates Jaguar as the top European car for dependability.

The Jaguar XJ comes in four models, all with a 4.2-liter, dual-cam V8. There are no six, or any more 12, cylinder XJs.

The base model (if you can call it that) is the XJ8, which of course includes a long list of standard luxury amenities and is powered by a 294-horse version of the V8 — which moves it along extremely well. The Vanden Plas is basically the same car with added extra luxury touches such as rugs, not carpets, and softer leather seats among others.

My personal favorite is the 390-horsepower, supercharged, top of the line XJR. Besides the extra horses, it boasts a firmer suspension, larger Brembo brakes, and bigger wheels and tires. And there’s a longer wheelbase version, which was our test vehicle.

Walkaround: Some automakers try to re-invent their “look” every so often, and it’s been suggested Jaguar follow that crowd. I disagree. Styling changes from previous versions are subtle, with styling cues seemingly taken more from the X-Type than the previous XJ, but there’s no mistaking this for anything but a Jag.

Among the changes is a grill that extends slightly forward. The “Leaper,” as the hood ornament is known, sits proudly as Jaguar’s signature curves flow behind it from the top edges of the four smallish, round headlamps.

From the rear, the traditional triangular taillight clusters are utilized, while the deck lid is much higher than previously — again similar to the X-Type, only on a grander scale — adding 30-percent more trunk capacity.

The side view reveals a roofline 3.4 inches higher than previously, with proportionality dictating a higher belt line. Design trends favor higher beltlines in part because people feel safer with taller doors. While this gives side windows a smaller appearance, they aren’t, and the raked windshield adds to that sense of openness found in older Jags.

After two decades of minimalist monotone design, chrome is making a comeback. The luxurious Vanden Plas naturally gets the most brightwork including the grille insert. The XJR boasts Jaguar’s signature R-version mesh grille, with black window surrounds, while the XJ8 has a gray grille insert. All XJs have big chrome door handles.

Each XJ comes with different size alloy wheels — the XJ8 with 17-inch light forged alloy; the Vanden Plas with 18-inch cast alloy wheels; and the XJR is fitted with 19-inch cast alloys. For an even more aggressive look, optional 20-inch BBS two-piece wheels are available for the XJR.

The XJ has a longer wheelbase than before, with the XJ8 adding 6.4 inches. The front wheels are also positioned further towards the corners than before. Coupled with the subtle way the belt line inches up as it moves rearward, the car has a crouched, feline look — and magically appears either ready to pounce, or in fluid motion — both while standing still.

Interior: Inside, as anyone familiar with Jags will attest, luxurious leather and real walnut burl veneer abound, with little or no plastic. The combination of the look, feel, and smell is a mainstay of the car’s overall character and part of what makes it a Jaguar.

Instrumentation consists of a three analog gauge cluster illuminated in traditional Jaguar green. The center console houses a 7-inch LCD touch screen to manage the audio, climate, and optional navigation functions.

Jaguar has smartly distained loading the XJ with high-tech electronics ala the BMW 7-series. With the XJ, you don’t need to consult a three-volume owners manual to adjust the temperature or turn on the radio — you can figure it out.

The upscale Vanden Plas boasts the plushest interior, featuring softer leather, lambs wool carpets, and a power rear window blind. The front seats have 16 positions instead of 12. The XJR has a sportier, carbon fiber trimmed interior with less wood, but seats offering extra support.

Rear passengers have considerably more room than in previous XJ8s, with a choice of a fixed-bench three-passenger rear seat. An optional rear bench has two outside seats that recline.

Options: There aren’t many options because so much is standard. Aside from the aforementioned, options include premium audio systems (the base XJ8 system is an eight-speaker setup with a single-slot CD player), a DVD navigation system, special wheels, DVD-based rear seat multimedia system (available only on the Vanden Plas and the XJR) which features two 6.5-inch LCD monitors embedded in the back of the front seat headrests similar to some first-class airline seats. A control panel located in the center armrest operates them independently of each other as well as the front.

Also available is the adjustable foot pedals pioneered by Ford that can be moved up to 2.5 inches at the touch of a switch. Working in conjunction with the 12 or 16-way adjustable front seat, any size driver should find a comfortable driving position.

Under The Hood: The powerful new 4.2-liter V8 is coupled with a six-speed ZF automatic transmission (also used in the S-Type and XKs as well by Audi and BMW). It features a J-gate that allows you to manually shift gears if you want, but there’s enough power and the computer-controlled gearbox does such a good job that shifting manually is pretty unnecessary.

Behind The Wheel: In my view, the Jaguar experience is as much about performance as luxury. The 390-horse XJR explodes from 0 to 60 in a mere 5 seconds and hits its rev limiter at 155 mph. The 294-horse version does the 0 to 60 drill in about 6.3 seconds — very quick for a car this size.

“Drivers” know that a lighter car is nicer to drive and that although comfort and lots of features are expected in a luxury sedan, they add weight. Although larger than before, this car doesn’t look, feel, or drive bigger. Jaguar’s aluminum body weighs 400 pounds less, but is 60-percent stiffer than the steel it replaced. The sophisticated suspension has parts made of magnesium. The combination of extra rigidity coupled with the absence of weight delivers a smooth ride, superb handling and impressively firm grip on the road.

The XJ is one of the quietest, smoothest cars I’ve ever driven. At 25, or 100+ mph — as I found out unintentionally several times — there’s almost no concept of speed.

The power steering is precise without being heavy, taking the new XJ where it’s aimed. Put this big car into a tight corner at speed on a narrow winding blacktop and it tenaciously hugs the road like the cat it’s named for thanks to the double-wishbone suspension and Jaguar’s Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS). I found this car very stable and predictable on a variety of different roads and surfaces.

Whines: Navigation systems are standard on the Audi A8L, Mercedes S-Class, and BMW 7-Series. All-wheel drive is standard on the A8L and optional on the S-Class. While standard on the lowest-priced Jaguar — the X-Type — it’s not offered for the XJ.

Audi provides one-year free use of OnStar, an emergency notification system, while Mercedes has its TeleAid on the S-Class. Jaguar offers no such system.

Bottom Line: The pure essence of Jaguar just oozes from the XJ. This is one of the most beautifully styled cars ever to grace the road. It’s bigger, delivers increased performance, improved handling, better fuel economy, and more interior space — with no trade-offs. The awesome XJR is a pure luxury sedan delivering wildly exhilarating sports car performance and handling. Based on performance — and my own personal sense of style — whines aside, I’d own the XJR before any other car in this market segment.