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This was fun. On an isolated desert road in southern Arizona, I was behind the bellowing exhaust of a V-12 Ferrari GTO as its muscular form rolled through the curves and long, empty straights of two-lane blacktop.

I was driving a supercharged Jaguar, enjoying the responsive V-8 engine and silky handling.

Pure fantasy? Yes and no. This was part of the Gauthier Classic road rally, a three-day dream tour of exotic automobiles and beautiful Southwestern scenery. And the car I was driving was the high-performance version of Jaguar’s midsize sedan, the S-Type R.

In similar fashion to the M in BMW’s M5, the letter R signifies an effort by Jaguar engineers to wring some impressive numbers and nimble handling from its normally placid four-door.

The numbers: How about 390 horsepower, the engine supercharged to make nearly 100 more than the naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V-8? Zero-to-60 performance takes 5.3 seconds, according to Jaguar. The engine also makes 399 pounds-feet of torque, enough to make this heavy sedan feel ready to jump through hoops.

The S-Type R is the top model of three versions of Jaguar’s midlevel car, lording over the base model powered by a 3-liter V-6 and a 4.2-liter sedan with a V-8 that’s new for 2003. The R has the same 4.2 but boosted by a supercharger, which is essentially a belt-driven pump that forces the fuel-air mixture into the engine with explosive results.

In usual Jaguar fashion, the extra power is neither harsh nor overly aggressive, coming on with a gradual rush that is smooth and predictable. Performance fanatics may find the engine response, ride and handling to be lacking the hard edge of, say, BMW’s hottest machines. But those who seek the tractable balance of a British sedan will find plenty of edge in the S-Type R.

The V-8 engine is connected to a new six-speed automatic transmission from ZF, which provides precise shifting. The sophisticated engine and transmission combo results in an automobile that is docile and relaxed in urban settings, yet always ready to hunker down and accelerate with impressive strength.

Jaguar continues to have its unique but awkward J-pattern shifter with its automatics. It’s time for a change. Also, it’s too bad the five-speed manual transmission comes only in the base V-6 model.

For 2003, Jaguar has updated its S-Type cars with a freshened interior and a mild face lift. The new look is subtle, although the R treatment is instantly recognizable because of its handsome chrome-wire mesh grille, rear spoiler and foot-wide tires on 18-inch alloy rims. This is a great look for the S-Type, already a distinctive design that echoes the Mark II sedan from Jaguar’s storied past.

All of the 2003 models have new front suspensions and improved rear suspensions, with a body structure that Jaguar says is 10 percent stiffer to improve ride and handling. The S-Type R benefits from a tightened sports s uspension, strong Brembo brakes and Jaguar’s Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS, which is just too clever) for improved ride and handling.

The CATS system is slick, adjusting the shock absorbers in tandem, front and rear, to compensate not only for road condition but also for cornering and overall response. On the curves and dips of the back roads enjoyed on the Gauthier rally, CATS seamlessly took care of business.

Still, the S-Type is a 2-ton sedan and not a sports car, so some restraint is required.

The new dashboard is a major improvement, looking much less derived from Ford, which owns Jaguar, and more like the traditional dash of the big XJ sedan. In the road-test car, the bird’s-eye maple trim was done in an attractive gray finish that set off the gray and black leather seats and panels.

The R’s sports seats are comfortable, but they could use a bit more side support in this luxury/performance car.

All power and convenience features are included in the S-Type R. The test car was equipped with a satellite navigation system priced at $2,200. Shipping is $645.

It’s great to see Jaguar back in the performance game, with its R series of cars also available in the XKR sports coupe and convertible and the flagship XJR sedan.

Jaguar S-Type R

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, four-door sedan, rear-wheel drive.

Base price: $61,755.

Price as tested: $64,600.

Engine: 4.2-liter V-8, 390 horsepower at 6,150 rpm, 399 pounds-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm.

Transmission: Six-speed automatic.

Wheelbase: 114.5 inches.

Curb weight: 4,046 pounds.

EPA mileage: 16 city, 23 highway.

Highs:

Sharp performance.

Lush interior.

Styling upgrades.

Lows:

No available stick shift.

Awkward shifter.

Seats lack side support.