The Detroit Newspapers's view

The 2011 Jaguar XJ’s horn should sound like trumpets. The kind played when a king arrives or some other sort of royalty pops in for a visit.

Da-da-da-daaaaahhh! Sir XJ has arrived. (Of course, it would be knighted.)

The all-new sedan will now hoist the banner for the British brand owned by an Indian company that once denoted affluence, performance and countless repairs. Its once-rusted reputation now belongs in old repair manuals. The transformed brand has introduced a nearly flawless vehicle that wraps its passengers in a cocoon of luxury.

The XJ has all the typical trappings that someone who buys a $90,000 car expects: Smooth stitched leather and a fine wood veneer trim that wraps around the front of the vehicle like fine cabinetry built for royalty. Just sit back in the form-fitting seat, gaze up at the sky through the panoramic roof and enjoy the day. This is the good life.

But the interior of the XJ is much more. It’s a combination of technology and lavishness that stretches your imagination and redefines your expectations.

There are only a handful of cars that will massage you gently when you’re stuck in traffic — the XJ is one of them. But really, the XJ tantalizes all of the senses. From the rich smell of leather throughout the cabin to the exquisite exterior and more than 500 supercharged horses under the elegant hood, the XJ rewards the driver with extreme comfort. It’s the kind of car that not-so-subtly reminds you — and anyone who sees you in it — you’ve made it.

This is the kind of car that makes you want to add that extra British syllable to Jaguar, so you can tell your friends, “no, no, it’s a Jag-u-are” and sound like a complete moron. Please avoid using the words flavour, colour and al-lu-min-e-um when talking about your XJ.

Theatre with British flavor

The XJ provides drama at every turn (though you never turn a key). Sit in the driver’s seat and push the start button and watch the performance the XJ provides. The 12.3-inch monitor (in the place where typical gauges reside) lights up, announcing this is a Jaguar — before bringing up the virtual instruments. It’s theatre worthy of the West End.

Meanwhile, the round gear shifter rises out of the center console with a slight hum. The silver metal is cool to the touch and it only takes a twist to move from Park to Drive. You could click the six-speed transmission into sport mode if you wanted, allowing the XJ to ratchet down the suspension and make a number of calibration adjustments in order to open up the car and drive with a little more authority than normal. But there’s no reason to brag too much. Unstated confidence once helped create an empire the sun never set upon.

Once the car thunders to life, the traditional speedometer and tachometer appear. But unlike typical analogue gauges, these can change. If fuel is running low, or you switch radio stations from a classical music station to the other classical music station — blasting it through the optional 1,200-watt Bowers & Wilkins audio system — the tachometer fades away and the screen notifies the driver of the changes.

The audio system is just one of the many things that feel over the top in a flawless kind of way. Jaguar includes the first application of Audyssey MultiEQ XT tuning system, which digitally corrects imperfections in the music and delivers 7.1 surround sound to every person in the car. Of course it does. It may be something you didn’t know you needed, but now you do. It’s like the crazy family member who wants to readjust the adjustments on the EQ so you can hear that bass riff in Lou Reed’s “New Sensations.”

And for the person who wants a Jaguar and have someone else drive it, there’s a longer model, which stretches the wheelbase from 119.4 inches to 124.3 inches — adding five more inches of legroom in the second row. Spoiled yet?

No? Then drive it.

XJ most powerful

The supercharged 5-liter V8 is the most powerful of the engine options available for the XJ, and it will have you breaking speed limits between traffic lights. The engine creates 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. There’s just a touch of a lag from the moment you hit the gas to the time the car launches like the space shuttle.

According to Jaguar, the supercharged XJ can hit 60 mph from a standstill in 4.7 seconds. It took you longer to read that last sentence. (The regular, nonsupercharged 5-liter V-8 still creates 385 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque, which is quite respectable.)

More important than the power the car possesses is how it handles it. The ride is refined and insanely quiet. The only noises you hear are the good noises, such as that engine howling as you hit the gas.

The ride feels heavy but crisp, as if the 4,000-pound car lives two lives. The leisurely drive about town is tame and refined. The straight line power is impressive.

It does roll some in tight turns and it would never do well on track day, but it’s not meant for that. This is the car you drive to the track before taking the other one out on it.

Simply beautiful

Most of all, this car is simply beautiful. It stands out by the way it stands still.

The car sits low to the ground, mostly because it’s so long. The XJ’s face squints, as if it’s already had its face blasted by high-speed winds. The big mesh grille glistens and the narrow xenon headlamps push back into the hood.

The low curve of the roof gives the XJ a coupe-like appearance and the back of the XJ pushes out, but still hides more than 18 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk.

Every part of the exterior denotes the sophistication this car brings. Every piece of its interior denotes the same craftsmanship. Just rev the engine to know the rest of the story.

The Jaguar XJ has arrived, but don’t wait too long.

Trumpets will sound with that engine’s roar. And someone will announce: The XJ has left the building.

sburgess@detnews.com (313) 223-3217

2011 Jaguar XJ Supercharged

Type: Five-passenger luxury sport sedan

Price: $86,650

Engine: 5-liter supercharged V8

Transmission : 6-speed auto with paddle shifters

Power : 470 horsepower

EPA gas mileage: 15 mpg city / 21 mpg highway

Report Card

Overall: ****

Exterior: Excellent. Long and lean, the XJ looks well-made from every angle.

Interior: Excellent. The high-tech interior may cater to the technophile but it will win over the most discerning customers.

Performance: Good. Powerful engine and stiff body provide excellent performance on any road.

Pros : A great combination of luxury and sport.

Cons: Price may keep some people out of this Jag.

Grading scale

**** Excellent *** Good ** Fair * Poor