THERE was a time when I worried over the future of the top end Jaguar saloons.

Were they going to be parked for ever in the annals of motoring, unseated by smaller, more cost-effective executive cars?

But the entry of the current XJ allayed any fears completely, driving in with a styling that was sweepingly handsome with some retro hints that harked back to the big, beautiful Mk IX of the late 1950s.

It shares much technology with the smaller XF, including a futuristic transmission selector which, almost magically pops up out of the centre console when the ignition is activated. You can almost hear the late, great Tommy Cooper exclaiming 'Just like that!'

This one is unlike any other XJ, a radical departure in looks which without doubt is for the better. This latest style will stand the test of time far more than the previous shape which was certainly showing its age.

Now the biggest of the big cats can strut its stuff with confidence against German, Japanese and American opposition and command a lot of respect.

If you are going to offer something is this sector it has to have the wow-factor that causes sharp intakes of breath and sighs of admiration. Understatement had its place at one time but it is fading fast on a tide of must-have automotive fashion.

In short, this is the big car Britain needed and it has already received some enhancements for this model year.

These include significant transmission, engine and dynamic developments making what is Jaguar's most technologically advanced car even more efficient and refined.

To maximise efficiency from the all-aluminium architecture of the car, Jaguar has introduced an eight-speed ZF transmission with intelligent stop-start as standard. As seen on the XF, these developments lead to lower fuel consumption and emissions.

The latest version also benefits from re-calibrated spring and damper tunes as well as remapped damper software - offering enhanced ride isolation and passenger comfort on all road surfaces.

In terms of power, the big news is that a 3.0-litre V6 supercharged petrol is a star of the show.

This is a truly fabulous engine and worthy of the car's styling . With top speed limited to 155mph it is astonishingly agile for such a big car and leaves some much vaunted sports hatches still struggling with gear changes in traffic light sprints.

In fact the 0-62mph sprint may be a second behind the thirsty 5.0-litre but the power spectrum of this engine seems much more suited to the car thanks to some nifty supercharging.

In its Portfolio trim level the car features all the bells and whistles associated with top end motoring including rain-sensing wipers, adaptive front lights, heated steering wheel and much more. DAB is now standard fit it it sounds truly impressive.

Jaguar has to be congratulated for its approach to luxury motoring. Rather than dumb the car down in a poor financial climate, it has let brilliance of design make a sound statement.