There are cars in this price range that are more agile--the Acura NSX and Porsche 911 come to mind--but they don't have the same elegance quotient.

There are other cars--the Lexus SC 400, and the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class roadsters--that are just as posh, but feel a little sterile compared to the XK8's uniquely British interpretation of sporting luxury.

That's the real genius of the XK8. Jaguar has done a masterful job of meshing the spirit of a legendary past with the high-tech present. Thanks to hard work and its Ford connection, Jaguar approaches the next millennial frontier as a fully contemporary car company capable of competing with the world's best.