The brakes, particularly the Brembos in the Sport Package X-Type, were authoritative and reliable. We have taken to thinking of them as Autobahn brakes, able to slow the car from high speeds. Using the brakes repeatedly revealed no problems.

Engine torque is spread over a power curve in that desirable mesa shape. The 3.0-liter engine doesn't have the edge of a BMW, but the Jaguar's power is there early at the launch and accessible over a wide range of speeds. A car like this somehow feels more powerful than it really is because there is never that questing need for more oomph at a critical moment.

The weight of the 2.5-liter and 3.0-liter X-Type models is identical, regardless of engine size. The 2.5-liter engine provides good power when paired with the five-speed manual transmission; it sometimes feels a bit underpowered when paired with the automatic transmission. The 3.0-liter engine delivers quicker acceleration performance, while the 2.5-liter provides better fuel economy. Best combination of power and fuel efficiency is with the 3.0-liter and manual transmission.

EPA-estimated fuel economy (city/highway): 2.5-liter automatic (19/26); 2.5 manual (19/28); 3.0 auto (18/25); 3.0 manual (18/28). Acceleration performance (0-60 mph in seconds): 2.5 manual (7.9 seconds); 2.5 auto (8.5); 3.0 manual (6.6); 3.0 auto (7.1).

Something must be said about the sound of the V6 engines. The English are an essentially auditory people; you can be ranked socially merely by how you sound (think Eliza Doolittle), so perhaps it is no surprise that much attention has been given to making the X-Type engines sound right. They do. A driver might actually search for some stonewalls to motor between, touch the instant-down on the window and smile at the reverberation.

The transmission choices are both quite good and come down to personal preference. The five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission costs more on the 2.5-liter model, but is a no-cost choice on the 3.0-liter version. Put it in Drive and it shifts smoothly and predictably up and down, keeping the X-Type's engine in the proper gear for smooth cruising or quick acceleration. Its shift points seem to be the result of some clever mind reading; this is because the transmission selects shift patterns according to driving conditions. There's also a switch to select either normal or sport modes; sport mode raises the shift points to make full use of available engine power. Jaguar's trademark J-gate, allowing the driver to shift over to partial manual use, works okay, with shorter, sportier shift throws than those of the Jaguar S-Type.

The five-speed manual, standard on the 2.5-liter and available as a no-cost option on the 3.0-liter, has a short throw with a sports-car feel. It can add to the fun and is our first choice for race tracks. If only to nitpick, the clutch pedal is a little vague, and it takes a little practice to achieve smooth launches and elegant shifts. A little time in the car solves this, however. It works great when driven with gusto in a high-performance setting.

On the French roads, the X-Type seemed to rise to every challenge. Whether on a major highway or winding backroad, it always felt smooth and stable. The steering is sharp and precise, and the car feels nimble yet secure.

To further explore the handling, we took the X-Type onto a tight handling course Jaguar had set up near Atlanta. A tight corner flooded with water showed off the advantage of the Sport package; the high-performance Pirelli P Zero tires provided better grip in the wet than the narrower Continental ContiSport Contact tires, greatly reducing understeer (the tendency of the car to push out toward the outside of a turn when the front tires lose grip). The Sport package also seemed to offer tighter response, though it wasn't a huge difference. In any case, ride quality doesn't seem to suffer at all with the Sport package and we liked the way the sports seats kept us in place when whipping through slaloms and chicanes.

The Dynamic Stability Control system made it easier to drive the car most of the time; it reduced the chance of losing control or spinning out and it reduced yawing when charging too fast through a slalom. In practical terms, DSC can help a driver maintain control in an emergency to help avoid an accident or reduce its severity. The system can be switched off for those rare times when the driver feels it's too intrusive. (By default, the system switches back on every time the car is re-started.)

The X-Type seemed quite happy at Atlanta Motor Speedway where we took some laps on the NASCAR oval and an infield road course. It was supremely stable while doing 120 mph on the back straight and around the high banks of the speedway. It was easy to drive quickly through high-speed and low-speed turns. It was fun and predictable when pushing its tires beyond their limits. And it felt comfortable when braking and turning at the same time, a move that ruffles many cars. The handling is quite neutral, understeering at times, yet willing to rotate according to the skilled driver's wishes in the middle of a turn.