Is
there anything like the Jaguar XK? With such mes-merizing feline grace, she (what
else could it be?) leaps forward from a stop with cat-paw grip, then glides effortlessly
along whatever road she chooses, entrancing anyone within view with her deer-in-the-headlights
dominance. Ah,
the ability to overpower a helpless target with a mere glance. An Angelina Jolie
kind of impact, perhaps, as the smoky-eyed actress, with tattoos hidden under
her catlike Tomb Raider body suit, toys with her prey but never loses that all-important
element: control. Authority
could be the operative word here, the kind you get from a six-speed trans propelling
Jag's 4.2-liter AJ-V8, refined last year, that churns out 294-HP in the XK8 version
or a gutsy 390 in the turbocharged XKR (even with an automatic speed limiter engaged
for a self-imposed reality check). Such driving dominance is part of the mantra
of the XK that, starting this month, fast forwards into 2005 territory with an
even more aggressive, solid stance. There's
a deeper grille mouth that seemingly could gobble up, shark-like, any competitor
it found in its way. Available larger tires (19- or 20-inch depending on version)
highlight changes in this sultry sports coupe or convertible that demands exclusivity.
(A premier auto beginning in the $70 K range seems to have that effect.) Mesh
grille, quad tailpipe finishers plus a new, larger spoiler beef up the ultimate,
turbo-boosted XKR. Luminescent luxury in the sportscar-tight interior, splashed
with new rich Elm or Piano Black veneer, complement the voluptuous exterior lines. Simply
viewing the XK promises to pale the male knees, or perhaps boost the cunning of
the female owner on the prowl. Does the XK -- like Jolie -- exude a sense of indomitable
spirit? Tomb raiders and world conquerors usually do.
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