FEW car manufacturers produce vehicles with the elegance and sublime sophistication that Jaguar does and if you want proof of that simply check out the XJ in glorious Portfolio trim.

For this particular big cat oozes all the dynamism of a sports car blended perfectly with the refinement of a luxury limo.

Add in a whole host of techno treats and creature comforts and that price-tag of £70,980 (£86,465 with options) becomes a little easier to digest.

The LWB XJ looks fantastic from any approach but with a length of 5,252mm it will take a while to walk around. It is beautifully sleek and streamlined with stand-out features such as 20-inch alloys, bright chrome side power vents, twin exhaust tailpipes, a panoramic glass roof, a power operated boot and Italian Racing Red paintwork just in case someone somewhere hasn't spotted you.

Inside the level of luxury cannot fail to impress with the finest leathers and materials incorporated to create a cabin environment fit for a prince.

The on-board technology is extensive and includes a pitch perfect Meridian audio system with CD player, DAB radio and compatibility with all modern media devices.

There is a soft grain leather heated steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, adaptive cruise control, electrically-adjustable seats with memory settings, virtual instrument displays and a whole lot more.

There is even a DVD entertainment pack for back seat passengers who can truly stretch out in style with ample legroom thanks to the XJ's length.

But there is so much more to the XJ than looks - one of the reasons for its beautifully streamlined contours is aerodynamics and anyone who thinks the "supercharged" label is just for show needs to think again.

That's because this car can sprint to 60mph from a standing start in just 6.0 seconds and then tops out at a limited 155mph.

The power is breath-taking as the car works effortlessly through the eight-speed automatic gearbox and you can adjust the handling by select the Sport setting if you are feeling particularly courageous. You can also take extra control over the gears by changing manually via steering wheel-mounted paddles.

The XJ seems to glide across the Tarmac ironing out the creases as it goes and the sure-footed road-holding means bends can be attacked at pace with absolute confidence.

The 3.0-litre diesel engine is nice and quiet with ample power on tap at all times and the car's highly efficient insulation means there is next-to-no road surface or wind noise even when pushed hard.

According to official figures the XJ can deliver a combined fuel economy of 44.8mpg, although I was seeing slightly less - 39.2mpg average during my week-long test drive, which isn't bad for such a high performance car.

The only real downside of note is the extremely poor visibility through the ultra-narrow rear window and also the rear side windows when glancing backwards to cover a blind spot.