JAGUAR is back in the big time with the release of its sporting XK coupe and convertible models. got behind the wheel of these sleek motors at their launch in the Cotswolds.

After the television in my Cotswolds hotel room spookily turned itself on at 3am, I was feeling more-than a little on edge. Somehow as I clamber into the plush leather seats of the Jaguar XK Coupe the world seems a better place and my frayed nerves begin to mend.

The car’s stunning looks and promise of high-octane performance fit to rival, if not exceed its largely German competitors, has attracted serious hype from around the world.

Even the notoriously hard to please Jeremy Clarkson declares the XK in convertible form as being "pant-wettingly pretty" during his spin at the recent South-African unveiling of these magnificent motors.

Parent company Ford has pulled out all the stops to ensure that its latest babies, which have been nearly five years in the making, live up to the demands of an extremely competitive higher-end sports marketplace.

In spirit they’ve taken their inspiration from the old school of E-type Jaguar, a car that’s both superb to drive and provides plenty of challenges.

With the exception of exterior styling, the two new XK’s are essentially the same - sharing 95 per cent of their parts for their ultra-light aluminium construction.

Taking the wheel of the Coupe, which like its open-topped cousin is bestowed with a seriously powerful 4.2 litre V8 300bhp engine, is a delight.

Fire it up and there’s a healthy sporting roar. Its flexible chrome six speed transmission operates in either fully manual or sports mode with paddle shift gears. For anyone seeking driving thrills away from the urban grind then the latter proves highly enjoyable.

Thankfully, the interchange between gears is extremely slick and lends real racing edge to proceedings. But is it as quick as it thinks it is? Well it’s clearly no slouch as we flit between Gloucestershire and Warwickshire’s tasty back-roads it produces a pretty decent turn of pace and is capable of 0-60 in a respectable 5.9 seconds.

Affairs are aided by advanced traction systems which vary the level of power delivery as you approach corners and exit them to fine effect.

Sporting luxury is the name of the game with the interiors, which easily match the bold lines of its sexy exterior.

To be honest, you wouldn’t expect any less given its executive price tag of £58,000. This may seem a hefty amount yet this figure is surprisingly competitive with its closest Germanic rivals.

The controls are logically laid out in an uncluttered fashion and touches such as leather sports steering wheel with a wealth of built-in computer controls are a definite bonus. There’s a decent choice of dash panels including walnut, charcoal sports or luxury ivory.

Features such as 20inch alloy wheels, a surround sound system and a cruise control system using radar to track the distance between you and the car in front make this a serious contender.

Safety measures are impressive with an innovative design minimising crash impacts. There are also front, side, driver and passenger airbags.

One of the very few points against it would have to be its far-from-frugal fuel consumption, which averages about 25mpg. Given its sporting aspirations you could argue this is an acceptable figure, though you are going to have to be fairly busy at the petrol pump.

While the convertible shares the vast majority of parts to the coupe, it has a noticeably different feel to it. More compact in its styling, there’s still a reassuring quality.

Unless it’s raining cats and dogs, it seems almost a crime not to have the top down and the XK’s electronic roof is particularly slick.

Some at the launch appeared to favour the coupe, though the convertible is an exhilarating drive. I’d best get saving for its £64,995 price tag - it’s definitely worth every penny.