Especially effective are the virtual dials that only highlight the section of speed and engine rpm deployed, allowing information to be rapidly absorbed. And that’s a bonus in a vehicle that whispers along at under 1500 rpm for our 70 mph speed limit.

The speed and exhilaratingly safe handling of supercharged R-variants impressed me, but all the petrol vehicles inevitably returned shocking fuel consumption figures under duress.

My favourite was the unsupercharged XK Coupe [from £63,900] with 385 horsepower, sublime manners and a faint possibility of 25 mpg. But only if you ignored that excellent ‘Big-Kitty-wants-to-eat-tarmac’ exhaust note.

Jaguar and stable mates Land Rover are bullish after recent strong sales results, but is this another false dawn? Remember, even Ford could not make a commercial go of Britain’s brightest brands selling in a sea of German and Japanese opposition.

Now under Tata’s Indian ownership, heaps of corporate cash are required for equally sparkling future products. To discover if reinvented Jaguar should earn our support, we drove five current models from ‘oh-so-sensible’ XF and XJ diesels to utterly bonkers XKR-S and XFR V8s.

If all these X-names sound like an X-Men movie, I should define Jaguar’s take on the X-factors. XFs are the backbone to the range, now that the unloved, smaller, X is extinct. XF battles middleweight Audi A6 and BMW 5 Series.

XKs are the 2+2 coupés and convertibles, whilst the XJ is the traditional big Jag with a smaller, lighter feel thanks to aluminium construction — apparently shrinking around you in motion. It offers an entertaining drive coupled to limo comforts.

The R-badge suffixes in XF and XK see 5-litres of already muscular V8 adorned with superchargers, perfect for thrill seekers demanding 500 horsepower Jaguar cosseting.

An XKR-S is for those who lust for 550 horses, honed handling and yet more dash for £97,000 cash. That means 186 mph replacing a restricted 155 mph and 0-60 mph zipping by in 4.2 seconds instead of 4.6 seconds from the £84,450 XKR coupé.

I drove XKR-S last, loved its massive capability and astounding soundtrack, and hated the Japanese speed shop body kit and frightening fuel consumption. I consigned it to the lottery winner’s sub-supercar category.

Back in the Real World, an XF diesel delivered 37 of a claimed 52.3-mpg (combined) on a rural road and M40 route. As the XF is a delight to drive and sit within, I was not unhappy. The cabin feels special as the suave 8-speed automatic transmission operates like an automotive butler, ushering in each gear change. My only serious XF quibble is with the £37,950 price of the premium luxury, longer wheelbase model I drove. Knowing what wallet punishment a German car option list contains, a glance at the BMW 530d prices [starting at £41,065] swiftly silenced that objection!

The flagship XJ line came up next, the stretched L-model accompanied by a 3-litre diesel of 275 horsepower and mighty mid-range pulling power. At £69,525 it’s a traditional chairman’s choice and stacks up well against Mercedes acclaimed S-class. XJ looks are dramatic, designers drew such a rear window slope that obstructive reflections are inevitable, and it is an involving drive. One based on stiffer suspension, which Jaguar has adopted in common with German opposition.