Punch the start button and step on that accelerator and the result is much fun, thanks to several significant advancements in power and performance. Driving the XK’s 4.2-liter V8 engine – one modified with variable valve timing and a better fuel injection technology – is Jaguar’s six-speed transmission, reworked to offer drivers quicker shifts, adaptive gear changes and more control of torque transfer while driving aggressively. For the first time in a Jaguar, the transmission comes with paddle shifters, upping the fun quotient even more.