2008 Jaguar XKR

Special editions of fancy cars don't always live up to the hype, but in the case of this Jaguar XKR Portfolio Edition, you won't be complaining. Two reasons: first, the XKR is a great car in any garb, and second, because Jaguar happily exercised a modicum of restraint in making this the pick of the litter in 2008.

So what makes this limited-edition super-cat so particularly well bred? Besides the usual exterior bits, such as its blue-black metallic paint (called "Celestial Black" and exclusive to the Portfolio), Jaguar took advantage of all that space under its 20-inch "Cremona" wheels to install Jaguar's biggest-ever brake discs: 15.8 inches in front, 13.8 in back, each etched with crescent-shapes grooves for improved ventilation and clamped by bright red calipers. Expect those huge saucers to find their way into other hi-po Jags in the future.

Of course, no special edition would be complete without swank interior mix-ins, and this is no exception. Besides making pretty much everything on the XKR option list standard—including the softest of Jaguar's leather upholstery and the upgraded 525-watt surround-sound audio system—the XKR Portfolio adds a set of gorgeous Bowers and Wilkins aluminum-domed speakers to make the sound system as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the ears.

Only 255 will make it to the U.S, so you won't be seeing too many of these particular black cats crossing your path.