Pebble Beach 2011: Day one

By Jack Rix

August 2011

With the eight hour time difference playing havoc with our body clocks, it was a bleary-eyed start to the day. But the ultimate cure for jet-lag was waiting for us – a soothing drive from our hotel in San Francisco down to Pebble Beach in a Jaguar XJ Supersport.

With a 503bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 under the bonnet and one of the most beautiful cabins in the business, the early start was soon forgotten. Our route took in clogged freeways and flowing country roads with frequent stops to top up our caffeine levels along the way.

The staggering views from the famous Pacific Coast Highway, and the fact that the XJ excelled in all conditions meant we arrived at our hotel in Pebble Beach refreshed and impressed. And to top it all we were greeted by a rainbow assortment of some of the world's rarest and most expensive supercars.

A Porsche 911 Speedster and Carrera GT, plus a white Ferrari 599 GTO and an ultra-rare 599 Aperta caught the eye initially, while a canary yellow Lexus LFA and French racing blue Jaguar XKR-S had us reaching for our shades. Taking centre stage though was a pair of Rolls Royce Drophead Coupes, finished, in and out, in yellow and burgundy.

We were told by the hotel staff that both the Drophead Coupes and a handful of the other cars belonged to Michael Fux - the man who invented memory foam. Clearly, money can't buy you taste.

Our afternoon began by driving a Jaguar E-type around the surrounding roads - a nervewracking experience with the kind owner sat next to us, but once our speed and confidence increased it was clear why this car, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is such an icon. Forget the aesthetics for a moment, the way it sounds, rides and offers the driver a connection to the road is a lesson modern manufacturers should take note of.

Imagine the brain recalibration required when we spent the second half of the afternoon driving Range Rover Evoques on the same stretch of Tarmac. The light but pin-sharp steering, free-revving engine and strong breaks meant we lurched our way around the first few corners, but once we were reprogrammed for the modern car it proved why it's our reigning car of the year. Every American we spoke to seemed to be just as smitten with it too.

Read day two: Driving Range Rover Evoques off-road and the Quail motorsport gathering