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Sunrise over the New Jersey Turnpike comes with magic. The surrounding industrial landscape becomes beautiful. The roar of ambient traffic turns to music. And the rudeness of individual motorists, so out of sync with the softness of dawn, seems more akin to slapstick comedy.

It helps, at these moments, to be in a proper car, such as the 1998 Oldsmobile Aurora — a muscular, yet elegantly styled work outfitted with deep leather seats and appropriate applications of burled walnut trim.

Such a car offers a view with an attitude, setting you above the hoi polloi, and insulating you — for the duration of your stay within its embrace — from the ugliness of life outside your window.

This frees you to concentrate on things such as the miracle of sunrise, even on the New Jersey Turnpike, where miracles are as rare as civility and common sense. This freedom, in turn, allows you to see human behavior in a different light.

For example, the driver who just cut in front of that 18-wheel truck wasn’t being nasty or stupid. He was showing grace under fire, rolling through one of the days of our lives, searching for a guiding light that could lead him to the nearest general hospital, where, depending on his condition upon arrival, he could enter another world and join an eternal search for tomorrow.

Should those musings be darkened by clouds, or illuminated as illusions by the brightness of the risen sun — no matter. Though it facilitates fantasy, the Oldsmobile Aurora also is adept at coping with reality — being equipped with a powerful V-8 engine and a refined, four-wheel, independent suspension that should keep you out of most trouble.

But if the world comes crashing in, there’s something else — General Motors Corp.’s OnStar communications and navigation system, which automatically calls for emergency help, via telephone and satellite links to the OnStar Center, as soon as your air bag deploys.

The optional OnStar system is one of several new spiffs offered on the front-engine, front-wheel-drive, mid-size Aurora, which originally was introduced as a 1995 model.

The new stuff includes an improved suspension system, which the Aurora needed.

GM’s engineers went overboard in the first Aurora, giving it a European ride — translation: rougher ride — that didn’t sit well with many American bottoms. The new Aurora softens that approach, using hydraulic bushings and internal rebound springs up front and an anti-roll bar and automatic leveling system in the rear to help soften the bumps.

Steering also got some attention. The feel at the wheel of the 1998 model is more on-center, which makes parking easier.

Oldsmobile did nothing to the Aurora’s 32-valve, double-overhead-cam V-8 engine, which is just as well. It’s a good hummer, designed to produce 250 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm.

Four-wheel, antilock disc brakes are standard on the Aurora. The new antilocks generate less br ake-pedal shudder when the system kicks in to help reduce skidding on slippery roads.

1998 Oldsmobile Aurora

Complaints: The Aurora’s high rear end and narrow rear window compromises rear vision. Also, there remains some torque steer — noticeable when turning the front wheels at high speeds — that detracts from handling.

Praise: Very definitely a long-distance runner. Also, I like the layout of the driver’s cockpit, which places most of the controls within easy reach and view. But I’m 5 feet 6 inches. Taller folks complained that the Aurora’s cockpit was too confining and that the ergonomic layout of the controls was all wrong for their stature.

Head-turning quotient: Muscular, sensual knockout, even though its design is now three years old. Turned heads everywhere.

Ride, acceleration and handling: Aces for ride and acceleration. “Good” marks for handling, which is not as crisp as I would like it to be in this five-passenger sedan. Excellent braking.

Mi eage: About 23 miles per gallon (20-gallon tank, estimated 445-mile range on usable volume of required premium unleaded), mostly highway, running with one to two occupants and light cargo (16.1-cubic-foot trunk capacity).

Safety: Improved body rigidity. Depowered air bags. Lap belts and shoulder harnesses must be used with air bags for maximum crash protection.

Sound system: Six-speaker AM/FM stereo radio and cassette with console-mounted CD player, by Delco Electronics. Boss boogie.

Price: Base price is $35,960. Dealer’s invoice price on base model is $32,544. Price as tested is $39,880, including $3,255 in options and a $665 destination charge.

Purse-strings note: Oldsmobile conceived the Aurora as a Japan fighter in the luxury auto segment. It’s not. That’s good. Though excellent cars, Japan’s luxmobiles tend to be refined imitations of European makes, such as Mercedes-Benz. The Aurora, by happy contrast, offers a distinctly American flavor.