2006 Daimler Super Eight LWB

Regular visitors will know that we prize cars from Japan very highly, the combination of salt-free winter roads and better-than-average curation offering Brits a rich source of low-mileage, high-spec cars.

So, if you’re looking for the best example of a more modern classic then it is often to the East that you should turn, where the expert car finder will be able to unearth cars like this Indigo Blue Pearl 2006 Daimler Super Eight. 

Supercharged and offering more legroom than anyone who’s never played pro basketball needs, it offers luxurious seating for the whole family, ULEZ compliance, and staggering performance.

With just 53,000 miles on the clock, a figure that’s backed up with a Mileage Verification Certificate, and refitted to full UK-spec, your annual road tax will also be just £345 p.a. 

Finally, a car that provides millionaire luxury on a family budget.

The metallic Indigo Blue Pearl (colour code JJX) coachwork sets the scene for the rest of the vehicle being clean, free of dents and dinks. It also sports impressive shutlines; Jaguar/Daimler has clearly nailed the alignment of the bonded and rivetted monocoque and the advantages of using aluminium rather than steel further reveal themselves by way an absence of rust and corrosion.

It's a suitably regal colour for a long-wheelbase luxury saloon too, and works well with the chrome trim, which is both lavish and in a very good condition. Extensive by modern standards, it extends to door handles and mirrors, front and rear bumpers, boot lid, badges, window and rear light surrounds, and a magnificent radiator grille.

Further jewellery comes via the 20-inch, split-rim alloy wheels, which are in great shape with no signs of having been kerbed, something that’s almost inevitable when you are fitted with tyres with as low a profile as these - and they are very low profile: 35-profile in fact, and brand-new to boot. (Sorry.)

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

The tilt-and-slide electric sunroof works as it should, and closes to fill the aperture tightly and neatly. 

The side glass, which you’ll recall is doubled-glazed to cut down on noise, is in an excellent condition being free of chips, cracks, and delamination. 

All-in-all, it is in a very, very good condition.

But the years have taken their toll, if only lightly. The rubber windscreen and sunroof seals have perished, the windscreen has started to delaminate around the edge, and some of the bolts on the split-rim wheels are bleeding rust stains.

The cabin is wantonly luxurious. Finished in Ivory hide (trim code NED) piped in taupe, almost every surface you touch is natural: wood, leather, and wool, which is, of course, exactly as it should be.

The driver can enjoy electrically adjustable pedals and door mirrors, plus a powered and heated walnut steering wheel. Other practical toys include radar-active cruise-controlled, a speed limiter, and satellite navigation.

The two in the front both get to enjoy monogramed headrests, three-stage heated seats, four-zone climate control, and an Alpine stereo system.

Those in the back can enjoy two individual seats, with another on offer in the middle, albeit with slightly less comfort. The seats are, again, heated and electrically adjustable – including recline - and their comfort is further assured via two walnut picnic tables, a rear entertainment console that includes a DVD player and two TV screens, and electric rear screen blind and no fewer than two manual blinds on either door. 

Oh, and don’t forget the sheepskin overmats that protect your tootsies as effectively as they do the carpets underneath, the separate climate control, the leather-trimmed grab handles, and the cupholders hidden in the armrest.

As for the condition, well, what can we say? The seats look like they’ve been barely sat on, the extensive hide trim is taut and unscuffed, the walnut veneer is lustrous and free of chips, and the carpets are as clean as they are deep.

As for the door cards, headlining, and dashboard, they are every bit as good as everywhere else; this is probably as close as a new example as you can find these days.

Of course, it helps that the seller has put it through his workshop and spent nigh-on £2,000 fitting it out with a new headlining and a UK-spec radio, speedometer, and sat-nav.

The boot is both vast and beautifully presented. Host to a stack of electronic equipment behind a carpeted door comprising the sat-nav, DVD and video player, and CD-multichanger, you’ll also find a space-saver spare wheel, tool kit, and hazard warning triangle.

The seller is in the trade and knows his stuff, buying only cars he’s happy to put his name to. He reports that it “runs and drives to perfection, with silent suspension, smooth brakes, a silky smooth gearbox and huge power from the supercharged engine. It has no warning lights on the dashboard and has just had a full inspection with no faults to report.”

As you can see, it starts well, idles nicely, revs like a demon, and spits fury from the exhaust pipes; no-one balances luxury and sportiness better than Jaguar/Daimler.

The engine bay is nicely presented being clean but not overly fussy. Those of a fastidious nature will want to clip the bulkhead and underbonnet soundproofing away more neatly but everyone else will just enjoy being able to lift the bonnet without shame.

The underside is the result of aluminium construction being used on salt-free winter roads. There is a little surface corrosion on some of the fasteners and clips but it’s superficial and way less than you would see on the equivalent UK car. 

Speaking of which, despite being from Japan we are told that the cost of insurance will be the same as it would be for any other UK manufactured right-hand drive car, due, in part, to its factory fitted alarm and immobiliser. It is also ULEZ-compliant, and the cost of road tax is £345 per annum.

The Daimler’s MoT certificate is not only valid until March 2025, as you might expect, it was also issued with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear except for the marker for being an imported car, and it comes with two keys, the book pack and wallet, proof that UK duty and VAT has been paid, an export certificate, and a sparkling new V5 with no-one else’s name on it.

And £2627 has been spent recently in pre sale preparation, to include not least, new tyres, wheel refurbishment and a machine polish and ceramic coating. The result is a stunning example of a very rare, desirable motor car. 

If you want massive legroom, oodles of luxury, and more performance than. anyone this side of Lewis Hamilton can make use of then the X350 platform has a lot to commend it.

Because let’s not forget that 400bhp used to be the preserve of German and Italian supercars. And this much space used to be restricted to antiquated British saloons. And technology on this level? That was Space Shuttle-level stuff within most of our lifetimes.

And now? Now you can get it all in one beautifully presented and preserved package – and you can get it for somewhere between £20,000 and £23,000.

What a time to be alive, eh?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.