2006 Jaguar Sovereign 4.2

If you want to impress strangers, you buy a Rolex – but if you value the quality of the movement you buy a Grand Seiko.

If you want a very fast pickup, you buy a Ford Raptor – but if you want to still be driving it in fifty years you buy a Toyota Hilux.

If you want Instagram likes, you buy Snap-On – but if you want silky-smooth longevity you buy Ko-ken.

This obsession with quality, and the respect they accord it, extends to the way the Japanese look after their cars, so if you want to buy the best example of one of Jaguar’s finest, Japan is the obvious place to look.

And they don’t come much better than this.

‘LK55 WLO’ is a long-wheelbase Jaguar Sovereign 4.2 that comes with an advisory-free MoT and has just 67,000 miles on the odometer, a mileage that’s supported by a verification certificate from Japan.

It’s also finished in Midnight Blue Pearl metallic, has a ruched Charcoal hide interior, and was probably built to special order as it’s equipped to Daimler specification.

Now fitted with full-size UK-spec numberplate plinths, a MPH speedometer face, a radio that covers the UK spectrum all the way to 108FM, and UK navigation, this is one for the enthusiast who’s looking for a fault-free, turn-key Sovereign that needs nothing other than a tankful of fuel.

Given what we’ve just written, you could write the next bit yourself, couldn’t you?

For a start, the aluminium body rules out the sort of corrosion that killed so many steel-bodied Jaguars. Dial in fastidious curation and no salt on the roads in winter and you’d expect exactly what you see here.

Ultra-tight and consistent shutlines speak of diligent quality control in the factory, while an absence of dents, dinks, and scrapes speak of equally diligent curation by the customer.

The Midnight Blue paintwork, which is a luscious metallic with a pearlescent finish, tells of a life lived in a garage. This might be nothing more than guesswork on our part, but you simply don’t get paintwork of this quality if you’ve spent your whole life sitting outside in all weathers. (Compare and contrast Rylan Clark’s skin with that of Ray Mears for further details…)

But the seller isn’t one to do things by halves, so he treated it to a machine-polish followed by a ceramic coating. The result is stunning and the colour is so dark it looks black in most lights despite being a very dark blue – and if that reminds you of James Bond’s preference for midnight blue dinner jackets, you aren’t alone.

Moving on, the five-spoke, 19-inch, special-order alloy wheels are free of scrapes and scuffs and any other signs of a careless owner. They’re also fitted with a set of 255/40R19 Davanti DX640 tyres, all of which still have plenty of tread left on them.

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.

There’s a smattering of chrome on the Sovereign too, including a pair of unmarked door mirrors. There’s more on the boot lid, door handles, around the side windows, and along the bumpers, plus the imposing and totally-on-brand front grille; there might not be much but what there is is a nod to Jaguars of yore and complements the dark coachwork perfectly.

The lamp lenses are bright and undamaged too, the badges are all in situ and gleam, and the double-glazed acoustic glass is free of chips and scratches.

All of which probably leaves you with the impression there’s nothing for the new owner to do other than to bask in their own cleverness in buying it.

And that’s true – almost.

Because the fastidious among you will have noticed the offside rear alloy has lost a small section of lacquer. Truly a #firstworldproblem, eh?

Yes, the Charcoal leather interior is every bit as impressive as the coachwork being a beguiling blend of luxury and fastidious curation.

All the usual materials – leather, wood, and chrome – are there and while you’d never think you were sitting in a German car, the design team has done a fantastic job of avoiding a pastiche of their classic models.

And it’s not just the way they’ve used these familiar materials because they also stacked it with toys that would leave drivers of the 60s, 70s, and 80s agog.

Things like Bi Xenon headlamps with powerwash, automatic headlamps and wipers, electrically adjustable pedals and steering column, four-zone climate control, electrically adjustable, memory foam and heated seats in both the front and rear, radar-assisted cruise control, double-glazed acoustic glass, steering wheel controls for the MiniDisc stereo and 11-speaker Alpine speaker system, remote central locking, electric windows and mirrors, an electronic parking brake, a speed limiter control, and more.

As for its condition, the leather has been professionally cleaned and treated since arriving back here. Beautifully stitched, the seats, door cards, and dashboard are free of marks. Free of any visible wear, too.

The headlining is taut and clean, but then that’s no surprise because the seller fitted it only recently.

The carpets are excellent, the elasticated pockets are still firm, and the lettering on the switches is bright white and unsullied.

Still unimpressed? How about the fact the hinges of the front armrest/cubby still have their protective plastic wrapping?

Those lucky enough to be sitting in the rear don’t only benefit from oodles of legroom, they also get to enjoy a full suite of blinds that include a pair either side (including natty little rhomboid ones for the smaller panes on the trailing edges of the doors) and an electrically operated, full-width rear one.

Of course, there’s a dedicated audio/TV system in there too, plus two cupholders in the fold-down armrest and screens in the front headrests.

They also get to set their own air-conditioning – and if they get cold despite the powerful heating on offer, they can turn on the heating element in their electrically adjustable seats.

The boot is as vast as it is clean. It also contains a space-saver spare wheel plus the factory tool kit, warning triangle, and battery.

As for flaws and imperfections, there simply aren’t any.

We’re told the Jaguar “drives even better than it looks” with “zero faults”, “no squeaks from the suspension”, a gearbox that “changes as it should”, and brakes that “pull up square and smooth“.

It’s also “ready to go with no work needed” as there are “no warning lights on the dashboard and all the electrical items work.”

The engine bay presents very well indeed; if you were heading to Pebble Beach you might like to run a cloth over it but otherwise it’ll pass muster in even the most pernickety company.

Obviously.

Perfectionists might like to take a closer look at some of the brake discs as they show some corrosion to their rims. We spotted some O/E Jaguar brake pads in the calipers though, so it doesn’t look like the servicing has been skimped on.

As for the underside, it is so clean it doesn’t even sport the thin patina of rust you always see on the fasteners and bolts. There are no scuffs to the plastic undertrays either, which means that – again – there’s nothing for the new owner to do other than to play a pressure washer over it now and then.

The Jaguar’s MoT certificate is valid until July 2025 and, as you’d expect, it was issued with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two key fobs, a mileage verification certificate, the UK handbook, the radio code card, and a full service history.

If you are in the market for a long-wheelbase luxury saloon with seven-league boots but had dismissed the X350 as being too old then we’d urge you to think again.

Yes, this one has got 67,000 miles on the odometer but if you ignore that (and, let’s face it, that ain’t that much really…) you could be mistaken for thinking this is a car with a quarter of its mileage.

With years of life yet in it yet, we estimate the hammer will fall somewhere between £9,000 and £14,000 – but as it is being offered with no reserve it’s going to sell no matter what.

Why not have a cheeky bid then? It’s going to a new home no matter how derisory that first bid is, so what have you got to lose?

Oh, and despite its size and performance and the luxury on offer, it clocks in at just £345 annual road tax, is ULEZ exempt, and doesn’t come with any insurance loading as it’s treated the same as a UK-supplied car.

It just gets better and better, doesn’t it? 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Lyne, Surrey. To arrange an appointment to inspect this vehicle, please use the Contact Seller button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.