2007 Jaguar Sovereign Supercharged LWB

Finished in Porcelain White with a Barley hide interior, ‘LF57 FUP’ is freshly back in the UK after spending its life in Japan, a country that isn’t only salt-free in the winter but also curates its cars better than anywhere else.

The result is a steady supply of cars that dispels the notion that Jaguar doesn’t build longevity as well as it does performance or elegance.

This one is a classic example. A supercharged, long-wheelbase Jaguar Sovereign from 2007 with 71,000 miles on the clock, it could be five years old rather than 18 – and with 395bhp at its disposal and more legroom than anyone outside of the NBA needs, it’s as fast as it is luxurious.

ULEZ-compliant, fitted out to the full UK-spec, and surprisingly economical, there aren’t many ways of going so quickly and so comfortably for so little.

The Porcelain White coachwork (paint code NEL) looks stunning, doesn’t it? The fact it still looks so good after almost two decades is largely due to the loving care it’s received over the years – but that dedicated curation has been supported by a recent machine-polish followed by a ceramic sealant.

Of course, being aluminium there’s no structural corrosion to worry about, and the bonded and rivetted construction means that once the panels are aligned, they stay that way for life – and as you can see here, Jaguar did a damned fine job of aligning these.

Even the vulnerable points like the door mirror casings and the four extremities are free of scrapes and dinks, and taken in conjunction with the absence of kerbing marks on the five-spoke, 20-inch Callisto alloy wheels, it’s fair to say the Sovereign is used to being driven and parked with uncommon care.

Looked after well too, given those rims are fitted with a matching set of 255/35ZR20 ATR Sport low-profile tyres.

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 isn’t much in the way of chrome but what there is, including the iconic leaper and the bi-level honeycomb grille, is excellent.

Other exterior goodies include Bi-Xenon headlamps, headlamp power wash, double-glazed acoustic glass, and full-size UK numberplate plinths.

It goes without saying that the lamp lenses and badges are all in excellent order, although the nearside inner headlamp has started to go just a little milky.

As for flaws, the paintwork has what looks like tiny water marks that we think are from the recent ceramic coating. It also has a few paint cracks and a small scuff on the lower nearside of the front bumper, the lacquer is peeling on one small area of the offside front wing near the windscreen, there are two light scratches to the nearside air vent cover, a small touch up above the nearside rear door, some very light marks and scratches on both sides of the rear bumper, and one very light mark to the roof above offside rear door.

That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? However, our assessor is a keen chap with young eyes, and he concluded his inspection by saying that “the overall condition of the bodywork is excellent and a day in the hands of a professional with a machine polisher would remove or improve most of the above.”

The interior is every bit as luxurious as you’d expect with a specification that includes vast swathes of Barley leather trim (trim code SEL) alongside reassuring qualities of wood in addition to an old school analogue clock.

Being a thoroughly 21st century Jaguar it’s also stuffed to the gunnels with gizmos including electrically adjustable pedals, seats, mirrors and steering wheel. The steering wheel is also heated, as are the seats with the front ones offering three levels of cosiness – and when the weather picks up, they can also be cooled.

The two rear seats have the same three-stage heating but, sadly, no cooling option. Mind you, they do recline and have even more legroom than the seats in front of them.

They also have a picnic table apiece, rear sunblinds, their own controls for the four-channel climate control, and even a separate entertainment console as part of the eleven-speaker Alpine audio system, so #swingsandroundabouts, eh?

The driver doesn’t miss out as they can access 395bhp via a six-speed automatic gearbox that can also be used in Sport mode. Just as well, we think, that the pilot can also activate a speed limiter.

A wood-rimmed steering wheel and wooden gearknob add tactility to the equation, while memories settings for all the passengers mean no faffing around adjusting the multitude of electronic adjustment on hand.

As part of its repatriation the Sovereign received a MPH speedometer face, the full UK sat-nav, and a new headlining. The leather trim was also professionally cleaned and treated with hide food.

As for signs of its age, the base of the seats are a little rumpled but that’s about your lot because everything else, including carpets, door cards, veneer trim, dashboard, and controls, is all excellent.

The boot is both vast and impeccably trimmed. The (likely unused) space-saver spare wheel and tool kit lie alongside the battery underneath the false floor. The CD multichanger and DVD player for the satellite navigation system are located on the nearside, while the boot lid contains the warning triangle.

We are also told that everything works as it should, including the automatic lights and wipers and the air-conditioning, which we can confirm blows ice-cold front and rear.

We are also told that everything works as it should, including the automatic lights and wipers.

However, we see the rearview camera casing is cracked and held in with black mastic. The view it gives is pixelated too, so it’s probably time for a new one.

The only other thing to note is a mark on the leather on the transmission tunnel in the front passenger footwell, a couple of sticky buttons near the gearlever, and the steering wheel is slight off-centre.

As you can see, despite the fact it’s got more horsepower than a Ferrari Testarossa, the engine starts without fuss and idles perfectly with little more than a muted rumble.

Things liven up nicely when you press the accelerator, and you’ll leave a suitably menacing exhaust note in your wake.

The seller also tells us that it “runs and drives without issue, and has a perfect engine, transmission, brakes, and suspension with no warning lights on dashboard.” He drove it the 70 miles to our place too, and had “zero issues” and despite not sparing the horses, he averaged 28.6mpg.

The seller has also asked us to mention that the suspension has been slightly lowered using Jaguar software and can easily be put back to standard using the same.

Doesn’t get any better than that, does it?

That said, we did take it out for a quick spin and noticed a slight brake judder.

As for the cosmetics, the area under the bonnet is not only ridiculously clean but the aluminium architecture is on full display for you to admire.

Impressively preserved, the condition of the underside will come as a revelation to anyone used to scrabbling around underneath salt-encrusted British cars.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the markers for being an imported car and not having an MoT.

However, the latter marker is not accurate because the Jaguar was tested on the 10th of October 2024 using its chassis number because the registration number had not yet been issued. It was given a clean pass with no advisories, and the certificate is online for you to inspect.

It’s got a mileage verification certificate too (something the Japanese are very hot on) and its full service record. This is unusual because the Japanese are as hot on data protection as they are anyone playing silly so-and-sos with the mileage.

The Jaguar also comes with two keys, the full handbook pack, and a recently issued V5 registration document showing zero UK keepers.

The Sovereign also benefits from standard UK insurance rates, £345 a year VED, and ULEZ compliance.

A letter from the HMRC confirming that all UK VAT and duty have been paid is also on file.

Finished to a rare and highly desirable specification, this long-wheelbase Jaguar Sovereign would be an ideal entry into the modern classic car world, not least because it could earn its keep in the summer months providing high-class photogenic transport for weddings and high school proms.

Beautifully preserved and backed up by the sort of service history you rarely see with cars from Japan anymore thanks to GDPR, we estimate the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £12,000 and £15,000.

That makes it an enticing prospect, doesn’t it?

But it gets even better because the seller is so confident in the quality of his car that he’s happy to offer it with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Time to set that Sovereign Celebrations page up on Facebook, 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 ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.