2005 Jaguar Super V8 Portfolio

This car was supplied and first registered in Tokyo by Jaguar Japan on 18 November 2005. It was repatriated to the UK in 2021 by marque enthusiasts JAG West London, given an MOT and re-registered with the DVLA. JAG West London have also converted this car to full UK spec. This includes, full size front & rear number plate plinths, UK Sat Nav, full UK radio, MPH speedo.

JAG’s owner has had it in his personal collection - although he’s barely put 100 miles on it - and a change in circumstances means he is looking to reduce the number of cars he is keeping.

Japanese imports - even of European cars - are increasingly popular as it is easier to find slightly older right-hand-drive cars in a very good, clean condition. Japan’s use of chemicals and heating rather than salt and grit on the roads in winter also means that the cars are unlikely to suffer the same level of corrosion as they would have in Europe. The higher cost of maintaining older cars in Japan means that good examples can be found at very reasonable prices.

This Portfolio is an impressive looking executive super-saloon and at first sight appears to be finished in a stately black shade. However, change your viewing angle to catch the light and the red flakes of the Black Cherry Pearl Mica paint give you an altogether more lively impression. With Japan not being subject to European pedestrian safety testing, a factory-fit Jaguar leaper sits proudly on the bonnet. It is spring loaded though, which makes it fully legal for UK roads.

Eagle eyed bidders will notice that the vents in the front wings are fully functional & aid cooling to the mighty V8 powerplant.

The car has been treated to a 4 stage prep & ceramic coating before sale & thus the condition of the paint and body work is in overall very good & the vendor understands it is all original, although there are areas with light scratches and swirls in the clear coat. There’s also a small scuff on the nearside front bumper brightwork. Of less consequence, we also noticed that the nearside wiper blade is coming adrift.

The car sits on the Portfolio 20-inch Callisto forged & polished alloy wheels, which look generally in good condition and all are shod with Yokohama ECOS tyres dated 2016.

Let’s not forget that this is a 17 year old car approaching 50k miles, so it has bound to have the occasional minor defects here and there. But it would still cut a powerful and luxurious figure on motorways, around town or indeed on anyone’s driveway.

The soft-grain (near unmarked) Connolly leather is a dark, reddish brown called Conker and this is complemented by the lighter coloured satin-finish American walnut trim which gives a very modern look compared to a more traditional darker, glossy burr veneer.

The inside again has an impressive and luxurious look, but isn’t without a few faults. Chief among them being the alcantara headlining which has come loose in a few places - common to many Jaguars of this period. It sags at the rear, coming away on the C-pillar seam and has some staining towards the back. Another obvious issue is the missing latch fitting on the nearside rear tray table, the latch does come with the car & just needs to be fitted, which should prove to be a very simple task. Address these problems though and you’ll have VIP access to a first class cabin on wheels.

As befits a “halo” model sitting above “flagship”, there are toys and options galore including double-glazed acoustic glass, adjustable heated seats front and back, radar active cruise control, an Alpine 13 speaker 400W Dolby ProLogic audio system incorporating phone connectivity and a satnav that happily distinguishes Oxfordshire from Okinawa.

There’s also a rear entertainment system with DVD player, seatback screens, tray tables and electric sunblind for the all important rear passengers - whether they be senior executives or juniors ones.

Up front, the engine bay is remarkably clean and tidy with anything interesting sitting under plastic covers. All is in good order with just a few patches where it looks like some stickers have been removed - most likely Japanese script ones.

Much of the vulnerable undersides are protected by undertrays, which have the expected level of road dirt and grime and no apparent damage. It is by no means rust-free but there are no signs of any established deterioration to the exposed suspension or steering components as there would likely be on a UK car of the same age and mileage.

Inside the boot, the carpet and linings are clean and intact and under the floor is a full size spare alloy fitted with a Dunlop Sport tyre along with jack and wheel brace. The warning triangle is present under the boot lid.

The car has been fully inspected & independantly prepared by a Jaguar specialist & had a full engine service carried out in the last 100 miles.

The car’s one and only UK MOT expired a couple of months ago but it sailed through the test last year without issue.

There’s nothing in the way of a history file for this car but there is a full book pack - albeit some of it in Kanji script.

The odometer currently reads approximately 49,260 miles.

The vendor reports that the car runs well and performs very strongly, just as you would expect from a 400PS Jaguar, and also that the electrical equipment works as it should.

We think this cracking looking, very original, super saloon - with just a few things to sort out to make it an absolute belter - will sell for between £15,000 and £20,000.

That’s got to be something of a bargain for 5.2 metres of top-end luxury with 4.2 litres of supercharged V8 grunt.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.