2003 Jaguar XJ 4.2 Super 8

Pre-delivery inspected new at HR Owen, Ipswich in October 2003, the car’s first owner kept the car for just under seven years, using it sparingly. By its sixth service in January 2010, lovingly recorded in the service history, it had recorded just 14,309 clicks.

Its next custodian did the majority of the mileage accrued to date; despite this, it wanted for nothing. Main Jaguar agents HR Owen, HA Fox, Hatfields and Barretts shared the workload as the Super V8 did what it did best. By its 15 th and final service book entry and performed by Jaguar Land Rover specialist, Tom Lenthall of Wokingham, the odometer read 75,939 miles – still low for the age of the car

The car’s present owner entered the picture not long after; a German car enthusiast with a large collection of vehicles, he liked the look of the Super V8 having realised it offered an excellent compromise between high performance and long-distance ride comfort. He enjoyed a long run to see family in Scotland behind the wheel, likening the experience to a fast Chesterfield sofa.

He kept up the due diligence with the servicing, performing further preventative maintenance which will see the car right for many years to come. At 84,100 miles as consigned, he is moving the car on because it doesn’t see enough use.

Pacific blue was a shrewd choice by the original owner – the shade would appear subsequently in Jaguar’s marketing material for the XJ – but what its first custodian might not recognise are the wheels the car currently wears.

As new, it was specified with 18-inch ‘Prestige’ alloys more commonly used on Daimler equivalent X350s – albeit with Jaguar wheel centres. It heads to auction with four ‘Sepang’ 20 inch items, a more aggressively offset design that takes a lower profile tyre. A keen long-distance driver would no doubt relish the softer stroke air suspension of the Super V8, but with the sharper turn-in the larger wheels would provide. The alloys themselves are immaculate with no signs of buckles and scuffs; JEB UK, in Gloucester, repaired a rim last year.

X350 bodywork can suffer from galvanic corrosion – but none of this is evident on the car presented for sale – in fact, the current owner had the paint protected and subsequently ceramic coated in 2020. It was the opinion of a detailer that the car’s paint was of concours-winning quality; the only thing that detracts from this is a scuff on the bottom of the offside front bumper near the fog light & similair on the nearside rear bumper.

Cream contrasting décor is a Jaguar safe space – and here, the Super V8 doesn’t disappoint. Ordered with Ivory seats and Mocha trim, the cockpit is immaculate save for some slight wear on the drivers’ seat bolster. Otherwise, the soft grain leather with contrast piping, standard Super V8 fitment, is gently used.

Every option bar the adaptive cruise control, declared by the owner, works, including the rear heated bench with electric adjustment. The 7-inch navigation screen has its installation CD, and all displays are free from LCD bleed. A service workshop CD, two keys, and a full complement of owners’ manuals are also to be sold with the car.

Aware of the vulnerable headlining in X350s, the current owner had it recovered in May at a cost of £300, at Worcester-based trimmers, Stitch Perfect.

For the final touch, lambswool front floor rugs – a £285 option when new – are included in the boot; fit for a mayoress, by the current owner’s admission, they were left unused during his ownership. The standard Super V8 mats can be found inside the cabin, and remain unmarked.

Of particular interest is the underbody protection applied to the Super V8; in early 2020, the current owner had the car Waxoyled. He has this service performed on all of his cars, adding an extra layer of protection to the jacking points braces and outer sills past what the plastic under trays would be able to fend off.

All of the Super V8’s protective panels and wheel arch liners remain fitted and intact, showing wear consummate with the age of the vehicle. A standard exhaust system runs the length of the car, showing light surface corrosion from sparing use.

Suspension components and tyres also look in fine fettle, the rear bottom arms and lower shock bushes having been replaced in 2016 by Tom Lenthall in response to advisories on the previous year’s MoT, when a full four-wheel alignment was also carried out. The specialist fitted a new battery in 2018, and 2019 saw an OSF damper bush replacement owing to play; Jaguars are more sensitive than similarly aged cars, and many get neglected.

The engine bay shows off the supercharged 4.2-litre V8 at its best; fluids are on the level and a new thermostat and temperature coolant sensor were fitted in 2017. Work was also performed to the six-speed automatic gearbox a year previously; servicing, including fluids, also comprised a reprogramming session to relearn adaptations. The ‘J-gate’ received a repair in 2019; both selector and unit are reported faultless in operation.

We note from the paperwork (shown in the photo gallery) that the following work has been done:

Headlining recovering – Stitch Perfect – 25/5/2021
Ceramic Coating – Cotswold Bespoke – 25/11/2020
Waxoyling – STP Motor Services – 9/4/2020
Paint protection – Autovalet Direct – 17/3/2020
New rear arms and lower shock bushes – Tom Lenthall – 23/6/2016

The plate OC53 JRC is being retained by the vendor, and the new registration AV53 UCU has been allocated to the car (we have the V5C document). 

X350s are an appreciating modern classic nowadays; as their older brethren rise in value, the market responds to their closest relatives.

For the £9,000 - £13,000 estimate, this Super V8 offers an incredible depth of ability, but its new owner will be stuck with a ‘use or preserve’ dilemma. Few short-wheelbase Super V8s were built; by 2004, the Super V8 was a long-wheelbase model and effectively a luxurious XJR; the only other X350 available with such stretch was the Sovereign.

With little work, this car could be a future concours winner – or, by carrying on the fastidious maintenance of its previous owners, an excellent long-distance, high-speed cruiser.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located at our headquarters near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, so to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.