2011 Jaguar XK Portfolio

‘LG11 WPP’ (the cherished number ‘RAK 4’ will stay with the owner) is a 2011 Jaguar XK Portfolio Convertible that’s finished in Stratus Grey with a Warm Charcoal leather interior.

R.A. Creamer & Son Ltd, who were not only the world's first Jaguar dealership when it opened in 1927 but also supplied the royal family with their Jaguars, supplied the XK and then serviced it until the firm closed for business in 2016.

The independent Jaguar network then serviced it seven times over the next nine years, with the seller’s local garage doing their bit last July. We counted 13 services in 14 years, which is all the more remarkable when you consider the odometer has yet to tick over to 26,000 miles.

A good friend of the vendor bought it new, and it was gifted it to our seller when he passed away earlier in the year. 
 

Stratus Grey (paint code LNL) is quite the colour, isn’t it? Subtle and mysterious, our only reservation might be that a dark hue like this will highlight flaws and imperfections more than a lighter shade.

Not that this is an issue here because the coachwork is in an exceptional condition; free of dents, dinks, and other damage, it’s still beautifully aligned and presents very well.

Some of that will be due to careful curation but we note an invoice on file from Kensington Continental for repairs to the bodywork in March 2018. We don’t have all the details, but the invoice also mentions repairs to the faulty hood at the same time. All-in-all, the owner paid £6,320, of which £3,800 was bodywork.

It’s nice to see the front and rear numberplates are from R.A. Creamer & Son, which suggests the repairs weren’t due to a heavy front or rear impact. (Although, as we pointed out earlier, the vendor is retaining ‘RAK 4’.)

There’s no denying it’s a helluva a colour; if you like your British convertible sportscars on the discrete end of the scale (exhaust note notwithstanding, obviously…) then this XK is as discreet and exclusive as they come.

The 20-inch, five-spoke Kalimnos alloy wheels reinforce the car’s upmarket image, and they’re in a decent condition with nothing more bothersome than the usual and inevitable kerbing marks to the rims, albeit it perhaps a bit heavier than normal.

Tyres are matching Dunlop SP Sport Maxx, with 255/35R20 on the front, and 285/30R20 on the rear. All have good 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.

The lamp lenses are all free of cracks and damage, the mesh grilles are geometrically unadulterated, and the badges and subtle chrome accents all gleam.

As for the hood, it rises and falls on command, seals very tightly, tucks away neatly under a solid cover, has a glass rear screen with a demister element, and is free of damage or even heavy creasing. It is, therefore, as good as could reasonably be hoped for on a car that’s entered its teenage years.

Door, boot, and bonnet shuts are all clean, and while that of the fuel filler is a bit grubby, the fact we’re even mentioning it tells you all you need to know about the lack of cosmetic issues across the coachwork.

Because the other things of note are a deep scuff to the lower nearside edge of the front valence, and a few light scratches to the nearside front and rear wings, which we are told come from bramble bushes.
 

Like the coachwork, the Warm Charcoal (trim code LEG) interior is understated and yet still wonderfully decadent, something the (very good) walnut trim and soft-grain sports seats, which boast contrasting stitching, heating and ventilation, and electrical adjustment, contribute to.

And it’s all in great shape too with nothing more than light rumpling to the base of the driver’s seat and some barely perceptible rubbing marks to the outer bolster.

Everything else is very good indeed: the wood trim is shiny and free of chips, cracks, and peeling varnish; the leather throughout is virtually unmarked; the switches and controls boast bright lettering; the carpets are barely ruffled; and the headlining is clean, taut, and free of damage.

The Portfolio also gained a premium sound system, which pumps out a total of 525W of music through Bowers & Wilkins speakers.

Other toys include automatic lights and wipers, climate control, mood lighting, front and rear parking sensors, powerfold mirrors, a pop-up wind deflector, heated seats and steering wheel, and cruise-control.

Safety features include a plethora of airbags, seatbelt pre-tensioners, front seat whiplash protection, rollover protection, Emergency Brake Assist and ABS, and pedestrian detection.

The boot is every bit as nicely trimmed and well preserved as the rest of the interior and lifting it all out shows nothing but a wholesome boot floor; rust, of course, is not an issue thanks to the XK’s aluminium construction.

We are told that everything works as it should, including the two door warning/puddle lights.

Heck, the glovebox pen clip even has a pen in it.

The Jaguar’s service history is impressive, with R.A. Creamer & Son servicing it from new until it closed its doors in 2016, and independent Jaguar specialists picking up the baton for the next nine years:

•    24.01.2012 and 21 miles – service by RA Creamer & Son
•    25.03.2013 and 3,187 miles – service by RA Creamer & Son
•    27.03.2014 and 6,089 miles – service by RA Creamer & Son
•    24.03.2015 and 8,849 miles – service by RA Creamer & Son
•    21.03.2016 and 11,979 miles – service by RA Creamer & Son
•    27.04.2017 and 13,949 miles – service by Kensington Continental 
•    13.03.2018 and 16,420 miles – service by Kensington Continental
•    12.03.2019 and 18,215 miles – service by Jag Shop Workshop
•    16.03.2020 and 19,799 miles – service by Kensington Continental
•    16.03.2021 and 20,734 miles – service by Kensington Continental
•    15.03.2022 and 22,084 miles – service by Kensington Continental
•    28.03.2023 and 23,263 miles – service by Kensington Continental
•    14.07.2025 and 25,578 miles – service by Mayday Motors

Kensington Continental also replaced the battery in February 2023,

The engine bay is, if anything, even cleaner than everything else we’ve examined but then that’s what you get when meticulous servicing meets fastidious curation.

As you can see it starts well too, idles as it should, and revs with a demon howl from the exhaust. It was driven up to us from central London, too.

The underside is exactly as you’d expect when a money-no-object maintenance regimen is applied to an aluminium car that’s covered so few miles. Yes, there is the odd moderately rusty fastener and steel bracket but that’s about all there is to worry about, so very much a #firstworldproblem
 

The Jaguar’s MoT, which is valid until April 2026, was issued with no advisories, something it’s done every single year bar one.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Jaguar comes with two key fobs.

The history file includes the wallet and book pack, invoices for servicing, old MoT certificates, and even the original bill of sale from R.A. Creamer & Son for £55,000.
 

We’re big fans of the Jaguar XK because we think few cars offer a more satisfying driving experience for the money.

And, as long as you buy the right one, few cars are more satisfying to own.

But you do have to pick carefully; as a minimum we like to see a FSH, matching tyres, and evidence throughout of a fussy owner.

This car ticks all three boxes.

And yet, despite all its many positives, we doubt it will break the £20,000 barrier and might go for as little as £15,000.

Better still, it’s being offered with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Astonishing, isn’t it? But then E Types used to go for peanuts too, and look where they ended up…

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