2003 Jaguar XK8 4.2 Coupe

Finished in an attractive shade of Platinum Silver 1916 over an Ivory leather interior, the appearance of this XK8 simply oozes class, and presents in great condition throughout. In fact, this candidate presents so well that it was featured in the March 2017 edition of Classic Car Buyer magazine, an extract from which is included in the gallery below.

The vendor has owned the car for the last two years, and bought it primarily for doing long-distance drives to watch motor racing events such as the British GT championship and FIA masters. During this time, the car has proven to be an excellent long-distance cruiser, and the only part that required replacing (other than consumable items) turned out to be a gearbox sensor, as the manual setting of the transmission wasn’t working correctly.

From the factory, the vehicle was fitted with parking sensors and upgraded alloy wheels. Due to being a 2004MY car, this XK8 benefits from the more modern wheel designs, front and rear spoilers, and the redesigned grille which transforms the front end.

The Platinum silver paintwork on this example presents in remarkably good condition overall, with the front end showing the usual smattering of stone chips and age-related wear which is to be expected from a vehicle of this age. Even the door handles and high-traffic areas such as the boot lid are in good shape, with no signs of scratches from rings or keys being held while opening the doors, though there are a couple of chips above the driver’s side door lock.

The wheels are in great shape and free from any major gouges or scratches, however the coloured Jaguar crests have worn away on both rear wheels, leaving a mirror-like centre cap.

The main headlight lenses are in fine condition with no signs of chips or cracks, though the mirrored area within the lights appears to show signs of moisture ingress in the past, though the headlights weren’t steamed up during our test drive or photo shoot. The lower-bumper fog lamps are misted up, however, suggesting that there is still a moisture ingress problem present.

Overall, the condition of the bodywork certainly hides the age of the car very well indeed, with the condition being commensurate with the low mileage of the vehicle, rather than the age - it’s hard to believe this is an 18-year-old car based on its appearance.

Inside the cabin, the interior presents in smart condition, though it is immediately obvious that the headliner needs attention. The material for the headliner is beginning to sag above both doors, most notably on the passenger side, while the A-pillars are beginning to sag and crease.

Headliner issues aside, the interior of this XK8 is in great shape, with the seats retaining their comfortable yet supportive structure. Only the driver’s seat exhibits any real signs of age-related wear to the bolsters, with the passenger seat being in great shape and the rear seats showing virtually no signs of use whatsoever.

The wood trim on the dashboard, centre console and door cards is all in excellent condition, with no cracking or wear to the gloss lacquer that we could notice. The carpets, too, are in far better condition than expected from an 18-year-old car, with both the Jaguar over-mats and the carpet underneath being in nigh-on pristine condition throughout.

The automatically raising and lowering aerial works perfectly, and as far as we could tell everything within the interior was working just as Jaguar intended, with no warning lights on the dashboard.

The front-hinged clamshell bonnet on the XK8 is one of the car’s party pieces, and we can happily report that underneath the vast bonnet the 4.2-litre V8 is in great shape. The engine and its ancillaries present in fine condition, though no doubt the most fastidious of owners would want to give the block a thorough degreasing and detailing.

Underneath, there doesn’t appear to be any causes for concern, with only the usual ‘bloom’ of corrosion that is to be expected being visible on some of the underside components and exhaust system. Clearly, this XK8 has been kept in fine fettle throughout its life, as since 2006 the car has only failed its MOT test twice, with both failures being due to issues with the headlights or rear lamps, rather than any mechanical concerns.

During our short test drive, the V8 started and settled into a refined idle with ease, though it seemed to be a guessing game as to which key would start the car. Three keys are supplied, and each key appeared to take turns being the ‘right’ key to start the vehicle. Other than this strange foible, there were no concerns noted during our drive, with the gearbox, steering and suspension system all working correctly, along with the unusual ‘valet’ feature. Being a grand tourer, it was clear that this ‘big cat’ wanted to run, and a cross-continental journey behind the wheel of this XK8 would seem like a fitting use for Jaguar’s GT from the late 1990’s.

Included with this XK8 is a modest history folder, comprising of invoices, past MOT certificates verifying the low mileage of the vehicle and the original Jaguar owner’s handbook, complete with leather pouch.

Of particular note is the invoice for a new fuel tank in 2016 at a cost of just over £1000, and an invoice for £1,535 also from 2016 which relates to a partial front-end suspension rebuilt, full brake disc and pad replacement, and a partial rust-proofing treatment.

While the official Jaguar service record is not present, a document supplied by the vendor details the servicing and maintenance history of the vehicle, with several big-ticket invoices to back up part of this history.

If you’re looking for a refined, yet engaging and powerful long-distance cruiser from the late 90’s/early 2000’s, you can’t go far wrong with an XK8.

This particular XK8 coupe presents in remarkable condition throughout, with only minor TLC needed to the interior to bring it back to its best, thanks to the verified low mileage.

Given the condition of the vehicle, we estimate this XK8 to reach in the region of £9,000 - £14,000 so if you’re interested, be sure to set a reminder for when this auction goes live. Get in, turn the key, start that silky-smooth V8 and point it towards the South of France - you know you want to!

Viewing is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.