2004 Jaguar XKR Black Knight

This Black Knight Coupé is number four of the 15 built, and features:

20 inch Sepang R Performance alloy wheels, a two piece BBS design. Nine inches wide at the front and 10 inches at the rear.

Cross drilled disc brakes.

Red painted four-pot Brembo brake calipers.

Triple meter gauges: Oil pressure, Clock and Voltmeter.

Piano black interior trim.

Alcantara sports seats.

Aluminium Interior pack – gear shift surround, foot pedal pad and instruments.

R Performance leather steering wheel and Momo gear shift knob.

Reverse park control.

ACC – Adaptive Cruise Control.

Premium sound system with 320 watt head unit with nine speakers.

Premium Black Knight Emblems.

Zenon lights.

Automatic wipers.

In October 2004 the Black Knight coupé cost £71,282.

Black Knight VIN numbers ran from A42348 to A44685, so checking a car is a genuine special edition is straightforward.

This car looks fabulous. Black paint will highlight any bodywork imperfections but we couldn’t spot any at all. Even the sensuous and shapely nose looks free of any gravel rash, with no stone chips visible. 

All the panels look dead straight with factory spec shutlines, and the special edition BBS split rim alloy wheels are in great shape, with those red Brembo brake calipers peaking through their spokes. 

The wire mesh front grille gives the already aggressive looking supercharged XKR an even more purposeful stance, and it’s hard to argue with Jaguar’s styling department – they got this coupé spot on.

Warm Charcoal leather with Alcantara inserts greets you in the black-trimmed cabin, and it’s all in lovely condition too. There’s the merest hint of use on the driver’s seat, but you really have to look hard to spot it –  and the front seats are heated as a bonus.

The original Alpine Premium stereo system still sits in the dash and the three extra gauges are Black Knight only additions.

You may spot the VIN sticker in the door slam, and notice it has no weights or Type Approval numbers. This is because these are both unnecessary in Japan.

The black cabin is in beautiful condition throughout, and quite amazing considering the car is nearly 20 years old.

The Black Knight has Jaguar’s AJ38 supercharged V8 400bhp engine, with a six speed ZF six-speed automatic gearbox. This arrangement rockets the coupé to 60mph in just 5.2 seconds, with a limited top speed of 155mph. 

These later AJV8 engines have steel cylinder liners so there are no problems with Nikasil bore wear as was sometimes the case on earlier engine. They also have metal timing chain tensioner parts to avoid the reliability problems of earlier plastic versions.  

107,693Km is just under 67,000 miles, so it’s no wonder the car sounds so smooth – this is barely above delivery mileage for an engine of this size and capability.

The XKR’s suspension is electronically controlled and adjusted, hence the electrical connections you can see on the suspension towers in the engine bay. What an engine bay it is, too. There’s only one thing that looks better than a V8, and that’s one with a supercharger nestling in the vee. Underneath it is a charge cooler to help keep the air density, and hence power, up.

The XKR comes with it original handbooks and a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate confirming it’s a genuine Black Knight special edition. There is also a selection of historic bills, and an advisory free MoT certificate that runs until January of next year. 

The current owner bought the car just over a year ago after falling in love with it. He reports that it ‘drives like a dream’, but that he’s now forced to sell it, not ony because he’s no longer able to use the garage he’s been storing it in, but also because of ULEZ charges in London. He says:

‘I have had the car mechanically checked over, so it now is excellent. I’ve fitted a reconditioned differential and rear exhaust box. The car paintwork has been detailed and the interior refurbished. I would say its overall condition is almost 100%.

‘The car has an upgraded suspension system, with all upgraded bushes to improve the handling. Everything is in perfect working order.

‘What makes it special is that it’s a Japanese import so it has no rot as it hasn’t had to deal with the English weather and salty roads.’

‘The car drives like a dream, it is very reliable and there are very few in this condition. Plus, I  think this is the only Black Knight in the UK.’

Considering just how rare this car is (we’ll assume there are now fewer than 15 surviving, and this is likely the only one in the UK), the estimate of £15 to £18,000 seems like a bit of a bargain. Limited edition modern classic Jaguars aren’t likely to lose value.

So if you’re after a sporting Jaguar Coupé it’s hard to make any coherent argument against buying this one. It’s a beauty.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located with the vendor in London SW17. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.