2002 Daimler SUPER EIGHT

First registered by Jaguar Coventry on the 24th of January 2002 for use by its directors, this LWB Daimler Super Eight is finished in Platinum Silver Pearl with a Warm Charcoal ruched leather interior piped in silver.

It passed on to its first private owner, a Mr. Paul Ganjou of London, on the 4th of June 2003 via the showrooms of Stratstones of Mayfair. Mr. Ganjou kept it for almost two years before selling it to a Mr Hans Futter of London, who again bought it via Stratstone of Mayfair, this time on the 15th of April 2005.

In his care until now, it has always been kept garaged and so presents in a fantastic condition. As you might expect of a car destined for use first by Jaguar directors, it has a massive specification too.

Meticulously serviced by Stratstones, it is showing just under 32,000 miles and is, the seller assures us, being sold with “no mechanical or electrical faults.” He went on to tell us that it “drives as new”, is ULEZ Compliant (something that cannot be said of the pre-2001 cars) and will be sold with a brand new MOT.

The Platinum Silver coachwork looks stunning, giving the Daimler a hewn-from-solid appearance that the straight flanks, tight panel gaps, and good panel alignment serve only to reinforce. It really does look wonderful, and is proof positive of how well these cars age if they’re serviced regularly, kept garaged, and treated with a modicum of respect.

The vendor tells us that he has already treated the coachwork to a four-stage preparation process that is concluded with a ceramic sealant.

The electrically operated tilt-and-slide sunroof works as it should, and seals tightly, and the electric windows all rise and fall as they should.

The Daimler also features chrome mirrors and door handles, plus a full-length chrome body stripe. There are rear parking sensors too, and it even retains the original dealer plates as supplied by Jaguar Cars, Browns Lane.

Speaking of originality, the car still wears its original alloy wheels with their chrome centre trim and they’re shod – and you’re ahead of me here, aren’t you? – with matching Pirelli P6000 tyres, all of which have decent tread.

As we will never tyre of explaining, our 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. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Faults are minimal and seem to be limited to some slight rubbing marks on the door protectors and a minor scuff to one alloy wheel.

The Daimler’s specification is unrivalled, and includes the much-prized four seat option. This means the rear seat occupants can enjoy individual heated rear seats that recline, along with walnut picnic tables for them to perch their Champagne flutes on and twin rear sunblinds to keep them pale and interesting.

The driver and front passenger get heated electric seats with a memory function, plus cupholders in the front armrests, Champagne being eschewed in favour of a hot, non-alcoholic beverage.

The headrests are all monogrammed, and the Warm Charcoal leather is ruched and piped in silver. It’s a darker colour scheme that we don’t typically see on the model, but gives the car a gravitas we like.

A wood-and-leather steering wheel adds another layer of luxury, as do the sheepskin over-rugs that protect the deep-pile carpets and the extensive use of walnut veneer. It’s all in a fabulous condition and hides its age well – but then that’s only to be expected when a car is as carefully curated as this.

Music is taken care of via a Jaguar Alpine 320w audio system – and in true noughties style, it retains its original fixed Jaguar Motorola mobile telephone with hands-free function.

The owner tells us that everything works as it should, and even the air-conditioning blows ice-cold.

The boot is very neat and clean and home to the car’s alloy spare wheel and matching Pirelli tyre. The boot floor is solid metal, but then you’re probably starting to appreciate that this is not your usual crusty, high-mileage, thrashed and abused example, aren’t you?

Work to so is pretty much limited to continuing to feed and clean the ruched leather seats. They’re only very gently patinated, and the vendor has already fed and cleaned them so they’re only in need of continued care. Everything else is still in ‘as new’ condition. It really is remarkable.

The vendor tells us that the car has a full Jaguar main dealer service history via Stratstones of Mayfair, and so runs beautifully and drives as it should. Even more significantly, he says that he is not aware of any mechanical or electrical faults, which is a statement we can’t imagine many vendors of similar cars being able to make…

The engine bay is very neatly presented, and while the underside is utterly solid, it does look like it might benefit from having its underseal topped up to keep it looking this good for the next 20 years.

The Daimler will be sold with a brand new MOT certificate. It will also be supplied with a fully stamped service history book; the original has gone missing, but Stratstones of Mayfair will stamp the replacement once it reopens following the easing of the lockdown.

For the moment, the vendor tells us that he has the full book package including the driver’s handbook, plus correspondence from Stratstones to confirm the car’s ownership history, the DVLA MOT history, and a clear HPI report.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to the very highest standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please contact the vendor and ask if he can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like him to concentrate on. 

The Daimler Super Eight did a brilliant job of balancing the need to bring the company into the 21st century while acknowledging the firm’s rich 20th century heritage. It’s modern and funky - and dodges the sort of crass faux retro design that plagues modern interpretations of classic designs like the BMW MINI.

It’s also incredibly fast, handles very well, and is was one of the world’s most luxurious cars at the time. It’s more reliable than you might think too, especially when it’s serviced by folk who know and understand it.

Which makes our guide price of somewhere between £7,500 and £11,000 look like spectacular value to us. While others might plump for something German, or even take a couple of brave pills and go Bentley, the lucky new owner of this delightful slice of Middle England will be able to waft around knowing they’ve beaten the system.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller in Addlestone, Surrey; 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.