2003 Jaguar XKR 4.2

Rolling off the production line in early 2003, this highly spec’d XKR (memory seats, active cruise control, premium sound etc.) was sent from Coventry to its one and only Japanese owner. An expensive European car like this is very much a status symbol in Japan and it was clearly treated as such for those first 15 years of its life. Workshop standards in Japan are the stuff of folklore and it is possible to work out much of the work that was done from the visual cues on the detailed worksheets - no handwritten invoices here. The vendor has noted the mileage (and date) of all recorded maintenance works as detailed below. Also traditional for an expensive euro-import into Japan are the genuine low-mileage and excellent condition.

Re-patriated by Left Hand Drive Ltd of Virginia Water, Surrey in Spring 2018 (yes, they do right hand drive too…) the vendor purchased her in July 2018. He wanted the best example he could find and had all but given up finding one in original rust-free condition but that is exactly what he found here.

The car has been garaged and covered since purchase (the tailored, breathable cover is included) but the owner assures us that she has been started and driven regularly. A qualified vehicle restorer and lifelong petrolhead he knows not to let her sit for too long. The plan was always to keep her but life happens and circumstances change so this is indeed a rare opportunity to get your hands on such as superb example.

Sometimes a car just looks right. Clean and sharp with factory shutlines all round. The deep Midnight Black paint appears all-original and with near blemish-free appearance inside and out, this Jaguar presents in a way that only an original, garaged car with such low mileage can. Even the original 18” ‘Hydra’ alloys are all but unmarked and wear new matching Dunlop rubber. The gleaming alloy brake calipers behind them look very sharp too.

Walking round the vehicle, there really is very little that catches the eye. Two stonechips near the left front headlamp and if we hadn’t told you about the 2 tiny pimples on the left rear flank above the wheelarch that just catch the light on a bright day, you probably wouldn’t have noticed them at all. These would present no challenge at all to your trusted dentician (is that a word??). Other than the odd inevitable light scratch here and there the bodywork is excellent.

Glass, light lenses and badges are all superb though the owner advises the Jaguar symbols on the alloy centre caps are slightly faded…

The first thing that hits you when you open the door is the smell – it has that unmistakable, intoxicating whiff of a new car. Is there a better smell? (Don’t answer that…). Scanning the interior, the rarely-spec’d ivory leather adds to the light, airy feel in here and shows very little sign of use. There is some slight discolouration towards the front of the centre armrest and a hairline crack in the wooden surround of the gear selector. Even the driver’s seat bolster shows only very minor surface discolouration. Some time with the right products would see these minor imperfections disappear.

The rear seats genuinely look like they haven’t been used though there is the lightest scuff on one of the bottom cushions - again, if we hadn’t mentioned it... We are being extremely picky here - all leather, wood, carpets, dials and switchgear are again excellent.

Everything appears to work too, though the vendor pointed out that the original radio only seems to like Radio 2 so may need re-calibrating to UK frequencies or changing for a more up-to-date unit. The Sat-Nav too has similar Japanese bias. The 6 CD multichanger is a nice old school touch and works perfectly. Air-con is ice cold.

The boot is clean, neat and tidy with unused spacesaver wheel with all the original tools, warning triangle, CD changer and Sat Nav present. This highly spec’d car has Jaguar’s ‘premium’ sound fitted but the owner advises the bass speaker has been removed from the boot shelf. This is a bit of a mystery but a quick look on eBay just now assures that a replacement can easily be sourced for around £60. Again, you may wish to upgrade.

Apart from the inevitable surface oxidisation of some nuts, bolts and other fixings underneath the car it is rust free and totally original. ‘It was a relief to finally find one that wasn’t like the Mary Rose underneath and that hadn’t had its guts cut out and covered with patchy repairs’, the owner notes. Exhaust, brake pipes, floorpans, inner arches, subframes and all fixtures and fittings are factory original and rock solid.

Immediately after buying the car, the owner took her to his trusted mechanic (Sam, resident race engineer at Autovets, Brighton) to go right through her. A misting of oil around one of the power steering gaiters had been advised on the MOT and the whole unit was duly replaced. A full gearbox service was also carried out as there was no indication of this having been done. All brake and suspension components were examined and tested and a full four wheel alignment was carried out. The kmh speedo facing was also replaced with the correct mph one. The odometer currently reads in km.

The XKR’s MOT expires in January 2021

The original detailed printouts from Shakken (Japanese MOT testing), servicing and maintenance work carried out in Japan testify to a car that has received proper, regular maintenance. These would, however, need to be translated to confirm exactly what was done. These Japanese documents also give confidence that the mileage is genuine, commensurate of course with this car’s condition (A summary of dates and mileages is included).

Since being imported, the car has been fully inspected. It’s a 23k mile car and it drives and presents as such.

Last year’s MOT showed that a couple of the long serving, possibly original tyres had reached the end of their natural life and all 4 were replaced with the correct Jaguar approved Dunlops at considerable expense. A sidelight bulb was the only other failure with no additional advisories. She has only covered a few hundred miles since!

The engine bay is as you’d hope to find - spotlessly clean and original with all fluids clean and to correct levels. She just needs to be driven.

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.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

The Jaguar XKR has long represented outstanding value when compared to other marques and models of similar performance and pedigree but the days of the dirt cheap XKR are gone.

The whole coming of age thing is a debate that, like all the best debates, should be taken down the pub. Anyone remember the pub? And while you’re there you might as well try to make sense of the imported car thing.

Provenance and history all form part of the ownership experience you are potentially buying into and we think such things should be weighed up on a car-by-car basis. This Jag has as transparent and comprehensive a history as you could hope to find with an imported car and its condition and mileage make it a truly compelling proposition.

Ultimately, we have a car that rolled off the same production line as all other XKRs, has led a pampered life on salt-free roads and has been properly stored and maintained since it was brought back home. You might just have to sort out the radio!

Having said all of that, we still expect this to fetch less than a UK car would and so our estimate of £12,500 - £16,000, if correct, would mean that someone is potentially going to get a hell of a lot of metal for the money.

Viewing is always encouraged, 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’.