In late 1997, the Jaguar ‘X300’ XJ6 morphed into the car that many people within Jaguar believed it should have been at launch. The V8-engined ‘X308’ was more than just a facelift, although as nip and tucks go the visual differences weren’t huge – at least not from the outside.
External differences were subtle. Jaguar effectively rounded off the last of the XJ40’s squares, with new oval indicator lamps, a more curvaceous radiator grille, circular fog lamps and softer-edged bumpers front and rear, with less exposed chrome, partly to suit the fashions of the time, and partly to reduce unsightly damage.
But beneath the exterior, which didn’t have an awful lot wrong with it anyway, the X308 was a thoroughly different beast. The most significant changes were under the bonnet, for while the engine displacements remained the same at 3.2 and 4.0-litres, the straight six was replaced with the AJ16 V8 engine, first seen in the XK8 the previous year. The 4.0-litre unit was a straight carryover from the sports car, whereas the 3.2-litre V8 was new. The units were built for Jaguar at Ford’s engine plant in Bridgend and were trucked into Coventry for final assembly.
The new quad cam engines featured all-alloy construction, variable valve timing, a split block cooling system and electronic throttle control, and, significantly, were connected to a new five speed automatic gearbox.
But they weren’t without their problems. The nickel-based ‘Nikasil’ cylinder liners in pre-2000 cars would become porous, leading to catastrophic engine failures and multiple warranty claims. Jaguar addressed this by 2000 wit steel-liner engines, and these are the ones to go for if you value reliability.
Luckily, that’s what we have here. One of the very last X308s made, registered in May 2002. It has the added bonus of complying with London’s ULEZ low emissions zone regulations, as the later steel-lined engines were also made complaint with Euro 4 standards.
It's fairly common for car manufacturers to throw absolutely everything at the last examples of soon-to-be replaced models as a means of giving them extra showroom appeal, and Jaguar was no exception.
Introduced in March 2002, the XJ8 Executive SE was based on the entry level 3.2 Executive model, but with all of the luxury trimmings associated with the upmarket Sovereign specification. Features such as satellite navigation, heated seats, Connolly hide, memory functions for the seats and mirrors, an in-car telephone and a premium audio system were all improvements over the standard Executive, while the car also got the 18 inch ‘Penta’ alloy wheels normally found on the supercharged XJR.
This example was first registered in May 2002. It has had three owners in total, all of whom have maintained it to a high standard and with no expense spared, which goes a long way to explaining superb condition it is in today. Indeed, the last main dealer service was at 66,000 miles - just 7,000 miles and two years ago.
The Jaguar is supplied with its original black leather service wallet, inside which are an owners’ manual, car phone guide, alarm system handbook, audio manual and service book.
The service record reads as follows:
10/05/2002 – pre-delivery inspection, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
10/10/2004 – 7,001 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
19/07/2005 – 14,792 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
18/03/2006 – 22,006 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
15/04/2007 – 29,502 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
01/05/2008 – 32,900 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
10/05/2009 – 38,301 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
29/04/2010 – 41,610 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
23/04/2011 – 46,010 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
10/05/2012 – 50,900 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
12/12/2013 – 53,829 miles, Guy Salmon Jaguar, Surbiton
19/06/2014 – 55,378 miles, Hadley Green Jaguar, Barnet
18/06/2015 – 56,399 miles, Hadley Green Jaguar, Barnet
01/07/2016 – 59,000 miles, Hadley Green Jaguar, Barnet
20/07/2017 – 61,494 miles, Hadley Green Jaguar, Barnet
15/06/2018 – 63,949 miles, Marshalls of Peterborough
10/06/2019 – 66,673 miles, Marshalls of Peterborough
The car has a current MOT valid until December 2022, which it passed with no advisories.
Finished in distinctive Seafoam Blue, the XJ is in excellent condition bodily, and has no rust to be seen in any of the usual places where XJs tend to corrode, such as the sills, wing bottoms and rear wheel arches.
There are a couple of minor areas where it could be improved, but they are only very slight. A small patch of lacquer peel on the bonnet, for example, and some small kerb marks on a couple of the alloys. But for a Jaguar fast approaching its 20th birthday, the XJ is in generally excellent order and looks fantastic.
Inside, the X308 is quite a different car to the visually similar X300. The X300’s angular slab of a dashboard went, to be replaced by a more curvaceous fascia, while the wood facings were rounded off, with lighter materials and a less traditional feel. Critically, cabin storage improved, with bigger door bins and larger console cubbies, though the XJ still remained way behind other executive cars in terms of its packaging, especially its woeful luggage capacity. The instrumentation improved, too, with LCD displays and greater functionality within the trip computer.
That means it’s an easier car to live with on a day-to-day basis, and in Executive SE trim it’s loaded with all the goodies – the biscuit coloured leather is in excellent order, as are the mats and carpets, while the door cards and wood infills are also in extremely smart condition.
Ignore any of the horror stories you might hear about the Jaguar V8 engine as they only relate to the pre-2000 models which have the Nikasil linings. Later cars, such as this one, are extremely robust and are known to cover substantial mileages without any major problems.
Given that this one has covered just 73,000 miles from new, the next owner shouldn't have any qualms about using and enjoying it, especially not given the impeccable service record. It starts on the button and is beautifully smooth, while the vendor reports that it is a really nice car to drive with no known faults.
The X308 is a rapidly up-and-coming classic and values of good ones are really starting to rise, making this low mileage example a really appealing prospect before you drill down into its finer points.
Look closer and the appeal gets greater. Being a very late example, it’s one of the few X308s that’s Euro 4 compliant. That means it’s ULEZ-friendly, as well as suitable for use in cities outside London that have similar emissions zones proposed.
It’s also a really rare and unusual specification, sold only for a few months towards the end of XJ8 production. It’s a car with a huge amount going for it, and a lovely example to boot.
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2002 Jaguar XJ8 Executive SE
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