Highlights
- Excellent paintwork, trim and upholstery
- Invoices show much recent maintenance and expenditure
- Serviced annually 2012-2014 and 2016-2021
- MoT with no advisories until September 2023
The Appeal
The appeal of a Jaguar doesn’t require much explanation. The company slogan in the 1950s of ‘Grace, Space, Pace’ has never ceased to be true, even though Jaguar retired it some time ago. The XJ in particular has been one of its most appealing and enduring models, as shown by the fact that it remained in continuous production, evolving gradually, from 1968 to 2019. In keeping with Jaguar’s respect for history and tradition, it retained the same general profile as the early XJs until as recently as 2010, existing as Browns Lane’s last link to the William Lyons era.
The XJ on the X350 platform was introduced for 2003 and was as handsome, capable and luxurious as its predecessors, but for 2007 it turned into the X358, having had a substantial makeover courtesy of Ian Callum. While retaining the elegant fluidity of the previous model, the new design was altogether more menacing, with a more aggressive bumper, mesh grille, and prominent air intakes. It was something of an image change for the XJ, but one which didn’t compromise its essential character. After all, John Steed still resembled the perfect English gentleman while driving his Broadspeed-modified XJ in The New Avengers.
This example is especially lovely. It’s been well used over the course of its life, but it’s been equally well cared for, so its age barely shows. Finished in a really lovely, understated combination of Liquid Silver Metallic with Barley leather, it’s not surprising that it has been the pride and joy of its last two owners. They have both lavished care and attention on it, and the result is a good-looking modern classic, which can be used and enjoyed right away.
The History and Paperwork
- First registered in Birmingham on 23rd July 2007
- Purchased by the fifth and most recent owner in 2019 from a fellow Jaguar enthusiast
- Paperwork includes a V5 certificate, several past MoT certificates, an extensive collection of invoices issued between 2014 and 2022, and the original owner’s wallet containing the owner’s manual, service book and so on
The Interior
- Lovely Barley leather upholstery with light patina
- Walnut trim in excellent condition
- Headlining retrimmed in 2019
- All the usual Jaguar luxuries – power windows and seats, air-conditioning, satellite navigation and much more
Few cars have such welcoming interiors as Jaguars, and certainly this XJ6 is no exception. Trimmed in Barley leather with plenty of rich, medium walnut around the dash, centre console and doors, the appearance is both tasteful and traditional, and has lasted really well.
The seats have aged as one would expect, with the light patina which makes old leather even nicer than brand-new leather. They have a few light creases, as they should have, but no unwanted marks or tears, so it really makes a most attractive picture. This is true of most other aspects of the interior – the carpets, dash, centre console and headlining are all in excellent condition. The headlining is particularly good, having been completely retrimmed in 2019 by marque specialist S.E. Jags.
Generally speaking, the door trim is superb, although the driver’s door, having obviously seen the most use, has picked up a few very light marks here and there, but nothing that is immediately noticeable. Most of the car’s fittings are conspicuous by their excellence, though. Even the plastic parts, which are usually prone to picking up a scratch here or there, do not show any obvious evidence of wear and tear.
There is, as would be expected, an extensive list of the sort of luxuries one associates with the Jaguar name. Power seats, power windows and air-conditioning can probably be taken for granted. A satellite-navigation screen is built into the facia, and there’s also a neat, attractive little clock set into the walnut. Rear seat passengers benefit from a folding armrest which conceals two cup-holders and its own console of controls.
The boot is very well-presented, with just some light marks on the carpet. The spare wheel and jack are both present and correct.
The Exterior
- An early post-facelift model
- Paintwork and brightwork in excellent condition
- 18-inch alloy wheels
There’s no need to beat about the bush – this early X358 is in really beautiful condition. We can all agree that the 2007 facelift worked to good effect, but who would have thought this car could still look so nice 15 years later? From its outward appearance, it could just as easily be a 10,000-mile car as a 100,000-mile one.
The paintwork is in lovely condition all round. There are some light marks on the door mirrors, but we did not observe any other blemishes. All the panels are in really good order. Compared to previous XJs, the X358 only makes very sparing use of chrome, but what remains is superb. The door handles and the boot strip have a marvellous shine, and the general profile of the car is enhanced by the chrome accent framing the windows. A section of chrome behind the offside rear window has a little bit of tarnishing, but it is confined to a very small area.
The 18-inch alloy wheels add a distinctly sporting touch, and for the most part they’re just as well-presented as everything else. The nearside wheels display some light scuffing, and the top coating of the front wheel is chipped in a few areas around the rim, but that is only a small consideration. The offside wheels are outstandingly good. Underneath, everything appears wonderfully solid.
The Mechanics
- Three-litre, 237 bhp petrol V6
- Excellent MoT record with certificate valid until September 2023
- Impressive record of servicing and maintenance
- Exempt from London ULEZ charges
The three-litre V6 may have been the X358’s entry-level petrol engine, but it’s still a magnificent piece of engineering. Taking the Jaguar from 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds and onwards to 145mph, it will still outrun most cars on the road, even at 15 years old.
It all appears to be in excellent mechanical health. It starts on the button, idles quietly, pulls away smoothly, stops at command, and will do just about anything you can reasonably ask of it. The power steering makes it ever so light and easy to manoeuvre, and the self-levelling adaptive air suspension means speed bumps pass by almost unnoticed. Conveniently, it’s just young enough that you can drive it into London and escape the ULEZ charges.
They’re just our impressions, but it’s been given a clean bill of health from the MoT tester every year since 2016. With the current certificate valid until September 2023, you can feel confident that it’s going to serve you well for a long time.
That it has lasted so well isn’t surprising, considering it has never been neglected. The service book shows that it has received its service almost every year, including annually between 2012 and 2014, and 2016 and 2020. There are plenty of invoices on file to back this up, most of which pertain to straightforward servicing and maintenance. There is no evidence to suggest that the Jaguar has ever needed any major work, but in May 2021 the nearside front brake was overhauled with a new calliper, discs and pads. Also in 2021, the lower suspension received new lateral wishbone arms.
The Summary
As the last XJ which was still visibly descended from the original XJ of 1968, the X358 must hold a special place in the heart of Jaguar enthusiasts. It’s a fairly rare breed, too, having only been made from 2007 to 2009, so it really is becoming quite a collectable modern classic. It even has its own distinct character thanks to its Broadspeed-esque facelift, which is less ‘company chairman’ and more ‘modern-day John Steed’.
This is a fantastic example in every respect, internally, externally and mechanically. Whether you want it for a weekend car or to use every day for work, there probably isn’t a more stylish and practical car for the job. Just remember your bowler hat and umbrella…
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