The first supercharged Jaguar, the X306 XJR, applied an Eaton supercharger to the AJ16 4.0 straight six engine and in most cases drove the rear wheels through an optional 4 speed automatic gearbox.
Just 102 UK buyers opted for the standard manual 5 speed gearbox, which now makes this an extremely sought after configuration, to the extent that there have been numerous conversions carried out. This car is the real deal though, with a heritage certificate to demonstrate its authenticity.
Having been through just three owners, the bulk of the miles were added by the first two, with the third owner using the car only occasionally over a period of almost 15 years.
The car has recently been treated to a comprehensive going over and a full respray to bring it up to the standard that you see in the photos. While there is some scope for further improvements, the car now presents extremely well and is very usable.
Sure to appeal to any fan of the marque, and surely set to only increase in value, this is a rare opportunity to get a milestone in Jaguar’s history into your garage.image00054.jpeg5.08 MB
The History and Paperwork
One of 102 RHD manual cars built, only 35 of which are currently in regular use, according to a member of the Jaguar Enthusiast Club who owns two of them
Research into the car’s history by the seller has revealed that the car was:
Supplied new on 27 March 1995 by Guy Salmon, Thames Ditton to a company director
Sold to his friend in Fleet on 18 January 1999 at around 60,000 miles
Acquired by the third owner, based on Leigh on Sea, on 19 November 2007
The service history has, unfortunately, gone astray at some stage but the seller has been in contact with the second owner who stated that the car had a full service history when it came into his possession and was serviced during his ownership at a now closed Jaguar specialist in Chalfont St Giles
Some photographs from the second owner, including of paperwork, are with the car
The owner’s manuals aside from the service book are present
The car has recently had the following work carried out, with supporting invoices:
Full professional respray in original Sapphire blue metallic
Full service
New front and rear brake discs
New front and rear brake pads
New front and rear shock absorbers
New tyres x4
Refurbished slotted original alloy wheels
Various trim and replacement badges
Professional leather connolising to seats
Full valet
MOT expires 27 Oct 2022 (note minor mileage discrepancy on last MOT was due to tester error)
Everything functioning as intended, including the air conditioning
While Jaguars of this era tended to be cream upholstery and natural wood trim, this XJR signals its more sporting intent with grey leather and dark maple for the dashboard and door cappings.
In true Jaguar fashion, the seats remain supremely comfortable and although showing some patina, the reconnolisation has made the upholstery very liveable. The manual gear stick certainly makes for an unusual sight sprouting from the centre console but the rest of the cabin is XJ as usual from the period which brings a generous level of equipment, all of which is said to be in full working order.
Up above, the headlining is clean and taught while under the feet the carpet remains in good condition and is protected by new floor mats. The cavernous boot is clean and tidy and retains the original warning triangle. There is also a battery isolator switch fitted to help with long term storage. In all, it’s in very original and usable condition. image00017.jpeg3.29 MB
The Exterior
Full respray in Sapphire Blue
Freshly refurbished wheels
Brand New tyres
Very much a return to more traditional Jaguar styling cues after the XJ40, this generation of XJ to our eyes still looks handsome and stylish, particularly in this hue.
Fresh from a respray, the paintwork has a lovely deep blue lustre and the car presents very well on its freshly refurbished original slotted alloy wheels. Some of the matt black trim remains patinated but the chrome, lights and glass are all in very good condition and the vendor describes the bodywork as blemish-free.
The underside has seen some welding to address corrosion during the car’s life but the seller reports that it now looks to be solid with only surface corrosion and a layer of protective underseal. image00059.jpeg5.07 MB
The Mechanics
Freshly serviced
New brakes all round
Bilstein shock absorbers replaced front and rear
Under the front-hinged bonnet, the engine bay is very tidy having had a few of the plastic trims replaced and the toolkit is so fresh that it’s still in its plastic wrapping.
The engine fires first time and the seller reports that it drives superbly with little roll in the corners but the typically Jaguar-like cosseting ride. The vendor informs us that it pulls well but with a suitably muted tone and none of the supercharger whine of later Jaguars, changes gear smoothly and that the refreshed brakes are strong.
There’s reportedly no smoke or leaks and no untoward noises on the move and it’s perfect for making stealthy progress.image00089.jpeg4.23 MB
Summary
A rare find that will appeal to any Jaguar enthusiast. In lovely condition but with some opportunities to improve the cosmetics, this is as close to a sure-fire investment as you’re ever going to get.
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