It may look fairly traditional, but the alloy bodied ‘X350’ marked an incredible sea change for Jaguar when it made its debut at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, with the manufacturer launching it ‘naked’ with no paint in order to show off its lightweight aluminium bodyshell.
That polished alloy show car was the first of 180 strictly limited edition Super V8 models, which was the flagship Jaguar model, topped only by the Daimler Super V8 that was essentially the same car but with a more conservative character.
It was a car that got a rapturous reception from the automotive media, its wonderful ride and handling matched by surprisingly frugal fuel economy. Then there was the styling – it’s said that some people in Jaguar didn’t like it and found it too old-fashioned, but to most people it looked absolutely mega, whichever trim level you chose.
As you worked your way up the range it got beefier and brawnier, growing an extra pair of cylinders and a supercharger. Indeed, an XJR was positively rude – sleek and elegant from the outside, but with a mean and gangsterish underbelly. It had 400bhp to unleash and it wasn’t shy about it.
But it wasn’t the XJR that was the Lord Mayor’s muscle car. That honour was bestowed upon the Super V8 – a car that was sportier and more agile than the plusher Daimler, yet less abrasive than the sports-oriented XJR, retaining the more traditional wood trim and thick carpets from the more serene models in the range but keeping hold of the Eaton Supercharger and the 400bhp that came with it.
When new, the Super V8 would have set you back £71,970 and that’s before you even opened the options brochure. Start adding in extra toys and you could easily get the price tag close to £100k.
This one is a 2003 model with an incredible specification, with a comprehensive history and a brand-new MOTIMG_9060.jpeg904.97 KB
THE HISTORY AND PAPERWORK
UK V5C
MOT April 2024
All original books and handbooks
Full service history, Jaguar followed by independent specialists
For a fraction of what this car would have cost new, you can get yourself one of Jaguar’s finest-ever cars and also one of its best-kept secrets. The Super V8 was probably the most luxurious Jaguar ever made – certainly before it evolved into a manufacturer of less traditional models. This is probably the last and the best classic Jaguar super saloon, well worthy of investment. It’s a marvellous car with a 4.2-litre V8 and an incredible 400bhp on tap, accompanied by a howling shriek from that Eaton supercharger as it sucks in enough air to spool itself up to speed.
What that leaves you with is a car that’s as happy cruising around town in ‘Drive’, steering with your fingertips and enjoying its serene ride and comfortable cabin, but which can - with just one poke of the pedal - morph into a screaming muscle car. It’s an absolute joy and is never boring to drive, whatever the journey.
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