As large opulent saloon cars go, the Jaguar XJ8 is one of the best.
With a large 4.0L V8, a nice smooth automatic gearbox, and a soft suspension set-up it will eat miles without you noticing. With this example having been owned by the previous owner for almost 20 years you can imagine that it has received all of the love in the world.
Today she sits in really good condition, starting ‘on the button’ and running extremely smoothly.
Passing her pre-delivery inspection on the 3rd of September 1999 this car goes straight to its excited first owner
Between 1999 and 2001 the car switches owners a couple of times, but in 2002 she finds a very loving home
The previous owner kept this car for almost 20 years using it sparingly but not skipping on the care
From the service book, we can see that this car has been serviced by Jaguar dealers in the Hampshire area. With the most recent stamp in the book being for 53,641 miles in 2021.
Along with the current V5, the car comes with a few MOT certificates
There are also a few Jaguar brochures from the time of the cars purchase 23 years ago
You will also find two keys with this car
Looking at the cars paperwork file we can see a few interesting pieces of work that have been carried out
In 2019 she was fitted with a new timing chain and tensioners, a common failure point on these particular cars
In 2018 the floor pans receive some welding work
There have also been 4 new Pirelli tyres fitted, along with a new battery and a new headliner within the past 2,000 miles
The new owner will be able to look through this paperwork at their pleasure
With any jaguar comes an aire of luxury and opulence, this XJ8 sticks to this ethos well.
The seats are covered in lovely cream leather and the door cards, dash, and centre console are adorned with lovely dark wood. You know that you are sitting in something special when you get into this modern classic.
The seats that are fitted within the interior of this Jag are lovely, shrouded with cream leather, and electrically operated it should be easy to find the perfect seating condition.
They do show some signs of their age, with the side bolster on the driver’s seat being the worst offender, but this slight damage does not detract from the overall interior condition. The rear seats are also in great condition with a pull-down armrest in-between the two rear passengers.
One nice little feature within the rear cabin is the addition of a button to move the front passenger seat forwards/backward so that your rear passenger can have more legroom for their long drive between business meetings. This button works as you’d expect, making the seat move forwards and back into the perfect position.
As this car has been used sparingly over the past two decades one of the best pieces of the interior is the odometer, which only reads 54,342 miles making this an extremely low mileage example.
Along with the roomy cabin, there is also a vast boot, with enough space for a lot of luggage or the all-important golf clubs. Under the false floor, you will also find a space-saver spare wheel, these can be a lifesaver so it's great to see it still has one in good condition.
The interior of this Jag appears to be void of any nasty scuff marks or damage, it really is presented in great condition and ready for you to hop in and take her for a nice long drive.
With a more understated look than some of the sportier models from Jaguars line up of the time the XJ8 still looks elegant.
You can tell a Sovereign apart from other X308 XJ’s with a few key details, from the polished steel/chrome work around the windows and rear light cluster along with a polished grille and on the boot, these are only badged as Sovereigns with no mention to the XJ name.
This car has obviously been loved throughout its life; we can tell this due to the condition of the paintwork. The paint is in great condition, with a few little marks here and there, but this should not detract from the overall condition.
The 16” alloy wheels are all in great condition, showing no signs of curb damage. They also provide a better ride quality when compared to lower-profile alloys.
With this XJ8 being in such great exterior condition it should be on the list to become your next car.
Her understated looks hide the fact that she packs a huge V8 under the bonnet, it is the perfect car to fly under the radar.
Described by Motor Trend Magazine as “a masterful blend of British luxury and American muscle” you already know that there is something special under the bonnet.
Fitted with a large 4.0L V8 the Sovereign was able to produce 290hp when it was new, it would put this power to the ground through the smooth 5-speed ZF automatic.
On the Sovereign variant, the suspension was set up with more bias towards comfort, this was also helped by the 16” alloy wheels providing extra comfort through the sidewall of the tyre. This example is in fine mechanical fettle, with its new timing chain and tensioners it runs nice and quietly.
It is great to see that this car has been looked after well throughout its life, and thanks to this care it has not survived in great condition.
This car is ready for you to take her on a long drive as soon as you collect her.
If you are looking for a comfortable cruiser for special occasions or everyday use this could be the perfect example for you. With its documented history, low odometer reading, and ever lower owner count it has not been thrashed, but rather driven with the respect it deserves.
This could be the perfect addition to your garage, it is luxurious yet still understated, usable at the country club or the supermarket car park it could be the best all-rounder modern classic.
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