The XJ model line of Jaguars enjoyed a 51-year production run from 1968 to 2019, produced across 5 platform and with multiple variations in each it has been Jaguar’s flagship model since 1970. 

The one in the auction you see here has the internal Jaguar designation of X350, the model line produced from 2003-2007 after having been re-engineered having an all-aluminium body and chassis, new V8 engine and greater interior space. 

It also boasts the claim of being the first Jag completely designed under Ford’s new ownership benefitting from electronics and computer-controlled systems available to the much larger manufacturer. 

The V8 came in 3.5L and 4.2L displacements with a supercharged unit also available. The 6-speed automatic box also gave better economy. Ride quality came courtesy of air-levelling suspension front and back giving adaptive damping too from the computer-controlled ride height mode (which was working well on this particular model). 

The Sovereign represents the highest luxury model for the XJ’s with more expensive wood veneer and higher quality leather (which would indicate why the interior on this car is in such good condition).

The sovereign was badged as such with no mention of the XJ model designation and it can be identified by the chroming around the windows and on the bumpers.

Purchased from a popular online auction site, this Jaguar was too cool to pass up. It certainly has presence, mainly from how massive it is. The long wheelbase XJ8 attracted the current owner just as effectively and deciding they had to have it, the current owner has enjoyed this car for around a year.

The car has been regularly run and used as well as maintained and being the current owner’s first Jaguar, they wanted to make sure they were doing everything correct to keep it roadworthy and useable.

Unfortunately, the current owner has moved house in the last year and the Jag now doesn’t fit in the garage, and with it being a larger car, it was decided it would not be the ideal vehicle for the country backroads where the owner has now situated.

Stating that they would have another one in a heartbeat, albeit a smaller version, this is a reluctant sale of a very handsome car that has been well looked after during its time.

The Jag comes with the full suite of owner’s manuals and guides for operation, it also comes with the V5 and the original specification breakdown in the warranty print off from when the car was purchased at 39841 miles, which makes for an impressive read.

The paperwork pack comes with a stack of MOT pass certificates and a receipt for servicing as well as the recent suspension work that has been completed. Talking of servicing, the service book is meticulously stamped at regular intervals of approximately 10,000 miles which indicates a careful contentious owner.

The rest of the paperwork is a bit thin on the ground but if this was indeed a Pinewoods Studio car then we’d imagine that much of the paperwork would have been retained by the studios or lost by previous owners.

Despite that, it is clear to see that this car has had responsible owners in terms of mechanical care as the condition really doesn’t suggest a car of its mileage or years. The car also has a full, clear HPI check.

The interior is cavernous, a huge space for the rear passengers and driver alike, this car is a few inches short of being a limousine. Before we describe the interior, let’s start with the boot space. 

The rear storage area is again humongous and could start to rival estate cars, the grey carpet is in fantastic condition with no rips, tears or staining and the boot floor hides the space saver spare wheel, battery and roadside tool kit. 

The sheet metal is all in good condition with not even a scratch to the paint underneath the carpet and the metal around the hinges and boot shut is all in good condition too with no surface rust showing at all. Hiding at the right-hand side of the boot is the CD changer and Sat Nav disc update system. 

Moving on to the cabin, the rear seats are the ones clearly of focus to Jaguar here in the LWB model and these ones don’t look like they’ve seen one passenger let alone 150,000 miles, there is no indication at all of any wear or fraying or staining, they are in near new condition. 

The ‘Mocha’ coloured carpet is also in fantastic condition, the car had a full valet before the photoshoot to make sure it was looking its best and there are no rips, tears or discolouration on the carpets in the back or front. 

The carpets are protected by floor mats of course which again are in good condition and the backs of the front seats seem miles away when sat in the back, which would also explain why there are no marks, rips or tears on the back of them either. 

The centre console at the rear also houses the heated rear seat buttons which work as intended still, as well as the multimedia unit in the rear centre armrest which was all in good condition also. 

There does look to be some very minor sagging of the headlining which we would assume is a common issue on Jaguars of this era, however it isn’t hanging down or obstructing the drivers rear view, it looks as though it has just come detached from the glue holding it down. 

Getting to the front area then and as you step into the vehicle, you are greeted with swathes of walnut veneer highlights in the dashboard, centre console, steering wheel and door trims, all in great condition again, with no lacquer peeling or chips or scratches.

All the plastics are in good condition as well with no fading of cracking, there is the slightest of wear on the leather section of the steering wheel, but this looks as though it could easily be remedied with some leather feed and some elbow grease, a nice job for a warm summer’s day then.

In the footwells, the plastics and trim are all still neatly in place, no sagging or trim coming away from their designated place and the pedal rubbers are still in good condition also.

All switchgear throughout the car is in good condition, front and back with no scratches or fading of the labelling and the gear selector is in in good condition also with its wood veneer knob.

The front seats are in just as good a condition as the back ones, the front driver’s seat Is in great condition, as shown in the photo gallery below, the exterior driver’s bolster is still in fantastic condition for a 17-year-old car having done over 150,000 miles.

The exterior of the larger wheelbase model is not obviously larger to look at but becomes much more noticeable in the metal, It’s quite a walk around the thing. Even more credit to its owners then, for keeping the exterior so clean and straight. 

Now being a 17-year-old car, there are a few marks here and there, but they are few and far between and even standing 6 feet away you’d easily miss them. Now by the owner’s own admission, the paint could do with a cut and polish with a DA polisher but not because its faded or thin but rather from the swirls in the paint from improper washing methods. 

In the car detailing world, they call these ‘love swirls’ as they come about from well-meaning owners whilst washing them. All the areas of note are photographed in the gallery below for you to assess.

One area of the car’s exterior that has survived equally as well as the interior are the wheels, there are no scratches or curbing on any of the alloys and the tyres are relatively new with plenty of tread left on them.

All chroming and brightwork on the outside of the vehicle is in good condition with no crazing, hazing or fading and all lights and lenses are free from condensation and cracking.

Before we describe the engine bay, let’s talk about the underside. The visibility of the underside of the car is good allowing for a more thorough inspection that usual, all metal work looks to be in good health, with very little surface rust and certainly no extensive corrosion to be seen. 

All piping and fittings look to be in good health and even the rubber components look to be free from any extensive deterioration. The suspension has had some work done recently and it all looks to be in good health underneath from what was visible. 

The exhaust appears to be in good shape too with little surface corrosion and even the chrome tips still shining from out underneath the rear bumper. 

On to the engine bay then and a lot of the hardware is covered by plastic coverings. That said however all visible components look to be in good health with all piping, wiring and rubber hoses free from cracks or splitting.

The engine cover gives an indication of the 8 intake pipes needed to feed the V8 with air and fuel mixture but much of the bare metal of the engine is hidden away.

This shouldn’t be an issue however as this is standard practice on new cars and given this car’s impeccable service record, we would bet this engine is just as healthy as the rest of the car. Jaguar's 4.2 V8 is a bulletproof unit and with regular servicing, can run up stratospheric mileages before needing any intensive inspection, so at 150,000 miles, it's barely run in.

Indeed, the current owner states the engine is smooth and strong and pulls well and will even run in the high 20’s for MPG. We should also state that in the engine bay there is no sign of corrosion on any of the metalwork that would indicate a leak of fluid from the engine and there was no sign of any on the floor where the car was parked.

In summary then, a strong drivetrain mated to a strong and good looking exterior with a luxurious interior.

The vendor reports that occasionally on a cold morning, the air suspension can take a bit longer to settle, but the system functions as it should and no warning lights are reported.

This Jag is a lot of car for the money, when we say that we mean it, at 17 feet long and 6 foot wide, this is a land yacht that squeezes in huge amounts of luxury whilst still managing to retain the feeling of being a much smaller car to drive. 

Back in the day this car would have been the highest spec model (aside from the Daimler of course) of the XJ reserved for VIPs to be ferried back and forth to important jobs and meetings in supreme luxury and comfort. 

With this fact in mind, it’s not hard to see how it has lasted this long is such impeccable condition, this is a very handsome car with huge amounts of road presence. 

What’s even more astonishing is the fact that this car is ULEZ compliant, a 4.2L V8 petrol automatic that simply wafts you along through the traffic, gliding over rough surfaces with its fully adaptive air-suspension.