Highlights 

• A genuine 2 owner only car with the last owning cherishing the car for 22 years
• Having covered a mere 58,500 miles, representing a mere 2,400 per year on average
• Complete with a full service history and plenty of provenance providing paperwork
  
  

The Appeal

This example offers a highly desirable prospect for those looking for a highly original XK8, future proofed with one of the common XK8 issues having been professionally addressed.

It looks amazing too, boasting the highly desirable colourway of Bordeaux Red Metallic over oatmeal leather upholstery.

The History and Paperwork

• Unusual for having had just two fastidious owners
• The previous owner cherished the car for 22 years
• During the car’s low ownership, a modest 58,516 miles have been covered
• Rear end corrosion, a common XK8 issue, has been professionally addressed
• The rear bumper has been removed, corrosion addressed, and new bumper mounts fitted
• Professionally applied new paintwork has been applied to the sills, rear arches and bumper mounts
• The car holds a valid MOT until February 2023 
• The current V5 is on hand
• The car comes with the original Jaguar book pack
• This includes the all-important service book
• The service book details yearly services despite tiny mileage increments
• The last service is noted at 58,403 miles, around 500 miles ago
  
  

The Interior

• The interior is sumptuously appointed 
• Upholstery is an unmarked, oatmeal leather
• The high-backed, tombstone seats are box pleated with double needle stitching
• The front seats are electrically operated
• The dash and centre console are equally, luxuriously dressed
• Stitched and padded leather, against deeply varnished wood veneer features here
• Contrasting caramel carpets are clearly original and in fine fettle
• Fitted with the factory-original Jaguar stereo head unit
  
  

The Exterior

• The Bordeaux Red Metallic paintwork appears to be in excellent overall condition
• It is deep and shiny and thickly applied 
• The areas of refreshed paintwork to the lower body have been expertly applied with an excellent colour match having been achieved
• The current owner reports a few stone chips and the odd age-related mark
• The body work presents in excellent order
• All doors and hinged panels open and close with ease and precision
• Panel gaps are tight and symmetrical
• The original light lenses are clear and unmarked front and rear
• The original 18-inch Jaguar seven-spoke alloy wheels are in good, used condition 
• The owner reports some signs of age, however, to the internal wheel area
• The wheels are fitted with a mix of quality Dunlop tyres in a 245/45 configuration
• All tyres retain a minimum of 4mm of remaining tread 
• The cabin glass appears to be in a fine, unmarked condition throughout
  
  

The XK8’s exterior design really stands the test of time so well.

Much more evocative of the E-Type that its predecessor, the XJS, was, there is no wonder that it was so well received at launch. This example looks pristine in, surely, one of the best colours and sitting squarely on the 18-inch Jaguar alloy wheels.

This is certainly a car to get noticed in and one that retains a surprisingly current ambiance despite being over 25 years old.

The Mechanics

• This XK8 is fitted with the AJ-V8 engine was new at the launch of the XK8
• Originally boasting nearly 300bhp and torque to match
• Power is fed to the rear wheels via a 5-speed ZF automatic gearbox
• Given its history and mileage the car is reported to be in excellent mechanical condition
• The owner reports that the drive is “tight and smooth and is very responsive”
• The underside is understood to be dry and free of oil leaks
  
  

Whilst the AJ-V8 engine was new at the launch of the XK8, it has gone on to prove a robust and reliable unit capable of significant mileages when regularly maintained.

It was impressively powerful too, pushing out nearly 300 bhp with torque to match.

Summary