2005 Jaguar XJR 4.2 Supercharged

This car is a Japanese import, having been sent there from new in 2005.

So, consequently, it wouldn’t recognize sodium chloride if you took it on a tour of Cheshire salt mines or introduced it to Lot’s wife.

In Japan, salt is only to be found in bottles of soy sauce or being flung over the shoulders of sumo wrestlers in a dohyō.

We know from long experience that this car will have lived its life immersed in a culture where people who are fortunate enough to have expensive European luxury imports take a great deal of pride in them and will obsessively clean, protect, maintain and pamper their cherished possession with fierce and unwavering devotion.

This car comes to us via a vendor we know very well. He has carved out a successful niche business on the back of his expert understanding of the Japanese Jaguar market and his ability to select and import only the very best examples.

We have driven this car and can attest to its exceptional levels of quality and preservation.

We can also confirm that it has lost absolutely none of its ability to start, go, stop and, most memorably, take off like a nervous cheetah at a fireworks display.

Even today, a properly fettled and sorted X350 XJR has got enough visceral grunt under the bonnet to give the Tokaido Shinkansen a run for its money and leave many ‘sportscars’ in a wheezing heap of shame.

It has a full (Japanese) service history from new, a verified mileage of 77,756 miles, and has clearly been cared-for without compromise or concern for costs.

Always pet- and smoke-free on the inside and salt-free on the outside, the car’s long list of features includes the following.

• Paintwork: Midnight Pearl Mica (very dark blue/grey)
• Wheels: 19″ Performance Alloy Wheels with Bridgestone Tyres
• Glass: Electric Tilt/Slide Sunroof
• Lighting: Xenon Headlamps with Power Wash & Front Fog Lamps
• Trim Details: Mesh Grille Insert, Jaguar Splash Guards, and Full-Size Front & Rear Plinths
• Mirrors: Power-Folding Mirrors
• Upholstery: Barley Hide Leather with ‘R’ Embossed Seats
• Steering: Wood & Leather Steering Wheel
• Seats: Electrically Adjustable Memory Heated Front Seats Heated
• Rear Electric Roller Blind & Rear Door Blinds
• Technology & Audio: Tesla-Style Android Head Unit (Original Unit Included in boot) with AUX Apple/Android Inputs, Alpine 13-Speaker Audio System
• Convenience & Driver Assistance: Electric Steering Wheel, Pedals & Mirror Adjustment with Memory, Auto Lights & Auto Wipers, Radar Active Cruise Control & Speed Limiter, Forward Collision Alert, Fitted Dash Cam, Reversing Camera, Front & Rear Parking Sensors
• Rear Entertainment Console
• New Headliner

The car presents exceptionally well from every angle and there’s nothing to suggest that it’s 20 years old or has 77,000 miles on the clock.

It really is in time-warp condition and has resisted the passage of time with impressive stoicism.

There are no dinks, dents or creases anywhere that we can see.

The panel gaps and shut-lines are crisp and exact, and the doors close with plenty of weight and precision.

In the sunshine, the Midnight Pearl Mica finish really pops and dazzles, not least because the vendor, as ever with his cars, has invested in a 4-stage polish with ceramic sealant.

We’ve found nothing more than a couple of light, swirly scratches here and there, and one or two stone chips in the usual places.

All four wheels would appear to be pretty much unacquainted with kerbs or other obstacles and are shod in matching Bridgestone Potenza rubber with plenty of life left in it. The fifth wheel is a space saver and wears a Pirelli logo on its tyre.

The lights, lenses and all other exterior fixtures and fittings look like the rest of it, virtually showroom-fresh.

Faults really are very hard to find but, if pressed, we might mention a small bullseye impact on the driver’s side of the windscreen and the fact that the XJR badging at the rear is fading.

Jaguars of this vintage are pretty hard to beat when it comes to the classy ambience of their interiors, and this car’s cabin is no exception.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that it was half its age, with less than half of its mileage.

The ‘Barley’ leather upholstery has barely a crease to show for its years of dutiful service and the seats, front and back, are comfortable, supportive and fully functional.

The wood veneers are in fine fettle. Everywhere you look they are glossy, unmarked and possessed of a real depth of shine and lustre.

The door cards are beyond reproach, as are the carpets and mats.

The steering wheel, gear selector and handbrake are following the same script in terms of impressive quality, condition and presentation.

Although the headlining is brand-new, there is a small section on the passenger side where it looks as if the adhesive hasn’t quite done its job and it might be worth getting it looked at for a light remedial touch.

There’s a tiny nick to the fabric on the offside ‘B’ pillar.

As far as we’re aware, all switches, dials, buttons, levers and instruments do exactly as they’re told without delay or deviation.

The boot is every bit as pristine as the rest of the interior.

The vendor has also confirmed that the car is supplied with the original touch screen Sat Nav infotainment equipment for those who wish to switch back to OEM tech in place of the Tesla style touch screen.

There’s not much to look at under the cowls and covers in the very full engine bay, but rest assured that underneath them resides a fearsomely powerful unit that has the capacity to bring a smile to the face in a very small number of seconds.

Everything in the engine bay looks as clean, dry and correct as you’d hope and expect to find on a car that’s been so fastidiously cared-for and curated.

The undersides of the car appear to have a great deal of structural integrity and we’ve seen nothing untoward anywhere.

The car comes with a full and comprehensive service history from new, although you may need to brush up on your Japanese language skills if you’re going to fully understand the contents.

The car has been fully prepared for UK use by Jag West London, wit over £2,500 spent (invoice in gallery), and has MPH calibration on the speedometer, full-sized number plate plinths, and UK radio and UK specification SatNav.

The car is ULEZ and CAZ compliant, as verified by TFL and gov.uk websites, and is in the £360 per annum road tax band. As a standard UK RHD vehicle, there is no insurance premium uplift with this car.

The car is supplied fully serviced with an MoT certificate - with no advisories - that’s valid until 23.3.26, plus a 1-year nationwide warranty.

It comes with a full handbook pack and two sets of keys.

Even though we know the vendor and we’re familiar with the quality of the Japanese import Jaguars he brings our way, we never cease to be amazed by just how good they are.

This 2005 XJR is up there with the best of them and represents a huge amount of very powerful, very capable, very luxurious car for what could well be a very attractive price.

We like it a lot.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £11,000 - £14,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.