﹒Magnolia leather interior with matching tonneau ﹒Very prestigious plate included in sale
﹒Four owners from new
The Background
In many ways, the XK8 was the modern incarnation of the E-Type. Far more of a sports car than the XJS it replaced, the V8-powered coupé or convertible was a return to Jaguar’s pure performance car days.
It was rushed into production after the stillborn F-Type was canned for being too expensive, so was produced on a modified XJS platform with brand new front suspension and the multi-link rear end from the X300 saloon.
Under the bonnet, a new 4.0-litre V8 with 255bhp was attached to a ZF five-speed automatic transmission, giving punchy performance coupled to excellent high-speed refinement.
There were echoes of the E-Type in the styling too, with distinctive side bulges and a long, rounded nose. Indeed, the E-Type parallels are gathering appeal among collectors, especially as a lot of earlier models have now disappeared. Demand for good examples has started to outstrip supply, meaning prices are on the up and the best cars are becoming increasingly popular.
This example fits that description. With just four owners in 23 years, it has been well looked after and cared for and has covered just 82,000 miles from new.
The vendor has owned the XK8 for the past decade and is extremely fond of it, stating that the sale is extremely reluctant and is only due to an imminent move to the South Coast and a resultant lack of storage, meaning he has to rationalise the number of cars he owns.
During his ownership, the XK8 has covered an average of just 1,000 miles per year and has been used as a hobby car rather than pressed into daily use. He has had any work done to the car that it has required, including welded repairs to the rear floor-to-sill joins, which is a very common XK8 fault and one of the first checks you should carry out on any potential buy. This one has been done properly.
He bought the car with a full service history and has carried out an annual oil and coolant service every year during his ownership. Prior to him, the car lived in London, then Cambridgeshire and later Hertfordshire with three private owners.
The XK8 comes with a V5C in the name of the vendor and an MOT valid until August this year. It also has a fairly detailed service history, which reads like this:
11/03/98 - 6 miles – Pre-delivery inspection, Woodford Jaguar
18/08/99 – 5,321 miles – Woodford Jaguar, London
07/06/01 – 13,991 miles – Woodford Jaguar, London
15/10/01 – 14,665 miles – Marshalls Jaguar, Cambridge
14/05/02 – 23,683 miles – Marshalls Jaguar, Cambridge
21/05/03 – 34,610 miles – Chiltern Jaguar, Bovingdon
15/02/05 – 44,716 miles – Grange Jaguar, Welwyn Garden City
07/05/07 – 55,701 miles – Chiltern Jaguar, Bovingdon
13/07/08 – 59,664 miles – Chiltern Jaguar, Bovingdon
27/05/09 – 62,935 miles – Jagutek, Ely
19/05/10 – 66,373 miles – Jagutek, Ely
25/05/11 – 69,943 miles – Jagutek, Ely
22/03/12 – 71,358 miles – The Jag Centre, Norwich
The current mileage is 82,852. Also included are a full book pack, owners’ handbook, radio security code, dealer directory and buff leather wallet. Oh, and that reg plate? Yes, it is included in the sale.
Presented in popular Sapphire Blue, the XK8 is in fine order and looks absolutely superb, with no major damage or wear marks. There are a couple of very small dents on one side that are only visible when they catch the light and some fine stone chips at the very front, but the paint is largely excellent and still retains a deep lustre.
The colour-coded dark blue hood is also in fine order with no tears or snags, while the alloy wheels are in good condition and are shod with nearly new tyres all round.
With the roof down, the car looks stunning, especially with the magnolia colour-matched tonneau cover in place.
The underside appears sound and has had the floor pans professionally repaired on both sides, while there is no visible rust on the car’s exterior.
The magnolia leather is in excellent condition throughout, with only the tiniest bit of wear to the driver’s side seat bolster. The dark beige carpets come with factory overmats that are in great condition and the walnut veneers are also superb.
Everything appears to work as it should, though there’s some LCD bleed in the display for the air conditioning.
The hood is operated by a switch to the left of the gear selector, works smoothly and effortlessly and is very quiet in its operation, the glass rear window folding neatly away in the rear deck. The roof mechanism for the XK8 was engineered by Karmann in Germany and is a work of art in terms of its engineering.
The 4.0-litre V8 sounds great with no evidence of timing chain rattle, which is the main thing to look out for the AJ26 engine. All of the fluids are at the prescribed levels, it idles smoothly and holds steady temperature.
The owner reports that it drives brilliantly, as you’d expect from a low-mileage XK8, and that any suspension and steering work required has been carried out when due.
This is a really nice and extremely well cared for example of the early XK8 Convertible, finished in one of the most popular colours and with a great history. It looks absolutely fabulous roof up or down and is a credit to its long-term owner.
It has oodles of classic potential and deserves a new home where it will be lavished with the same care, attention and enthusiasm that it has received in the past 10 years.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the sellers discretion.
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
More about buying with us
1998 Jaguar XK8 4.0 Convertible
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