2001 Jaguar XJR 100

Our introduction is leading up to the fact that we have been charged with finding a new owner for a 2001 XJR 100.

Our seller stumbled across the car by chance, sitting as it was on a trader friend’s driveway. A quick conversation and the deal was done and soon this svelte V8 saloon was gracing his driveway. The car had been resting in a barn for a few years so there were some jobs that needed attending to, not least the fitment of a new subframe.

The car has been used and enjoyed but with no garage space and other cars to exercise, our seller has decided now is the time to let someone else enjoy the car’s considerable charms.

It is perhaps appropriate at this point to list what sets the ‘100’ model apart.

· Anthracite exterior paintwork

· Nine-spoke BBS alloy wheels

· Cross-drilled Brembo brakes

· Leather trimmed interior in ‘Warm Charcoal’

· Performance steering wheel and Momo gearknob

· Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS)

· DVD navigation system

Have we whetted your appetite? Thought so.

Please note, this car was recorded as a Category D write-off, prior to the current vendor's ownership in 2014.

Colours such as anthracite are very unforgiving and for a car over twenty years old the paintwork has held up quite well. There are some areas which the fastidious may wish to improve however. The corners of both front and rear bumpers are grazed and there are some stone chips to the front of the car, most noticeable on the edges of the front wings.

The driver’s door has some noticeable scratches, though it is possible a good machine polish may well improve them. The wing mirror backs could do with a repaint and a patch of bubbling paint on the offside rear wing, beneath the window should be on the to do list. Add to that small area of rust on the offside A-pillar. There is some significant corrosion around the front right lower wheel arch.

You will find some other assorted marks here and there so we suggest spending some time going through the pictures in our gallery or better still, come and inspect the car in person.

Our seller has had the BBS alloy wheels refurbished and then had them fitted with the correct Pirelli P Zero tyres. We cannot overestimate the importance of quality rubber on a car with such enormous performance. Just four small areas of contact are all that keep the car on the straight and narrow. Peeping through the wheel spokes are those Brembo brake callipers. Stopping power par excellence, guaranteed!

Also included in the XJR 100 spec is the sliding steel sunroof, ideal for those balmy summer days and a little light wind-in-the-hair motoring.

The black leather seats boast distinctive red stitching and all bar the central rear perch are electrically heated. The front seats boast electric adjustment for that perfect seating position. The driver’s seat show signs of wear, especially on the offside bolster. The base shows signs of cracking. Both are likely to be improved with some leather dye and hide food, or consign the seat to one of the many leather specialists that abound.

The front passenger seat is less worn, and the rear pews show little signs of use. There are sun blinds fitted behind them too.

The sill plates, confirming the car’s limited edition status are present and correct, as are the leather-rimmed steering wheel and Momo gear knob.

Sagging headlining is a common X308 failing, and our seller chose to have this rectified. Door cards and carpets are fine though we note that one of the mats has a large tear in it (picture 80).

We would mention that the inside of the glovebox is badly stained and there is some untidy wiring in the driver’s footwell.

There is a period Jaguar-branded Motorola car phone in the centre armrest, a desirable option when the car was new, though less useful now. We have not tested it.

The boot is capacious and home to a space-saver spare wheel, first aid kit and warning triangle. There’s a spot of rust just inside the boot (picture 163) which should be easy to rectify.

The XJR came with a quality sound system, though our seller informs us that the radio is somewhat temperamental. Some days it works as its maker intended, other days it is reluctant to fill the luxury interior with soothing music. Find a car audio specialist we guess.

We are told that despite our seller spending money on the air conditioning, it is still inoperative. He suspects that a new compressor will be required.

The engine bay looks quite presentable and the car burst into life very easily. There’s power aplenty from that large capacity V8 motor, though use the performance to the full and be prepared to fill up regularly with super unleaded.

Our seller informs us that gasket for the gearbox pan has disintegrated, so the transmission fluid leaks out. We are told that this is not an expensive job to rectify and once topped back up with transmission fluid, the car should be back to its smooth-shifting best.

There appears to be a whine coming from the car when the steering is used, something we would encourage to have inspected.

We always include plenty of pictures of a car’s underside and that is the case here. We have already mentioned that our seller had a new subframe fitted, its poor condition being picked up by a vigilant MoT tester. The car has also been undersealed to prevent water ingress and rust.

The book pack for the car is present and correct, the most important part being the service book. Although it is a replacement, it shows regular servicing up until 2016, when the car was taken off the road for a few years.

A raft of MoT certificates confirms the car’s relatively low mileage and the last test was carried out in August 2022, the Jaguar passing with no advisories, as it had done in the preceding years. Around 7,000 miles have been travelled in the four years our seller has owned the car.

In amongst the paperwork are a few invoices for work carried out over the last few years and our seller recently had the car fully serviced at Ultimate Cats, an independent Jaguar specialist in Edgware, Middlesex. A £780 bill was levied for the work done.

Also available is the rather large invoice for refurbishing the wheels (£1,356.00).

A new heated windscreen was also fitted.

We are huge fans of the XJR V8. Powerful, refined and elegantly styled, it oozes class and sophistication. The ‘100’ special edition ramps it up a notch with choice extras and design features. And then there’s the limited number produced, which makes this car eminently collectable.

There are some immediate issues which will need to be addressed, most notably the whine and the gearbox fluid leak. The car was driven here, but the seller suggests trailering this Jaguar away. Once done, this car will undoubtedly delight its new owner. Capable and refined cruiser one minute, fast-charging sports saloon the next, we do like this car’s dual personality.

So, how much for all this supercharged loveliness? We estimate the car will sell for between £8,000 and £12,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.