2013 Jaguar XK Portfolio

We sold this one before and the seller was so delighted with the car’s condition and the honesty of the description that he’s consigned it with us again.

And he bought well. At the time ‘WR13 NKX’ had had just the one owner, which makes him only the second. He’s only raised the mileage to 28,821 too, which means it’s in much the same condition now, too.

He’s an international motorsport steward and finds he’s simply too busy working during the summer months to use it and thinks it’s a waste of a great car to leave it sitting unused in his dehumidified garage.

We agree because this Satellite Grey Metallic Jaguar XK 5.0 Portfolio is a hugely versatile car that’s capable of wafting you down to the south of France with the same nonchalance as it is taking you to Switzerland for the winter.

So, if you fancy becoming the car’s third custodian, read on.

Like the XK’s previous owner, the seller has tried to avoid using the Jaguar in the rain. Dial in limited mileage and an all-aluminium construction and you wouldn’t expect there to be much of a problem, would you?

Which is how it is. The Satellite Grey Metallic paintwork gives the Jaguar a hewn-from-solid look that shows off its dink- and ripple-free panels to perfection. 

The shutlines are excellent too, the light lenses, badges, and glazing are pristine, and even the number plates look to be the originals from Grange Swindon, the supplying dealer. (There’s a sticker from the same firm in the windscreen too, further proof of the car’s provenance and originality.)

The XK doesn’t wear much chrome but what it does, including the fabulous honeycomb front grilles, is all very good.

As for the black folding roof, it is not only free of rips, tears, and other damage it also opens and closes as it should sealing tightly when it is raised to give almost coupé-like levels of noise and weather insulation.

The 20-inch, five spoke alloy wheels that are unique to the model are just as good being free of the sort of parking scrapes and scuffs that are almost inevitable with such low-profile tyres – and speaking of which, the matching Pirelli P-Zero tyres are all in great shape with no damage and decent tread.

Even the four corners and the door mirrors, the places that betray a careless owner, are unmarked.

If you’re looking for a project car, one you can primp and preen and ease back into showroom condition, then this ain’t the car for you.

Everyone else can relax and concentrate on enjoying owning one of the nicest XKs for sale today.

As for the interior, if you’ve been paying attention then you could probably write this bit yourself, couldn’t you?

The cream leather seats are in an excellent condition being only very gently creased and lightly worn. Of Course, they adjust every which way including the side bolsters, which can be tightened when you need extra lateral support and eased off when you don’t.

Sure, there is a little colour loss to the outer edge of the driver’s seat, but we think this could be chalked up to a developing patina and never given another thought.

Because the rest - the headlining, door cards, and carpets – are all excellent, and if you’re searching for further proof of the first owner’s love affair with his XK then take a look at the sticker in the windscreen for the Jaguar Drivers’ Club.

The seller added an Aperta fold-down wind deflector for ruffle-free open-air motoring even at motorway speeds, and the (very good) carpets and textile mats are protected by heavy duty rubber jobbies.

The boot is clean and neat and home to an indoor cover.

The seller assures us that all the toys work - no mean feat given how many there are including a heated windscreen, a premium Bowers & Wilkins sound system, climate control, sat-nav, automatic lights, flappy paddles for the gearshift, and multi-adjustable electric seats – but then, as we’ll see later, the few small jobs he’s carried out left us with the impression that he’s not a man who would tolerate anything else.

Which means that while you could treat the cabin to a quick clean there’s nothing for the inveterate tinkerer to do in here. either.

Look, we know you might be getting a bit bored by now because we’ve got nothing to say here either because the engine bay is clean and beautifully presented, while the underside is both unsoiled and undamaged. 

Mind you, while it might be boring to read, it sure beats the alternative, eh?

As you can see, it starts well and revs beautifully with that characteristic roar from the twin exhausts; we are sure someone out there will prove us wrong but right now we can’t think of a better sounding exhaust note for the money.

As to the way it’s been curated, seller’s fastidiousness (“everything has to work properly”) means that his first job was to upgrade the sat-nav system to the latest mapping and when did you last hear of that being done?

He also replaced the pedestrian sensor that was causing an error message when he bought it. Other than that, it hasn’t needed a thing.

The Jaguar’s service history is recorded as follows:

04.07.2014 – Service A at 4,470 miles by Grange Swindon

28.07.2015 – Service B and oil service at 8,448 miles by Grange Swindon

31.08.2016 – Service A and oil service at 11,719 miles by Grange Swindon

13.10.2017 – Service A and oil service at 15,710 miles by Grange Swindon

08.10.2018 – Service A and oil service at 18,244 miles by Swindon Jaguar

27.01.2020 – Service A and oil service at 22,000 miles by Grange Jaguar

19.05.2021 – 120K service and oil service at 25,241 miles by Grange Jaguar

Its MoT certificate is valid until April 2025 and it, like every single one before, was issued with no advisories, which is not something we get to write very often.

The car comes complete with two keys and the Jaguar book pack and wallet and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear too, which means there’s nothing really to comment on, which is exactly as it should be.

We see a lot of XKs and this one impresses us as much now as it did two years ago because it balances condition with usability better than most while still appealing to the collector and the hard-charging enthusiast in equal measure.

And it can charge very hard indeed, offering thrills and auditory excitement and sleek lines alongside reliability, performance, and comfort: it’s an MX-5 on steroids, a proper grand tourer that can pick up its skirts and run with the best of them when it needs to.

It’s a car for sybarites who want an E-Type’s thrills with a Toyota’s reliability but would rather not pay a fortune for the privilege.

We estimate this one, good as it is and still showing fewer than 29,000 miles on the odometer, will only fetch somewhere between £20,000 and £25,000.

And yes, you could buy cheaper but we doubt you can buy better.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.