2004 Jaguar XK8 4.2

First registered in 2004 and finished in a lesser-seen shade of Pacific Blue over an Ivory leather interior, this drop-top V8 grand tourer was purchased by the current owner as a weekend toy / third car for their partner, and was immediately shipped off for a full wheels-off detailing to bring it to near-showroom levels of presentation. So good, is the paintwork, that the vendor states he has even been stopped at traffic lights by people commenting on just how good the car looks!

Not only have the aesthetics been attended to - including the fitment of a set of Jaguar ‘Hydra’ wheels in gunmetal grey - but also any mechanical issues or advisories taken care of, such as new drive belts, a new battery and other consumable / routine maintenance items.

Having been kept in top condition, used sparingly (with only around 3,000 miles added to the odometer since purchase) and generally cosseted throughout its time with the current owners, this XK8 drop-top is up for sale simply due to minimal use, and a knee injury which renders the vendor unable to drive the vehicle.

On a separate note, the vendor states the original BBS wheels (shod in matching Pirelli P-Zero tyres) are for sale by separate negotiation, should the next owner wish to return the car to full factory condition.

Externally, you’d be hard-pushed to tell this is a near-20 year old vehicle, such is the condition of the paint and bodywork on display.

First, let’s start with the bodywork. Looking along the flanks of the vehicle, there are no signs of any accident or impact damage, nor any obviously mis-aligned panels, creases or botched repair jobs. Everything looks just as good as the day it rolled out of the Jaguar factory from what we can see.

Looking at the paintwork, the good news continues, as the Pacific Blue hue presents wonderfully across the car, having benefitted from an in-depth detailing at the beginning of the vendor’s time with the vehicle, and remains in outstanding condition to this day.

Being very particular - as we always try to be - there are some more noticeable stone chips and signs of wear along the lower edge of the front bumper / intake, whilst there is also some bubbling noted on the offside roof surround. The vendor has made mention of this latter issue, and has been told that it would cost around £200 for a body shop to address this, though it has never troubled him enough during his ownership to proceed with the works.

Up above, the folding roof is in full working order with no signs of any rips, tears or heavy scuffs to the fabric itself, whilst a matching leather tonneau / cover is present in the boot of the vehicle, and in excellent condition.

All four of the Jaguar ‘Hydra’ wheels are in immaculate condition, with nary a mark nor blemish to speak of, and all four Pirelli tyres are in good order with plenty of life left in them. There is also a spare set of Jaguar centre caps in the boot, should they be required.

The good news continues unabated on the inside of this XK8, with the swathes of Ivory leather in excellent condition throughout, and minimal wear visible overall.

All four seats are in fantastic shape - in keeping with the rest of the car’s condition - and display only some light commensurate creasing up front, whilst the rear seats look virtually unused (hardly surprising, given the lack of leg room) save for a small mark/stain on the leading edge of the offside rear seat base.

Looking around the cabin, the wooden inlays remain free of any damage beyond the odd minor scratch from day-to-day usage, and there is no sign of any obvious lacquer peel, cracking or scuffs to the trims.

Under foot, the mats in the front have perhaps seen better days, though a steam clean and deep shampooing may go some way towards alleviating these signs of life.

Of course, the high-traffic areas (such as the door cards, sill covers, steering wheel and shifter) display some degree of commensurate usage patina and blemishes, but this is still in keeping with a vehicle that has been fastidiously cherished and maintained.

In the rear, the capacious boot is untroubled by the passage of time or luggage, whilst up above the inner lining of the roof is in good shape, with a few areas of creasing and sagging which would likely go away with regular use.

As far as we could tell, all systems within the vehicle were working as they should be, and the vendor reports no faults with any of the gauges, electrical systems or creature comforts.

Open up the front-hinged bonnet, and the 4.2-litre V8 engine looks to be in fine fettle, or at least as far as we can see, given that the majority of the block and its ancillaries are hidden from view by numerous plastic covers.

What we can see, however, all looks to be in good order and everything seems to be in its right-and-proper place, and there are no indications of any concerns from up above.

Firing into life with ease and settling immediately into a silky-smooth idle, the engine, transmission and chassis all behaved without fault during our test drive and photo shoot, with no untoward issues or noises noted from the engine or gearbox.

We did notice a slight squeaking coming from the rear suspension area when traversing speed bumps, though the latest MoT advisory (more on that below) would likely explain the cause of this noise.

Underneath, the chassis is in good shape throughout, with only some light surface ‘bloom’ and cracked paintwork to be noted for the most part.

We did, however, note that the ‘pinches’ along the side sills have caved in around the jacking points, resulting in some corrosion making itself known. This does not seem to be of any great concern at this stage (and would appear to be superficial, as far as we can tell) though the next owner may wish to address these issues.

The most recent MoT exam - dated 16 November 2021 - shows a first-time pass, with an advisory for worn rear subframe pins/bushes on both sides.

Included with the vehicle is the V5 registered keepers document showing a total of just four former keepers, two sets of keys, MoT certificates, stamped service records, a vehicle health check and two noteworthy invoices.

These invoices, specifically, relate to the extensive detailing / paint correction carried out following the vehicle’s purchase at a cost of £2,929.54, and the most recent service, which was carried out at 44,857 miles.

As always, all of the documentation we’ve received has been photographed, and can be viewed at your leisure below.

With its luxurious interior, sonorous V8 engine and overall refined nature, it is no wonder that the XK8 remains a strong choice for long-distance mile munching or trans-continental road trips to this day, whilst ownership remains a breeze thanks to plentiful parts availability and aftermarket support.

Offered for sale in outstanding condition throughout, we estimate this XK8 4.2 to fetch in the region of £13,000 to £18,000 when the hammer falls.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 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’.