Buying Guide
Fancy the idea of owning one of the fastest and most stylish Jaguar saloons built in the past 20 years? You will when you find out what incredible value for money they are...
Jaguar XJR
‘The XJR’s 4.0-litre engine boasted a phenomenal 326bhp’
There’s no denying that Jaguar’s XJ offerings from the Nineties and Noughties have aged extremely well. The elegant X300-shape XJR is one modern-classic that’s garnering plenty of attention among enthusiasts, not just for their cosseting and luxuriouslyappointed cabins, but for the thumping performance they can deliver.
The original X300 XJR (often referred to as the X306) was introduced in 1994 and its supercharged 4.0-litre engine boasted a phenomenal 326bhp. Subtle alterations to the standard X300 included bodycoloured plastic trim replacing chrome, a mesh grille and 18-inch alloy wheels. Both Getrag manuals and GM automatics were available, although only 102 UK buyers opted for the former.
In 1997, all XJ models got the new AJV8 engine, with the X308 XJR’s being a 4.0-litre, supercharged 370bhp version. The manual transmission option was dropped, and all XJRs used a Mercedes-Benz automatic. An optional ‘R1’ handling pack added 18-inch BBS wheels, with cross-drilled Brembo brakes and stiffer suspension.
Towards the end of production, Jaguar chose to celebrate what would have been Sir William Lyons’ 100th birthday with a special edition XJR100 – only available for the 2001 model year. It featured black paint, black leather interior with contrasting red stitching and darkstained wood veneers, plus a restyled steering wheel. (Sounds tasty, right?) The R1 performance pack was standard, but even larger 19-inch BBS Montreal wheels were fitted.
More numerous than the XJR100 was a second special edition – the Daimler Super V8. Available from 2001 to 2003 on special order, it’s a softer-riding long wheelbase version of the XJR, with lots of lovely chrome accoutrements.
Production continued until 2003 when the X300 was replaced with the all-aluminium X350.