Tommorow’s Classics
The XJ for the Noughties had more tech, less weight and better build quality
Jaguar XJ (X350)
WHY YOU WANT ONE
The X350 might have looked like every Jaguar XJ since the first model in 1968, but this one was incredibly high-tech. The first XJ to be developed under Ford, this was the bestbuilt variant yet, with all of the latest kit and lightweight construction. The X350 was 40 per cent lighter and 60 per cent stiffer than its X308 predecessor and as such handles like a smaller car. Yet there’s enough head and leg room for five. All XJs come with ample power and a sixspeed automatic transmission, so cruising abilities is effortless whichever engine you choose.
PICK OF THE BUNCH
The range consisted of 3.0 V6, 3.5 V8 and 4.2 V8 naturallyaspirated petrol units; all give the relatively light XJ a decent turn of speed. The V6 is fine, the 3.5 V8 usefully more muscular and the 4.2 unit even better with more midrange torque. It’s this latter car that offers the best blend of performance, relatively affordable running costs, reliability and desirability. The XJR offers the most fun, though; its 390bhp 4.2-litre supercharged V8 is capable of 0-60mph in a scorching five seconds. For the first time ever in a Jaguar XJ, the X350 came with the option of a diesel engine. The 2.7-litre V6 also seen in the S-Type provides swift, smooth progress with 30mpg-plus capability. If you want a true collector’s piece, you could track down one of the ultra-rare Daimler Super Eights, offered only in longwheelbase V8 form. Speaking of which, the 17ft-long LWB XJ that was launched in 2005 offered an extra five inches of rear-seat leg room.
ESSENTIAL CHECKS
Electrolytic corrosion forms around the steel rivets that hold the aluminium panels together; also check the lower trailing corners of the rear doors and on the D-pillar under the window seal. Repairing failed rear wishbone bushes fail costs £400. High-mileage cars will need dampers and probably suspension bushes, too – brace yourself for a £2000 bill. The diesel engine is superb when it works, but crankshafts fail without warning and replacement engines are hideously expensive. V6s and V8s are bulletproof, though. Get an emissions check done, as the exhaust and/or catalytic converters can fail, with repairs potentially running well into four figures. Finally, the automatic gearbox, differential and supercharger need a fluid change every 60,000 miles (although Jaguar recommends every 90k). Failure to do so will cut their lives short.
WHAT WE’D PAY
Diesel might be falling out of favour right now, but more than half of the XJs that we found for sale were fitted with the 2.7-litre TDV6 engine. Even one with 150k on the clock will set you back £4000 and cars with less than 60,000 miles cost twice as much. When you consider that you can buy a V8-powered car for £3000, it’s hard to see the diesel’s appeal, although you’ll be doing well to find any XJR for less than £6000, with really nice examples priced from £8000. Genuinely good middleground naturally-aspirated V6s and V8s will cost £5000; there are cheaper examples out there, but they’ll need work. One thing is for certain, though – we won’t see the likes of the X350 again in the future, which is why now is the time to buy, before enthusiasts snap up all of the good ones.