1999 Jaguar XKR *Sold £6,100*

Description

• Stored for 12 years
• £2,500 spent on recommissioning
• £3,000 spent on cosmetic paint work
• In Sapphire Blue
• The private plate is staying
• A number of new parts
• Automatic

Taking design cues from the XJ220, is the XK model the best-looking Jaguar since the XJ220? Either way, it was a huge success and remains very popular today.

Then the most exciting XK variant arrived, the XKR. Putting a supercharger on the XK V8 engine was a masterstroke. It physically propelled the XKR into another performance league. The XKR does everything very well. The supercharged Jaguar XKR is performance, panache, and presence, all in a superb British classic sports car.

Background

After a successful launch of the early standard XK, Jaguar didn’t hang about. Jaguar upped the ante and introduced the Jaguar XKR. The supercharged V8 quad cam gave the XKR a thundering 370bhp. The XKR in electronically restricted form was good for 155mph. In (easily) unrestricted form, the beast is good for 175mph – allegedly.

• Registered new 4 April 1999
• Our vendor has owned since 2019

Our vendor acquired the XKR from a young man in 2019. It was his dad’s car. His dad had previously passed away and the XKR sat in storage for around 12 years. It was recommissioned at a cost of around £2,500. Our vendor purchased it two weeks later.

Mechanicals

The supercharged V8 runs well. It pulls hard and produces that fabulous sound that only a V8 can when its on-song. A virtual look under the bonnet, via the Gallery, reveals a clean and tidy engine bay. The XKR will come with a fresh, new MOT.

• Original Jaguar alloy wheels
• Eaton supercharger
• 4.0 litre aluminium alloy quad cam AJ27 V8 engine
• Five speed W5A580 automatic gearbox
• Full service
• New coil packs
• Calipers refurbed
• New brake pads all round
• New battery

Interior

Swathed in cream leather and wood, the cabin space has a light, bright, spacious feeling. In true Jaguar fashion, the interior is a reminder of the manufacturer’s superb attention to detail.

• Multifunction steering wheel, trimmed in half leather & wood
• New headlining
• Ebony leather
• Walnut trim
• Jaguar sound system

Alongside impressive performance, the XKR is also a comfortable and practical classic grand tourer. The leather seats are supportive and comfortable, and the interior is spacious enough for long weekend getaways. The driver’s seat is, of course, showing slightly more wear than all the others but all the seats are in good condition, with no splits, tears or rips. The rear seats look like new, probably as a result of never having been used. This XKR is a genuine 2+2 sports car.

Both door cards, carpet and all interior trim look good for their age. This XKR definitely belies its age. As a sign of how this Jaguar has been cared for, the boot space is clean, tidy and all intact.

Outside

• Bonnet louvres
• Mesh grille
• Discreet rear spoiler
• Sapphire Blue
• Paintwork overall presents well
• Panel gaps are sound
• Headlights and fog lamps are free from any splits, cracks or misting
• Bonnet vents as standard on the XKR
• Rear light clusters in good condition
• The minimalist black exterior trim is in good condition

It is no surprise the paintwork looks as good as it does. Whilst it was in long term storage, people were in and out of the area and the XKR picked up what our vendor describes as a number of cosmetic scratches. He said he wanted the car ‘right’. Off it went for a windscreen out repaint at a cost of around £3,000.

Our vendor’s care for the XKR care didn’t stop there. Just before he listed it for auction, he asked us to pause as the convertible roof was ‘playing up’. Six weeks or so later, with the hydraulic rams and catches replaced, it was ready to list. He has also undersealed, twice, in his ownership just for good measure.

Bottom line

The XKR is on another level altogether, plus they are much fewer in number than the XK8.

Talking to our vendor and looking at the documents with this XKR, we have a sense this is one of the better XKRs on the market right now.