Vehicle Description
How do you upgrade an icon? Jaguar's XJ-series practically defined
the sports sedan market with an awesome combination of sinuous good
looks, impeccable road manners, and sinfully comfortable interiors.
So when it came time to freshen a legend, Jaguar did the only
sensible thing: add power. This 2002 Jaguar XJ8-L Vanden Plas is
the top-of-the-line model with V8 power, a longer wheelbase, and
all the things that make the XJ great.
The first thing you'll note is the "-L" in the car's name, which
denotes "long wheelbase." It's most apparent in the side profile
shot where you'll see that that the rear door is considerably
longer than the front. That means more legroom in back, making for
an almost decadent experience. However, the rest of the curves on
this cat are the same familiar shapes that it's been wearing since
the 1970s, freshened a bit for the 21st century but still very much
a traditional British Jaguar. With only 66,755 actual miles, it's
beautifully preserved and only lightly used, making for a fine
piece of machinery that still makes people stop and notice. The
finish is gorgeous, with a brilliant shine that you'd expect from
the miracle workers in Coventry and fit and finish that came from a
Ford takeover that fixed Jaguar's quality concerns. There's still a
splash of chrome here and there, adding to the Jaguar experience,
and, of course, the leaping cat hood ornament is out there leading
the way.
The stories about the beautiful workmanship in British car
interiors aren't myths, as you can plainly see inside this lovely
Jag. Acres of buttery soft tan leather and real burled walnut make
it feel exceptionally upscale and once you get in, you might not
want to get out again. Of course everything was standard, including
a power telescoping steering column and effective climate control,
and even the steering wheel has wood inserts that add to the
luxurious feel. Three round dials hold big, bold gauges, a Jaguar
tradition, and the center console's design is simple and
uncluttered, unlike a lot of other luxury sedans. Yes, it still
uses Jaguar's unusual "J-gate" shifter, but after some familiarity,
you'll probably find that it works rather well when shifting it
yourself. An aftermarket AM/FM/CD stereo replaces the original head
unit and the installation is quite professionally done. In back,
you'll find massive legroom as well as heated rear seats and A/C
vents for rear seat passengers. The trunk is likewise beautifully
finished and big enough for all your luggage.
Ford's management of Jaguar meant that the 4.0 liter DOHC V8 engine
was both powerful and reliable. Replacing the venerable inline-6
and V-12 engines, it's more powerful than either of them and
delivers a buttery smooth performance that feels more like an
electric motor than an internal combustion engine. But when you
want to hustle, it delivers a warm baritone bellow that purrs like
it should, rising to a bit of an edge before the 4-speed automatic
cracks off another rapid-fire upshift. Obviously it's been well
maintained, because the engine bay just sparkles, and this is one
luxury car that you might find is actually reasonable to own,
because parts are still easy to find and service doesn't require
anything exotic. The very clean undercarriage features a fully
independent suspension, big disc brakes at all four corners, and
exactly zero sign of rust or rot. Even the pretty 16-inch alloy
wheels are unmarked.
Once again proving that a second-hand luxury car is the smartest
buy, this Jaguar delivers a stunning level of comfort, style, and
performance for less than the cost of a used economy car. Call
today!
