Jaguar · 1997–2002

Jaguar XJ (X308)

The Jaguar XJ (X308) is a full-size luxury saloon car made by Jaguar Cars from 1997 until 2002. It has a Jaguar AJ-V8 engine and Jaguar independent rear suspension. It was the third and final evolution of the Jaguar XJ40 platform that had been in production since 1986. It was preceded by the Jaguar XJ (X300).

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Jaguar XJ (X300) · Successor: Jaguar XJ (X350)

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Exterior

The X308 kept much of the same exterior styling as its predecessor, the Jaguar XJ (X300), carrying its rounded four-headlamp bonnet, low roofline, sloping tail, and wrap-around rear light clusters. From the front, the two generations can be differentiated by the shape of the indicator lenses (rectangular on the X300, oval on the X308), and also by the shape of the fog lamps and lower valance air intake, both of which are more rounded on the X308. The front and rear bumpers were both changed along with the taillights which had red/clear lenses rather than red/grey lenses. The grille surround and badging was slightly changed. The headlight fixtures also included forward parking lights housed with the brights, new to X308.

Interior

The biggest change to the interior on the X308 was to the dashboard, which had remained essentially the same since the original XJ40 with only detail changes over the years. The rectangular instrument binnacle gave way to three deeply recessed dials similar in style to the recently introduced Jaguar XK8. The new fascia also allowed for the restoration of a proper glove compartment, which had been lost when the original XJ40 dash had been retrofitted with a passenger side airbag. Door trim and the design of the centre console were also slightly revised.

Mechanicals

After the XJ40, Jaguar's intention was to launch a brand new saloon with a new V8 engine. Ford halted development of the saloon, termed XJ90, and proposed to install its new engine and front and rear ends onto the centre section of the XJ40 model; however, the V8 was not ready, the X300 became one of Jaguar's most successful models, and the X308 went on to become Jaguar's first V8-powered saloon car. Having discontinued production of both the AJ16 inline-six and V12 engines, Jaguar offered only its newly designed V8 engine, which was named the AJ-V8. It was available in either 3.2 L or 4.0 L form; certain markets, such as the United States, only received cars powered by the 4.0 L version. The 4.0 L version was also supercharged in certain models. No manual gearbox or limited slip differential option were available for any models. Computer-controlled active suspension was available as a feature named Computer Active Technology Suspension (CATS).

Models

Instead of the Daimler marque being used in certain markets, the equivalent Vanden Plas models were sold under the Jaguar name. XJ8. The base XJ8 came standard with more equipment than had been fitted to entry-level XJs in the past, including leather upholstery, alloy wheels, and air conditioning. The door mirrors and door handles are body-coloured. The radiator grille, windscreen and rear window surrounds, boot lid plinth, and rain gutters were chromed, while the window frames remained matte black. Interior wood trim is walnut. Rear badging reads XJ8. For the home market in September 2000, Jaguar began badging the XJ8 model as XJ Executive, and fitted as standard rain-sensing wipers, a CD player, cruise control, and rear parking sensors. Sport. The Sport model was equipped only with the 3.2 L normally aspirated engine, except Australia and the United States that had the optional 4.0 L normally aspirated V8 available. It offered stiffer suspension, sportier seating and interior colour combinations, and wider, larger wheels than the XJ8. The windscreen and rear window surrounds were painted matte black, as were the rain gutters and window frames for European markets; for the United States market, it retains chrome surrounds. The radiator grille has metallic grey vertical slats. Rather than a chrome radiator grille surround, the Sport uses a body-coloured surround. Rear badging reads XJ Sport. The non-Sport XJ8 3.2 was badged as the XJ Executive. Sovereign. The Sovereign represented the highest luxury specification for Jaguar models, sitting next to the XJR, which provides the ultimate performance. Sovereigns featured more elaborate/expensive wood veneer, commonly highly figured burr walnut; with window control/ashtray trim panels also done in wood veneer as opposed to pl

Special uses

The car was used by Tony Blair as his prime ministerial car. Dating back to the Jaguar XJ (Series III), previous and successive versions of the XJ were used by other British prime ministers, including Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, and Boris Johnson. This changed under Johnson when the Range Rover Abio Sentinel was first used as the new prime ministerial car in 2019. The XJ was also used in the show Better Call Saul by the character Howard Hamlin.

Production numbers

== Reception == Motor Trend described the X308 as "a masterful blend of British luxury and American muscle". He added that "this car makes you feel elegant and gets sweeter by the mile", and called it a "musclecar in a tuxedo". Brian Cooley, an editor of Roadshow by CBS, called the X308 his "favorite modern car". In 2018, Motorious said that the X308 provides the most luxurious ride of any car ever produced due to its status as the "last steel-bodied XJ and the first to feature a modern V8 drivetrain, the perfect concoction of classic and contemporary Jaguars". He added "this is a car that fits anywhere it goes, be that the supermarket car park, a country hotel or even outside the Casino de Monte-Carlo." Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear remarked that the X308 is "faster, in the real world, than a Ferrari F355 ... fastest saloon I've ever seen", and the epitome of luxury, beauty, and performance. In a 2022 retrospective, Classic Worlds wrote: "It might be the model people shy away from, but the Jaguar X308 XJ is a performance and luxury bargain today – and a sure fire classic investment."

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

sp

uk

name

Jaguar XJ (X308)

aka

Jaguar Sovereign, Jaguar Vanden Plas, Jaguar XJR, Daimler Eight, Daimler Super V8

Manufacturer

Jaguar Cars

Production

July 1997 – December 2002

Model years

1998–2003

Predecessor

Jaguar XJ (X300)

Successor

Jaguar XJ (X350)

Class

Full-size luxury car (F)

Assembly

United Kingdom: Coventry, England

Body style

4-door saloon

Layout

Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive

Wheelbase

SWB: 2870 mm, LWB: 2995 mm

Length

SWB: 5024 mm, LWB: 5149 mm

Width

1799 mm

Height

SWB: 1314 mm, LWB: 1333 mm

Transmission

5-speed ZF 5HP24 automatic, 5-speed Mercedes-Benz W5A580 automatic (supercharged models only)

Engine

3.2 L Jaguar AJ-V8, 4.0 L Jaguar AJ-V8, 4.0 L supercharged Jaguar AJ-V8

Kerb weight

SWB: 3968 lb, LWB: 4134 lb

Designer

Geoff Lawson (1995)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

US EPA fuel-economy records

US EPA test figures (US MPG, US test cycle).

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1678516CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaguar_XJ_(X308)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375299156 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jaguar_X300_front_20081218.jpgAttribution · Photo: Rudolf Stricker · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Manufacturer website (link only) — http://www.us.jaguar.com/Default.asp?PageID=28Link only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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