Many wizened, sage-like car buyers will tell you that the secret of successful second-hand selection is to test drive the vendor as carefully as you would the motor itself. You're probably familiar with facets of the theory, many of which are little more than common sense. So pictures taken on a gravel driveway with a house worth seven figures in the background are generally regarded as a plus, while any showing the car surrounded by knee-high grass and abandoned fridges suggest a more cautious approach should be taken.
We don't have a gravel drive in the images of this fine-looking Jaguar XF, rather what looks like a rural carpark and a fair amount of lens-flare. But we do have reassurance from the vendors that it has previously been owned by the right sort of chap. Indeed, two of the right sorts of chaps: first a barrister and then a company chairman. Powerfully built directors can argue over the relative social standings of both those occupations, but the more important detail is that both seem to have looked after the Jag to a degree that lends reassurance in the face of a 156,000-mile odometer reading.
At risk of a BK flaming the first-generation XF deserves considerably more credit than it has been given as one of the more important models in Jaguar's long history. It was launched in 2007, just in time for a financial meltdown and when Jag was in serious need of a hit. The retro S-Type it replaced had gone from almost cool to desperately old-fashioned in just eight years and the similarly unlovely X-Type had already tanked like the Battle of Kursk. Through no fault of its own the XF arrived just in time for a savage global recession, one that was to eventually lead to Ford's decision to get rid of both Jaguar and Land Rover and which - until it did - would starve both brands of development cash. In consequence the XF would live for eight years in one of the toughest market segments going, with only a single facelift to sharpen its case. In every one of those years it was Jaguar's best-selling product, and in several it made up more than three-quarters of the brand's UK sales.
Much of the XF's success was undoubtedly due to the what was some of Ian Callum's best work, certainly on a four-door model. Yes, the headlight treatment of this early car might look a bit bulbous in this era of low-slung LEDs, but the stance and proportions are still spot-on. (Callum fought to get the car pyrotechnic bonnet-raising airbags for passenger impact standards to keep the front as low as possible.) The interior was similarly new territory for a Jaguar saloon, ditching the much of Ye Olde hide-and-timber of its predecessors for a pared-back, modern aesthetic. The high tech credentials were emphasised by the way the air vents motored shut as the car was turned off, and the circular gear selector rose out of the centre console when it was started up.
With all the money spent on development of the XF's aluminium structure the budget for powertrain innovation was limited, so the car launched with most of the same selection of engines that had been offered in the S-Type. At the lower reaches of the range that meant a 3.0-litre petrol V6 and a 2.7-litre V6 diesel which quickly proved itself the biggest seller. But the need for more punch at the top of the range led to the decision to offer two 4.2-litre versions of the AJ-V8, a naturally-aspirated one with 296hp and a supercharged version with 414hp.
This range-topper was basically the same powerplant that had been used in the Jaguar S-Type R - pretty much that model's only highlight. But Jaguar executives reckoned that the S-Type R had been a bit too shouty, and were already starting to think about a properly sporty XFR, so opted to launch the SV8 with no more visual distinction from lesser members of the clan than its badge. It wasn't a sleeper so much as bricked up in a castle waiting for a prince to kiss it.
While most early media attention went to the less powerful versions that Jaguar was keenest to flog, when journalists got the chance to drive the SV8 we discovered it was pretty impressive, with genuine talent beneath the softish suspension settings and even a willingness to play the hooligan. The V8 sounded too hushed, even under hard use, but there was never any lack of performance - a 5.1-second 0-62mph time was even more impressive then than it would be now. In the somewhat unlikely environment of a racetrack the supercharged XF was an absolute blast, especially in slippery conditions. But the biggest part of its appeal was the ability to combine this skirt-lifting urge with serene cruising. The SV8 was only sold for a couple of years, effectively being replaced by the XFR, but now it looks like good value compared to its leggier sister.
It wasn't all smooth sailing for the XF, of course. Like many Jaguars it soon developed a reputation for the sort of quality issues that should have been ironed out considerably before the car got to market; I got stuck at after the Mr. Kipling gear selector failed to motor upwards when the engine started. Yet these days it is now generally regarded as one of Jaguar's sturdier products, and the fact our Pill's motorized till working should be regarded as positive signs - as is the apparent health of the central touch-sensitive display screen. Our Pill's first owner seems to have ticked pretty much every box on the order sheer, including the powerful Bowers & Wilkins audio upgrade, heated and cooled front seats, 20-inch alloys and the useful rear parking camera which was still something of a novelty in those days.
The vendor claims extensive spend includes a recent timing chain, guides and tensioner - a known weak point of the XJ-V8 engine. They also seem to think it has received new VANOS units, which seems unlikely unless it is has been swapped to a BMW V8, but the Jag's variable timing is known to cause rattles, presumably now solved. The MOT history doesn't throw up any big scares, and confirms the car has acquired its recent mileage at a steady rate, averaging almost exactly 12,000 miles between tests since 2016.
The advert also saves the best until last, saying that the headline figure of £5995 - which already seemed pretty reasonable for the amount of car and performance on offer - has been reduced to £5000, with the suffix 'OVNO' suggesting wriggle-room even beyond that. If you can find a more inconspicuous way and better value way to enjoy a V8 with more than 400hp we'd love to see it.
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