I had a 2005 XJR for 9 years. That car was a gladiator. Everything about it was perfect. The seats. The torque. The interior smell, were standouts. I think it is the prettiest sedan ever built.
The one bit of "Jaguar Heritage" this car did not inherit was the tendency to rot out within 10 years. This one is nearly 20 years old for Heaven's sake!
Utter rubbish in my experience of owning ten Jaguar's and doing welding repairs to cars for a living. I have repaired 8-10 yr old Toyota Aygo and Hilux models which have had terrible corrosion. I recently welded up an Audi A4 S Line (Ithink it was?) 4x4 estate, the tubular rear subframe had holes in it on both sides. Have repaired Citroen, Ford and VW all around the ten yr old mark. I have a 2001 XJ8 sat outside with some corrosion yes, but not MOT failure rot, just on the wheelarches. My car is 23yrs old!
@@SBT300 Utter rubbish in my experience of owning ten Jaguar's and doing welding repairs to cars for a living. I have repaired 8-10 yr old Toyota Aygo and Hilux models which have had terrible corrosion. I recently welded up an Audi A4 S Line (Ithink it was?) 4x4 estate, the tubular rear subframe had holes in it on both sides. Have repaired Citroen, Ford and VW all around the ten yr old mark. I have a 2001 XJ8 sat outside with some corrosion yes, but not MOT failure rot, just on the wheelarches. My car is 23yrs old!
It's a Jag. My Dad worked at Jag around this time and I recall he said that the Jag guys didn't like the Ford leadership. But they did bring quality control and efficiency, if not romance. I hired one of these once for at luxury trip and it was a V8. I really enjoyed wafting around in it and it was good on smaller roads. It also had lovely smelling leather and beautiful wood. I wouldn't kick it out of bed. Much much more appealing than an EV!
Jaguar threw a lot of Fords money into building the X350. It’s was a money no object project, which is quite rare in the Automotive world. The way the body shell was designed and built was ground breaking. JLR still use the same technology today in their aluminium bodied vehicles. Used extensively in the new Range Rover. Personally I really like the X351.
I have the Daimler super v8 version. I love her! She's not cosmetically perfect but bloody awesome! Pulls to the moon! Black like that one to. Quite rare compared to the final edition super v8's mine. 2005. Cheers. Always great to see these on the TH-cam.
I had the 3.6l sports premium edition with 20inch sepang alloys. Absolute beauty I don't think I've ever bettered it to date. Drove beautifully. Air suspension was amazing. All leather. Got looks everywhere it went.
I think "progress" sums it up best, Jack. I've had a variety of Jaguar XJs over the years, from Series III XJ6s to X300s and X350s. I ran a 4.2 V8 SE for 12 years and it was by far the best handling, fastest (and most reliable!) of the lot. I've now got a 2004 XJR and it's an absolute monster. I love the earlier cars (I miss my almost pristine Series III) but I don't think I could go back. As others have said here, the air suspension is a pain if it goes wrong but if maintained it's terrific. Now the workshop manual is available to the DIY punter (see forums for downloads) much of the maintenance can be done at home.
Believe it not - Auto Reserve Parts (your favourite Jag spares company!) have one as a race car, a 2.7 diesel and I’m racing it this weekend at Oulton Park! It’s epic (air suspension removed, now has BC Coilovers)
I’ve always had a soft spot for the x350 xj6 especially in sport trim. The car is so light that it actually performed better than the v6 s-type at the time. It just looks like the ideal chilled out cruiser.
I agree; the X350 is a "proper" Jaguar and so much better than the X308 in all ways bar one: the looks. Having said that, do consider buying that X350 XJR in the future. Presently so much car for the money. Thank you - and Mike - for a great video!
x350 wins on the looks too, x308 lights are a fkin blasphemy - look at all x308's predecessors - front inner lamps need to be smaller... rear lamps are even worse - the typical XJ arc of the rear lamp covers is completely missing F x308 and F blind people's opinion when it comes to design 😁
I know I'm in the minority, but I prefer the looks on the x350, especially from the back. I think the look recalls the glory days of the Series III xj6
Never driven THIS version of the XJ6's in this guise, however I have owned 8 Jag's including a 2005 and 2008 XJ8 when I lived in the USA which were this shape. Those XJ8's where amazing handling cars when the suspension was working BUT a pain in the ass when playing up so understand your comments here. That said, the suspension was also VERY easy to work on so wasnt expensive to fix when doing the work yourself. I recall I would drive from Dallas to Austin regularly and the fuel consumption was actually excellent. even in the more hilly parts of Austin that car would sit at 75MPH at less that 1600 RPM. They truly are great cars to drive and do tend to shrink on tighter roads. I gotta say I kinda miss it.
Thank you for posting 👍 I bought my first jaguar XJ8 X350 in 2006, a month before Casino Royal hit the big screen. Had it for 2 and half years when it was repoed. My fault for financing a 2 year old XJ8. My current X350 , also an 04, I paid cash for in 2013 and I can’t go long without driving it. Both were the Vanden Plas trim which is my favorite. When the suspension failed a few years in, I had a standard one fitted instead of the air suspension normally on this car. The Bentley arnage and flying Spur would be 2nd favorite. The British hand made cars are truly special.
I loved my 4.0 X308 Sovereign. I’ve now got an XJ8 3.6 X350 and love that as well. I preferred the looks of the X308. The extra cabin space, better fuel economy and being ulez compliant makes the X350 a better car for me.
Hi - which one gives the best ride around town ? I have a 2001 xj8 and it’s so plush at low speed. Worried the x350 might not be quite so comfortable around town…
Brilliant, in my mind, the apex of modern Jag sedan evolution. The ones that followed are less "Jaggy" and lack the older car's character. The new ones are also complex with little benefit from that complexity. Buy one of the x350s before the good ones are gone and the prices start rising!
The XJ8 from the x350 generation is 100 kilos lighter than the new Mini EV. Absolutely wild. I bought a 2003 XJ8 last week, absolutely in love with it. Fuel effiencly is honestly not that bad. It's still a big car.
I totally misunderstood the grab. Many many years ago here in Australia the thing to do with the older XJs was to drop a Chevy 350 V8 into these cars. My recollection is the Chevy V8 was lighter and (obviously) a lot more powerful than the Jag 6 cylinder and made for a very special car.
Yet both the front and the rear lights are not of a proper-XJ. - front lamps: Both inner and outer lamp is the same size 👎🏻 - rear lamps: Where is the arc??? x308 got a rectangular slab instead 👎🏻 All XJs before x40/x300/x308 had those. And x350/x358 does too. The dashboard is sexy AF though 👍🏻
@@jaromor8808 i have been saying that ever since I first saw one! If you have sever seen an X308 parked up next to a much prettier Xj6 series 3, it becomes even more apparent what is wrong with design cues
Beautiful.... reminds me very much style wise of my black XType AWD, loved the car, I sold it because of new rules here in France, all petrol cars built before 2006 will be banned from use on certain roads. My son used it to go skiing without ever having the need of chains, it is rated here together with the S Type as being a good reliable car.
Jack, I had one for over 6 years, great car it made me feel like a captain of industry. It could waft when you wanted to or hustle on the A and B roads. The 3 itre only weighs just over 1500kg which at the time was the lightest Jaguar in the range.
Had a 2003 XJ6 Sport a few years ago, and have owned other jags previously. Was meant to be a bit of a stop gap, kept it 2 and a half years before selling it. Was cheap and had a few minor issues (air con not working, saggy headlining etc). It was great to drive, they 'feel' light. Wish I had kept it.
Enjoyable thanks! I love this generation of Jags. I don't think they looked as good as the previous gen but certainly much easier to live with. Unfortunately here in Australia it's difficult to find a good one, though, as Jags never sold a lot in the first place. An XJ8 in british racing green would be brilliant! Much nicer wood than the fake metal-plastic crap in my current Audi!
The understated X350/358 were groundbreaking for Jaguar. I have ALMOST bought one several times, but keep hanging onto my 2005 X100. One day I'll bite the bullet... Excellent video.
I met once a member of the design team on this car a couple of years before it was unveiled. They said it would look similar to the current model but a little taller. I thought at the time they would go to something more modern. However now it looks really elegant and a bargain. The interior looks similar to my S Type I had.
I'm 21, and I love all kinds of Jags, I think I get it from my dad 😂 I particularly like the X308 and X350 XJ's, especially the XJR versions. I've got an 02 X-type V6 that I'm currently getting back on the road, I'm honestly thinking about buying an X350 XJ as my next car, I love them.
I owned two of these, both XJ6s. The first was a 2003, bought in 2010, and the second was a 2007, bought in 2016. They were beautiful cars, and I liked them a lot. Both were used to take us to Germany on holiday. The downside was the ridiculous VED charge of well over £500, and the air suspension which, whilst I never had any trouble with it, was a Sword of Damocles constantly hanging over me due to the very expensive parts if it went wrong. There was absolutely no reason for it all being air suspension front and rear, and the later, totally restyled, XJ reverted to steel coils on the front wheels. It was a real Gentleman's Express Carriage, and I sometimes wonder why I traded it in for a Jaguar XE, but the XE has been fine so far. Would I go back to one ? If I could buy one with steel coil suspension, I might, as there are conversion kits available. There is a small downside with the all-aluminium structure, (even the doors !!), in that they do suffer crevice corrosion which manifests itself as what appears to be bubbling under the paint. This is actually aluminium hydroxide and curing it is fairly simple. Jaguar did finally work out a cure, because my XE is also aluminium, (steel doors, though), and there as been no paint trouble at all.
I was *looking to buy one of the last model year of this generation* (2009) recently to replace my 1995 XJ6. I say last year because that's the only year that one could get ventilated front seats, I believe. Well, my mission turned out to be a mug's game, as I suspected it might be. You see, *here in Canada virtually all Jaguar models prior to the last generation have effectively ceased to exist.* Let that sink in for a moment. Yes, I mean X300s, X308s, X350s....and we could already forget about XJ40s and Series 3s years ago. Nobody can be more shocked at this development than I am. *This has been a relatively recent problem.* Even ten years ago one would certainly see a modest number of X300s and X308s at least out and about in Summer. The 2005 to 2009 generation never seemed as popular here, and by now I guess anyone with a good one hangs on to it, and the rest have fallen to the usual demises 'older' cars do---accidents, repairs too expensive to be worth it, etcetera. A sad denouement if ever there was one in the world of car buffs☹.
It’s very elegant. I do like the hat tip to the earlier Jaguars on the hood. It’s something that modern Jags are missing. The leather looks really nice, I imagine that’s because it’s a Sovereign. It’s a keeper.
I've owned a supercharged V8 X350 for many years and would say it's the last of the real Jags. Very nice example in the video, although the touchscreen is crying out for a JagDroid upgrade.... ;-)
My mate had one and crashed into the side of a taxi who came out of nowhere at a million miles an hour. Spun the taxi 270° and the air bags in the Jag didn't even go off and we drove home, so it's a robust motor, I'll give it that.
Y'know something about how Jaguar managed to style this car has always made it appear smaller and better proportioned than it is. I was shocked at how massive it is when you knelt down in front for the shot!
The engine was a Mazda engine thats why they fit so well in an MX5. The Mx5 was originally designed to accommodate a V6. The x350 2.7D with 20 inch 5 spokes would be my choice. I have one here in for repairs in Ireland and it only has 54k miles. Veru nice to look at with the correct wbeels amd late sport bumpers. Otherwise they are very awkward looking.
I'm in general agreement with Jack. The Duratec V6 was designed and engineered by the Ford Motor Company with consultation from Porsche AG. The bulk of the development work for these engines was done in the United States. Needless to say, Ford Motor Corp used the engine in Ford, Mazda and Jaguar cars because at the time Ford Motor Corp owned Jaguar and part owned (circa 33%) of Mazda.
Jaaag will always have something that german kubelwagens will never have and those are class and elegance, despite all of their technology next to the XJ they all feel like common cars. And btw this car is not so far behind in terms of technology its just more subtle with it and not in your face, just like other british brands like Aston or Bnetley. Ford did a good job with the last XJ that actually look like an XJ.
Do I see the headlining sagging at the back??? It seems ironic that Jaguar developed an adhesive strong enough to bond the body panels together (I heard that the rivets were just "belt and braces") but couldn't find one that would hold the headlining up for more than five minutes! This seems to have been a problem with Jaguars for years, so much so that there is a cottage industry out there making replacements.
My brother ran this very model/engine for about 10yrs and, apart from missing a couple of cylinders aside, it was a perfectly lovely place to be. He part ex-ed it for the X350 Super V8 lwb eventually. Curious to know what that one is all about...
The 300 series V6 sensibly used steel liners in the block, but the V8 used Nikasil coated liners, which cannot be rebored - speak to Lee at Barum Engines if you do not understand the implications of this...
Ford 3.0 Duratec has this going for it as well ... Cleveland Engine plant #2 ... same place where the 351 Cleveland V8 comes from. So yes the Porsche and Cosworth DNA is there ... and the American DNA has something going for it as well.
This looks much better than ANY of the new sedans in the market. A real classic look. And as you said about the previous generation... I agree, it always looks too flat and long. You said it perfectly. This generation looks much more balanced.
Over a 30 year period I had 4 UR Audi quattro's, then a 3.2 straight 6 1995 Jaguar X308, then a 2001 4.0V8 X308. Then I moved to Australia. I have never had an x350... but may yet... The quattro's weren't comparable to a Jag, but fun for different reasons. The V8 4.0 X308 was a lovely car, and having been registered in Reading, was subsequently seen driving in all Capital cities of Australia before I left it behind in Perth. I fancy a V8 X350. It is just 5cm too long for the garage though! In 2024 a lot of car but the air suspension is the risk..... to otherwise economic luxury
Why?? You do realise that Jack is just a TH-camr that likes cars and he's simply sharing his subjective opinion. So, does it really matter if he likes the XF or not??
i have had the Xj40 the Xj 3 liter and the XJ v8 4.2 which was great! just swapped it for the modern XJ oil burner which i am getting used too but is great at the pumps!!
Having had many "real Jags" from the 1970's era right through to a 2003 S Type, I am happy to accept the X350 as a real Jag. It looks right, has the right interior, great engine choices and drives right. In my opinion and only having driven an X350 once, the handling and ride is right too. The X350 is the last real XJ, what followed is the X351 coffin in which Jaguar have killed off and buried the XJ. Whats left, the XE, XF and F Type, they are OK. I went on the Jaguar Cars website the other day. Looked up an F Type, to my dismay there were very dark and gloomy photos of the car and not a single mention of engines. Sadly, it looks to me like the Jaguar brand is being prepped for a funeral once they have killed it off in a year or five.
Production of the F-type ceased a few months ago, the F-pace, E-pace, XF and XE are all being cancelled this summer aswell. Jaguar are going through a complete rebrand and will only sell electric cars in the future. Apparently, they're also stepping up in the market and will compete against brands like Bentley.
I owned one of these and absolutely loved it. I’ve had Rollers before and it drove better than them. It was like driving cream! The cabin was fantastic and so ‘English Gentleman’s Club’. But it suffered from the common Jag problem of not starting because of constant battery drain which I got sick of. If that hadn’t kept happening I’d have kept it. Especially as I ran it on LPG which made no difference to performance.
Enjoying these real-world car reviews. Loving the coincidence of you poking along the same lanes as Harry Metcalf in his exoticas! I used to ahem 'test drive' my own cars along there years ago - a great bit of road to do great reviews on!
x350 is the best last real looking Jag, one with mesh grill looks better and X358 too sometimes if its Vanden Plas version with chrome side vents, that one looks sick too.
I think it can be called a Jaguar. It has aluminium panels so that has to be a bonus doesn't it? The only thing that slightly puts me off is the grill but other than that it sits just fine. A very balanced review Jack thank you and thanks to Mike for bringing the car down. 👍👍
With 20" alloys they look the business and the interior is gorgeous, body coloured and mesh grille is a must. I've not driven the V6 but without the sophisticated sound and smoothness of the V8s I'd feel cheated.
Yeah, nice car Jack! A long time ago I had an XJ 4.0 sovereign and know exactly what you mean. Deep sills and short doors, always felt a bit of a chore clambering in & out of it, for a luxury car that is! I still think it’s the best handling car with the most cosseting ride I’ve ever owned and I loved it! Great vid as always! REGGIE FOR EVER!😂❤👍
Both the 1999 S-Type and 2001 X-Type were developed by Ford, using Ford platforms and came earlier than the X350. The X350 was the first Jaguar XJ generation designed entirely under Ford's ownership.
I had one for 6 years a 54 plate and I absolutely loved my time with it. Yes during that time I had annoying lights pop up now again handbrake several times but nearly every time I switched it off it would clear. Quite amazing the amount of compliments I had during that time,sold it just over 2 years ago simply because I got myself a dog and the interior was pretty pristine the rear seats still looked almost like a new car and just thought the dog would wreck it.
Great car. Way ahead of her time for construction quality and on board technology, reliable and not invasive. Think she hasn't been really understood by the audience, when she came out. That was my first choice, but looking for a x350 I found a nearly new X308. And, sorry, the x308 is the real last Jaguar. More than that, to me x308 is THE Jaguar. Thanks Jack!
We have a 1999 X308 with the 4L V8 and a 2000 S-type with the same V6 as this X350 and a Ford 5-speed gearbox. Frankly if you are budget conscious and want a decent Jag that won't kill you on maintenance costs, the S-type with this engine is a great choice. Ford did Jag a lot of good. The S-type is a Ford LS platform car sharing chassis and underpinnings with the Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird of the same era. But the suspension is more sport tuned and very responsive along with the engine upgrades. A lot of aftermarket parts are available for very reasonable prices due to the shared platform. Jaguar taught Ford a thing or two about suspension design as well. Their signature double wishbone multi-link suspension underpins both ends but with modern coil over struts.
This one might be better in every aspects but I prefer the previous generation, in my opinion it had better proportions, and the sleek design is gorgeous. Its my opinion any way.
I had the older XJ40 years ago and what irritated me more than anything else was the f**king handbrake! Constantly digging into my left leg, I wondered for the short time I owned it (about a year) who decided to place the handbrake between the drivers seat and the transmission tunnel. Madness!
I'm in the middle of replacing the right side low beam bulb, what a pain in the butt! The left side was not easy but at least the clamshell came out fairly easily, for some reason the right side unit is really fighting me.
I love my X350 XJ8 4.2, but I am having isuues with a couple of small areas of bubbling under the paint, presumably from oxidisation of the aluminium body. Apparently, this is quite expensive to put right.
I like the original series 1, 2, 3 cars, but they're long in the tooth, and very thirsty. I personally really like the XJ40, but they rust badly, have electronics problems, and the AJ6 engines leak like sieves. The X300 is probably my favourite overall, with the AJ16 being the last great Jaguar engines, but there are parts availability issues. I wouldn't touch an X308 with a 10 foot barge pole. I really like the X350 XJ6 petrol (as reviewed). And IMO the X351 is a stunning design, but I'm not so convinced by the interior design. The diesel has a good reputation but I'm not convinced by the petrols. As an ownership proposition in 2024, if I lived outside of a ULEZ/CAZ zone, I'd be tempted by an X300, but as I live in London, for me it would have to be an X350 XJ6 petrol ((as reviewed).
I was at Jaguar Cars at the time this was launched as a powertrain development engineer. we were all very pleased with this car. I remember that the Bangle 7 Series came out at a similar time and that seemed unbelievably ugly compared to the X350. I think that the 7 Series' looks are now far less controversial and it now looks quite edgy, in a positive way, so it'd be interesting to see the two side by side.
Nice car apart from the wheels and the grille, was never a fan of that and preferred the Sepangs and Sport mesh grille, these are the ones to have, but even the Sovereign is becoming a classic now and a bit of a head turner due to its hertiage styling. I've had a few (7) and still got a couple including the X-350 XJR currently being done up...looks like the roads around Blenheim- Beautiful vid for an under rated but superb car!
Having owned the X350 XJ6 3.0 as well as the 3.5 and 4.2 XJ8s, the V6 is more fun in the backroads, and although the V8s have more lazy torque, the six revs more freely and will still happily cruise at impressively high speeds
My 2001 XJ8 is clean and green to go through Bradford "Clean Air (Tax) Zone". Not that I want to visit Bradford but sometimes I have to go through it. As for London, I wouldn't go there at all.
You are absolutely correct about the generation thing. A real Jag has an XK engine and hails from the 1960s, such as a 3.8 S, which gets you the IRS as well as a proper leaper on the nose. In a similar way, you cannot beat the Rover V8 P6B.
Hell yes this is a real Jag, what's on the road now is a abomination look wise, it's completely unrecognizable as a jag, they've even taken away the classic hood ornament, this model with the V8 supercharged is perfection, a taller bigger stance is great compared to predecessors whilst maintaining all key jag styling cues.
Glad you liked my car as much as I do, thx
Better than the pile of shite he paid too much for, the sap
@@thomassmith6027What about your 1987 Yugo?
Thanks for sharing it with us all
I had a 2005 XJR for 9 years. That car was a gladiator. Everything about it was perfect. The seats. The torque. The interior smell, were standouts. I think it is the prettiest sedan ever built.
I've still got mine :) starting to get a few looks now...they sure are pretty, a boxer in a dinner suit someone once said.
The one bit of "Jaguar Heritage" this car did not inherit was the tendency to rot out within 10 years. This one is nearly 20 years old for Heaven's sake!
They don't rot but aluminium does bubble
@@DaleSteel still a lesser evil lol
@@christianmichael1970I have to agree. The aluminium rot does not seem to be as catastrophic as the steel rot in the predecessors.
Utter rubbish in my experience of owning ten Jaguar's and doing welding repairs to cars for a living. I have repaired 8-10 yr old Toyota Aygo and Hilux models which have had terrible corrosion. I recently welded up an Audi A4 S Line (Ithink it was?) 4x4 estate, the tubular rear subframe had holes in it on both sides. Have repaired Citroen, Ford and VW all around the ten yr old mark. I have a 2001 XJ8 sat outside with some corrosion yes, but not MOT failure rot, just on the wheelarches. My car is 23yrs old!
@@SBT300 Utter rubbish in my experience of owning ten Jaguar's and doing welding repairs to cars for a living. I have repaired 8-10 yr old Toyota Aygo and Hilux models which have had terrible corrosion. I recently welded up an Audi A4 S Line (Ithink it was?) 4x4 estate, the tubular rear subframe had holes in it on both sides. Have repaired Citroen, Ford and VW all around the ten yr old mark. I have a 2001 XJ8 sat outside with some corrosion yes, but not MOT failure rot, just on the wheelarches. My car is 23yrs old!
When that gen of Jaguar arrived i was blown away and wanted one,they are stunning and a true Jaguar.
I’ve owned a 2004 x350 and currently daily drive a 2007.. These are glorious cars! Hidden gems. The 4.2L is silky smooth and powerful. Amazing cars.
It's a Jag. My Dad worked at Jag around this time and I recall he said that the Jag guys didn't like the Ford leadership. But they did bring quality control and efficiency, if not romance. I hired one of these once for at luxury trip and it was a V8. I really enjoyed wafting around in it and it was good on smaller roads. It also had lovely smelling leather and beautiful wood. I wouldn't kick it out of bed. Much much more appealing than an EV!
Jaguar threw a lot of Fords money into building the X350. It’s was a money no object project, which is quite rare in the Automotive world. The way the body shell was designed and built was ground breaking. JLR still use the same technology today in their aluminium bodied vehicles. Used extensively in the new Range Rover. Personally I really like the X351.
This man is a natural presenter and very good at critiquing cars.
I have the Daimler super v8 version. I love her! She's not cosmetically perfect but bloody awesome! Pulls to the moon! Black like that one to. Quite rare compared to the final edition super v8's mine. 2005. Cheers. Always great to see these on the TH-cam.
I had the 3.6l sports premium edition with 20inch sepang alloys. Absolute beauty I don't think I've ever bettered it to date. Drove beautifully. Air suspension was amazing. All leather. Got looks everywhere it went.
Surely the three things you should measure any Jag by are Grace, Space and Pace 😊
I think "progress" sums it up best, Jack. I've had a variety of Jaguar XJs over the years, from Series III XJ6s to X300s and X350s. I ran a 4.2 V8 SE for 12 years and it was by far the best handling, fastest (and most reliable!) of the lot. I've now got a 2004 XJR and it's an absolute monster. I love the earlier cars (I miss my almost pristine Series III) but I don't think I could go back. As others have said here, the air suspension is a pain if it goes wrong but if maintained it's terrific. Now the workshop manual is available to the DIY punter (see forums for downloads) much of the maintenance can be done at home.
Believe it not - Auto Reserve Parts (your favourite Jag spares company!) have one as a race car, a 2.7 diesel and I’m racing it this weekend at Oulton Park! It’s epic (air suspension removed, now has BC Coilovers)
The last of the 'real' Jags. I had three and absolutely loved them
F-Types are real Jags!
@@stevemawer848 Feel too 'German' for my liking
Read your history books and you'll realise there is no such thing, and if he were alive today Lyons wouldn't thank you for saying that either..
@@CurioByBSpokeDesigns Show me a German car that's as gorgeous as an F-Type.
Why three of them?
I’ve always had a soft spot for the x350 xj6 especially in sport trim. The car is so light that it actually performed better than the v6 s-type at the time. It just looks like the ideal chilled out cruiser.
I agree; the X350 is a "proper" Jaguar and so much better than the X308 in all ways bar one: the looks. Having said that, do consider buying that X350 XJR in the future. Presently so much car for the money. Thank you - and Mike - for a great video!
And no Ford engine in the XJR! Admittedly buillt in the Ford Bridgend "factory within a factory" but a completely Jaguar design.
x350 wins on the looks too, x308 lights are a fkin blasphemy - look at all x308's predecessors - front inner lamps need to be smaller... rear lamps are even worse - the typical XJ arc of the rear lamp covers is completely missing
F x308 and F blind people's opinion when it comes to design 😁
only thing that X308 has better is turn signal sound which is so satisfying to hear lol
What is a 'proper' Jaguar then? Funny how so many get it completely wrong.
I know I'm in the minority, but I prefer the looks on the x350, especially from the back. I think the look recalls the glory days of the Series III xj6
Never driven THIS version of the XJ6's in this guise, however I have owned 8 Jag's including a 2005 and 2008 XJ8 when I lived in the USA which were this shape. Those XJ8's where amazing handling cars when the suspension was working BUT a pain in the ass when playing up so understand your comments here. That said, the suspension was also VERY easy to work on so wasnt expensive to fix when doing the work yourself. I recall I would drive from Dallas to Austin regularly and the fuel consumption was actually excellent. even in the more hilly parts of Austin that car would sit at 75MPH at less that 1600 RPM. They truly are great cars to drive and do tend to shrink on tighter roads. I gotta say I kinda miss it.
I enjoy these hypotheses-filled episodes--almost like a session with my personal car-psychiatrist. Thanks.
I know things look better on camera but what a beautiful interior!
Thank you for posting 👍 I bought my first jaguar XJ8 X350 in 2006, a month before Casino Royal hit the big screen. Had it for 2 and half years when it was repoed. My fault for financing a 2 year old XJ8. My current X350 , also an 04, I paid cash for in 2013 and I can’t go long without driving it. Both were the Vanden Plas trim which is my favorite. When the suspension failed a few years in, I had a standard one fitted instead of the air suspension normally on this car. The Bentley arnage and flying Spur would be 2nd favorite. The British hand made cars are truly special.
X350/X358 is probably the best saloon car ever made; certainly the most durable.
I loved my 4.0 X308 Sovereign. I’ve now got an XJ8 3.6 X350 and love that as well. I preferred the looks of the X308. The extra cabin space, better fuel economy and being ulez compliant makes the X350 a better car for me.
I would concur with all of that except to say that my 2002 x308 is ULEZ compliant.
Hi - which one gives the best ride around town ? I have a 2001 xj8 and it’s so plush at low speed. Worried the x350 might not be quite so comfortable around town…
Brilliant, in my mind, the apex of modern Jag sedan evolution. The ones that followed are less "Jaggy" and lack the older car's character. The new ones are also complex with little benefit from that complexity. Buy one of the x350s before the good ones are gone and the prices start rising!
The XJ8 from the x350 generation is 100 kilos lighter than the new Mini EV. Absolutely wild.
I bought a 2003 XJ8 last week, absolutely in love with it. Fuel effiencly is honestly not that bad. It's still a big car.
Lovely car. Not bad performance from a 3 liter.
Greetings from the Netherlands
I have the 3.6l V8 version - its a beautiful car and the best i have ever owned. Its my daily driver and a real head turner too!
X350 was the first Jaguar I was involved with type approving (I was X100/X103/X150 primarily, but we all pitched in where necessary)
I have a 2005 x350 with 28,000 miles on the clock. Love it 😎
Would you recommend the XJ6 or would a XJ8 or XJR be better in your opinion?
Hello. Depends on what you want. The XJR for performance. I’m my opinion not much between XJ8 and XJ6. XJ6 does have plenty power.
I totally misunderstood the grab. Many many years ago here in Australia the thing to do with the older XJs was to drop a Chevy 350 V8 into these cars. My recollection is the Chevy V8 was lighter and (obviously) a lot more powerful than the Jag 6 cylinder and made for a very special car.
The X308 has a soft and velvety ride, with charm and elegance; with a strength of character little can match today
Yet both the front and the rear lights are not of a proper-XJ.
- front lamps: Both inner and outer lamp is the same size 👎🏻
- rear lamps: Where is the arc??? x308 got a rectangular slab instead 👎🏻
All XJs before x40/x300/x308 had those. And x350/x358 does too.
The dashboard is sexy AF though 👍🏻
@@jaromor8808 So what. The xj40 and the 300 looked great to me.
@@jaromor8808 i have been saying that ever since I first saw one! If you have sever seen an X308 parked up next to a much prettier Xj6 series 3, it becomes even more apparent what is wrong with design cues
@@jaromor8808 X308 most bland boot of any Jag. From the rear looks like an X type!
Beautiful.... reminds me very much style wise of my black XType AWD, loved the car, I sold it because of new rules here in France, all petrol cars built before 2006 will be banned from use on certain roads.
My son used it to go skiing without ever having the need of chains, it is rated here together with the S Type as being a good reliable car.
Jack, I had one for over 6 years, great car it made me feel like a captain of industry. It could waft when you wanted to or hustle on the A and B roads. The 3 itre only weighs just over 1500kg which at the time was the lightest Jaguar in the range.
Had a 2003 XJ6 Sport a few years ago, and have owned other jags previously. Was meant to be a bit of a stop gap, kept it 2 and a half years before selling it. Was cheap and had a few minor issues (air con not working, saggy headlining etc). It was great to drive, they 'feel' light. Wish I had kept it.
Enjoyable thanks! I love this generation of Jags. I don't think they looked as good as the previous gen but certainly much easier to live with. Unfortunately here in Australia it's difficult to find a good one, though, as Jags never sold a lot in the first place. An XJ8 in british racing green would be brilliant! Much nicer wood than the fake metal-plastic crap in my current Audi!
The understated X350/358 were groundbreaking for Jaguar. I have ALMOST bought one several times, but keep hanging onto my 2005 X100. One day I'll bite the bullet...
Excellent video.
I met once a member of the design team on this car a couple of years before it was unveiled. They said it would look similar to the current model but a little taller. I thought at the time they would go to something more modern. However now it looks really elegant and a bargain. The interior looks similar to my S Type I had.
I'm 21, and I love all kinds of Jags, I think I get it from my dad 😂
I particularly like the X308 and X350 XJ's, especially the XJR versions. I've got an 02 X-type V6 that I'm currently getting back on the road, I'm honestly thinking about buying an X350 XJ as my next car, I love them.
I owned two of these, both XJ6s. The first was a 2003, bought in 2010, and the second was a 2007, bought in 2016. They were beautiful cars, and I liked them a lot. Both were used to take us to Germany on holiday. The downside was the ridiculous VED charge of well over £500, and the air suspension which, whilst I never had any trouble with it, was a Sword of Damocles constantly hanging over me due to the very expensive parts if it went wrong. There was absolutely no reason for it all being air suspension front and rear, and the later, totally restyled, XJ reverted to steel coils on the front wheels.
It was a real Gentleman's Express Carriage, and I sometimes wonder why I traded it in for a Jaguar XE, but the XE has been fine so far. Would I go back to one ? If I could buy one with steel coil suspension, I might, as there are conversion kits available. There is a small downside with the all-aluminium structure, (even the doors !!), in that they do suffer crevice corrosion which manifests itself as what appears to be bubbling under the paint. This is actually aluminium hydroxide and curing it is fairly simple. Jaguar did finally work out a cure, because my XE is also aluminium, (steel doors, though), and there as been no paint trouble at all.
I was *looking to buy one of the last model year of this generation* (2009) recently to replace my 1995 XJ6. I say last year because that's the only year that one could get ventilated front seats, I believe.
Well, my mission turned out to be a mug's game, as I suspected it might be. You see, *here in Canada virtually all Jaguar models prior to the last generation have effectively ceased to exist.* Let that sink in for a moment. Yes, I mean X300s, X308s, X350s....and we could already forget about XJ40s and Series 3s years ago. Nobody can be more shocked at this development than I am.
*This has been a relatively recent problem.* Even ten years ago one would certainly see a modest number of X300s and X308s at least out and about in Summer. The 2005 to 2009 generation never seemed as popular here, and by now I guess anyone with a good one hangs on to it, and the rest have fallen to the usual demises 'older' cars do---accidents, repairs too expensive to be worth it, etcetera.
A sad denouement if ever there was one in the world of car buffs☹.
It’s very elegant. I do like the hat tip to the earlier Jaguars on the hood. It’s something that modern Jags are missing. The leather looks really nice, I imagine that’s because it’s a Sovereign. It’s a keeper.
I've owned a supercharged V8 X350 for many years and would say it's the last of the real Jags. Very nice example in the video, although the touchscreen is crying out for a JagDroid upgrade.... ;-)
or the one from Jagaux
My mate had one and crashed into the side of a taxi who came out of nowhere at a million miles an hour. Spun the taxi 270° and the air bags in the Jag didn't even go off and we drove home, so it's a robust motor, I'll give it that.
Am still convinced a good cond ie rot free streel body X308 is a stronger car!
Y'know something about how Jaguar managed to style this car has always made it appear smaller and better proportioned than it is.
I was shocked at how massive it is when you knelt down in front for the shot!
The engine was a Mazda engine thats why they fit so well in an MX5.
The Mx5 was originally designed to accommodate a V6.
The x350 2.7D with 20 inch 5 spokes would be my choice.
I have one here in for repairs in Ireland and it only has 54k miles.
Veru nice to look at with the correct wbeels amd late sport bumpers. Otherwise they are very awkward looking.
I'm in general agreement with Jack. The Duratec V6 was designed and engineered by the Ford Motor Company with consultation from Porsche AG. The bulk of the development work for these engines was done in the United States.
Needless to say, Ford Motor Corp used the engine in Ford, Mazda and Jaguar cars because at the time Ford Motor Corp owned Jaguar and part owned (circa 33%) of Mazda.
Jaaag will always have something that german kubelwagens will never have and those are class and elegance, despite all of their technology next to the XJ they all feel like common cars.
And btw this car is not so far behind in terms of technology its just more subtle with it and not in your face, just like other british brands like Aston or Bnetley. Ford did a good job with the last XJ that actually look like an XJ.
Once again you are brilliant in your assessment of this particular jag and a plethora of knowledge and insights...bravo sir
Thank you for this video! Great information! Thought you had speeded up the restoration of your own Jaguar lol.
Do I see the headlining sagging at the back??? It seems ironic that Jaguar developed an adhesive strong enough to bond the body panels together (I heard that the rivets were just "belt and braces") but couldn't find one that would hold the headlining up for more than five minutes! This seems to have been a problem with Jaguars for years, so much so that there is a cottage industry out there making replacements.
My brother ran this very model/engine for about 10yrs and, apart from missing a couple of cylinders aside, it was a perfectly lovely place to be.
He part ex-ed it for the X350 Super V8 lwb eventually. Curious to know what that one is all about...
The 300 series V6 sensibly used steel liners in the block, but the V8 used Nikasil coated liners, which cannot be rebored - speak to Lee at Barum Engines if you do not understand the implications of this...
Ford 3.0 Duratec has this going for it as well ... Cleveland Engine plant #2 ... same place where the 351 Cleveland V8 comes from. So yes the Porsche and Cosworth DNA is there ... and the American DNA has something going for it as well.
This looks much better than ANY of the new sedans in the market. A real classic look. And as you said about the previous generation... I agree, it always looks too flat and long. You said it perfectly. This generation looks much more balanced.
Over a 30 year period I had 4 UR Audi quattro's, then a 3.2 straight 6 1995 Jaguar X308, then a 2001 4.0V8 X308. Then I moved to Australia. I have never had an x350... but may yet... The quattro's weren't comparable to a Jag, but fun for different reasons. The V8 4.0 X308 was a lovely car, and having been registered in Reading, was subsequently seen driving in all Capital cities of Australia before I left it behind in Perth. I fancy a V8 X350. It is just 5cm too long for the garage though! In 2024 a lot of car but the air suspension is the risk..... to otherwise economic luxury
Thanks, Jack -great review. I'd like to see your take on the XF at some point 👍
Why?? You do realise that Jack is just a TH-camr that likes cars and he's simply sharing his subjective opinion. So, does it really matter if he likes the XF or not??
It looks like a great car and a Jaguar to me, very desirable.
Excellent stuff as always Jack buddy 👍
i have had the Xj40 the Xj 3 liter and the XJ v8 4.2 which was great! just swapped it for the modern XJ oil burner which i am getting used too but is great at the pumps!!
Having had many "real Jags" from the 1970's era right through to a 2003 S Type, I am happy to accept the X350 as a real Jag. It looks right, has the right interior, great engine choices and drives right. In my opinion and only having driven an X350 once, the handling and ride is right too. The X350 is the last real XJ, what followed is the X351 coffin in which Jaguar have killed off and buried the XJ.
Whats left, the XE, XF and F Type, they are OK. I went on the Jaguar Cars website the other day. Looked up an F Type, to my dismay there were very dark and gloomy photos of the car and not a single mention of engines. Sadly, it looks to me like the Jaguar brand is being prepped for a funeral once they have killed it off in a year or five.
Production of the F-type ceased a few months ago, the F-pace, E-pace, XF and XE are all being cancelled this summer aswell. Jaguar are going through a complete rebrand and will only sell electric cars in the future. Apparently, they're also stepping up in the market and will compete against brands like Bentley.
Lovely car. Sort of drags you into the modern world.
Loving that interior! Reminds me of the Rover 75's
I have the identical look at 2002 XJ8 same color everything Sane interior.
I never realized they sold a 6cyl version outside of the US. I'm glad we only got the V8s.
I owned one of these and absolutely loved it. I’ve had Rollers before and it drove better than them. It was like driving cream!
The cabin was fantastic and so ‘English Gentleman’s Club’. But it suffered from the common Jag problem of not starting because of constant battery drain which I got sick of. If that hadn’t kept happening I’d have kept it. Especially as I ran it on LPG which made no difference to performance.
I wouldn't swop my jaguar it's a beautiful car
Enjoying these real-world car reviews. Loving the coincidence of you poking along the same lanes as Harry Metcalf in his exoticas! I used to ahem 'test drive' my own cars along there years ago - a great bit of road to do great reviews on!
The x350 with the baby v8 was pretty decent aswell
x350 is the best last real looking Jag, one with mesh grill looks better and X358 too sometimes if its Vanden Plas version with chrome side vents, that one looks sick too.
I think it can be called a Jaguar. It has aluminium panels so that has to be a bonus doesn't it? The only thing that slightly puts me off is the grill but other than that it sits just fine. A very balanced review Jack thank you and thanks to Mike for bringing the car down. 👍👍
With 20" alloys they look the business and the interior is gorgeous, body coloured and mesh grille is a must. I've not driven the V6 but without the sophisticated sound and smoothness of the V8s I'd feel cheated.
In terms of looks my favourite is it's predecessor, but this one is the last jaguar that looked like a jaguar
Yes it is a Jag Jack. The interior finish looks very Jaguar.
Yeah, nice car Jack!
A long time ago I had an XJ 4.0 sovereign and know exactly what you mean. Deep sills and short doors, always felt a bit of a chore clambering in & out of it, for a luxury car that is!
I still think it’s the best handling car with the most cosseting ride I’ve ever owned and I loved it! Great vid as always!
REGGIE FOR EVER!😂❤👍
Both the 1999 S-Type and 2001 X-Type were developed by Ford, using Ford platforms and came earlier than the X350.
The X350 was the first Jaguar XJ generation designed entirely under Ford's ownership.
I had one for 6 years a 54 plate and I absolutely loved my time with it. Yes during that time I had annoying lights pop up now again handbrake several times but nearly every time I switched it off it would clear. Quite amazing the amount of compliments I had during that time,sold it just over 2 years ago simply because I got myself a dog and the interior was pretty pristine the rear seats still looked almost like a new car and just thought the dog would wreck it.
Great car. Way ahead of her time for construction quality and on board technology, reliable and not invasive. Think she hasn't been really understood by the audience, when she came out. That was my first choice, but looking for a x350 I found a nearly new X308. And, sorry, the x308 is the real last Jaguar. More than that, to me x308 is THE Jaguar. Thanks Jack!
We have a 1999 X308 with the 4L V8 and a 2000 S-type with the same V6 as this X350 and a Ford 5-speed gearbox. Frankly if you are budget conscious and want a decent Jag that won't kill you on maintenance costs, the S-type with this engine is a great choice. Ford did Jag a lot of good.
The S-type is a Ford LS platform car sharing chassis and underpinnings with the Lincoln LS and Ford Thunderbird of the same era. But the suspension is more sport tuned and very responsive along with the engine upgrades.
A lot of aftermarket parts are available for very reasonable prices due to the shared platform. Jaguar taught Ford a thing or two about suspension design as well. Their signature double wishbone multi-link suspension underpins both ends but with modern coil over struts.
This one might be better in every aspects but I prefer the previous generation, in my opinion it had better proportions, and the sleek design is gorgeous.
Its my opinion any way.
I had the older XJ40 years ago and what irritated me more than anything else was the f**king handbrake! Constantly digging into my left leg, I wondered for the short time I owned it (about a year) who decided to place the handbrake between the drivers seat and the transmission tunnel. Madness!
I'm in the middle of replacing the right side low beam bulb, what a pain in the butt! The left side was not easy but at least the clamshell came out fairly easily, for some reason the right side unit is really fighting me.
I love my X350 XJ8 4.2, but I am having isuues with a couple of small areas of bubbling under the paint, presumably from oxidisation of the aluminium body. Apparently, this is quite expensive to put right.
I like the original series 1, 2, 3 cars, but they're long in the tooth, and very thirsty. I personally really like the XJ40, but they rust badly, have electronics problems, and the AJ6 engines leak like sieves. The X300 is probably my favourite overall, with the AJ16 being the last great Jaguar engines, but there are parts availability issues. I wouldn't touch an X308 with a 10 foot barge pole. I really like the X350 XJ6 petrol (as reviewed). And IMO the X351 is a stunning design, but I'm not so convinced by the interior design. The diesel has a good reputation but I'm not convinced by the petrols. As an ownership proposition in 2024, if I lived outside of a ULEZ/CAZ zone, I'd be tempted by an X300, but as I live in London, for me it would have to be an X350 XJ6 petrol ((as reviewed).
I was at Jaguar Cars at the time this was launched as a powertrain development engineer. we were all very pleased with this car. I remember that the Bangle 7 Series came out at a similar time and that seemed unbelievably ugly compared to the X350.
I think that the 7 Series' looks are now far less controversial and it now looks quite edgy, in a positive way, so it'd be interesting to see the two side by side.
Nice car apart from the wheels and the grille, was never a fan of that and preferred the Sepangs and Sport mesh grille, these are the ones to have, but even the Sovereign is becoming a classic now and a bit of a head turner due to its hertiage styling. I've had a few (7) and still got a couple including the X-350 XJR currently being done up...looks like the roads around Blenheim- Beautiful vid for an under rated but superb car!
another car that Jack puts back on the list of desirable cars to remember
Having owned the X350 XJ6 3.0 as well as the 3.5 and 4.2 XJ8s, the V6 is more fun in the backroads, and although the V8s have more lazy torque, the six revs more freely and will still happily cruise at impressively high speeds
The american jag was the Lincoln LS, which was better than the S-type it was based on.
Piano black scratches up really nice. Just hit it with a Brillo pad.
Don’t forget to indicate when leaving the kerb.😊
Your personality definitely defines your videos and always has Jack, nice looking Jag wirh a beautiful interior.
Ironically there is a Ulez exemption sweet spot for some big ol Jags from circa 2003
My 2001 XJ8 is clean and green to go through Bradford "Clean Air (Tax) Zone". Not that I want to visit Bradford but sometimes I have to go through it. As for London, I wouldn't go there at all.
Most petrol cars are exempt as far as I can tell
I really enjoy your show & also that of Jayemm's. Keep your special interest stuff coming, for it is joyful.
I'd have one of them anyday over the modern, bland products.
Wasnt the Lotus elise the first bonded (glued) and riveted aluminium chassis constructed car ? i could be very wrong though!!
Realy like this model. Nice line , good design.
My friend has one and loved sitting in the back
A beautiful luxo rather than techno barge, and one of the final real Jaguars. Now they're pretty much an electric SUV manufacturer.
The last real Jaguar
You are absolutely correct about the generation thing. A real Jag has an XK engine and hails from the 1960s, such as a 3.8 S, which gets you the IRS as well as a proper leaper on the nose. In a similar way, you cannot beat the Rover V8 P6B.
Hell yes this is a real Jag, what's on the road now is a abomination look wise, it's completely unrecognizable as a jag, they've even taken away the classic hood ornament, this model with the V8 supercharged is perfection, a taller bigger stance is great compared to predecessors whilst maintaining all key jag styling cues.
Jack, another great video full of amazing info. And yes it's a Jag..