Pick Of The Day: 2000 Jaguar Xjr

There are several reasons why suits are still the go-to for many special occasions and business environments. Here are two: they can give you presence and confidence. I don’t wear suits often but, when I do, I can’t help but feel a little cooler and slicker. Consider our Pick of the Day the automotive equivalent of a well-cut dark suit. You can find this 2000 Jaguar XJR listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Beverly Hills.

The Jaguar XJ sedan has always been attractive but, if you ask me, the 1998-2003 X308 generation is the best-looking one of them all. With its quad round headlights, sculpted hood, and slim, sleek silhouette, it carried on the slinky, feline styling of its X300 predecessor. Every time I see one on the road, I can’t help but stare at it lovingly, with daydreams of owning one and gliding through traffic soon to follow. The X308 combined that unmistakably Jaguar design with a revised cabin fitted with Connolly leather; burl walnut trim; a new dashboard, instrument cluster, and center stack; and more safety features, among other updates.

Following the release of the XK8, the first Jaguar with a V8, the XJ received the naturally aspirated, 290-horsepower 4.0-liter DOHC AJ-V8. The high-performance XJR was equipped with a supercharger that boosted output to 370 horsepower and 387 lb-ft of torque, as well as a sport-tuned independent suspension. Jaguar paired the V8 with a five-speed automatic—the first ever in a Jaguar sedan.

More than a quarter century after it left Jaguar’s factory, this 2000 XJR still looks dashing with its mesh grille inserts, “leaper” hood ornament, and sporty 18-inch “Asteroid” wheels. I usually find that dark paint obscures a lot of a car’s lines, but the Anthracite Metallic here gives the XJR a sleek, sinister appearance that a powder blue or British Racing Green can’t match.

The interior, furnished with Warm Charcoal hides and generous cuts of wood veneer on the door panels, steering wheel, dash, shift knob, and center stack, has a decadent, club-like atmosphere. If you can take your eyes off that handsome combination of colors and materials, you’ll see features such as a power-adjustable steering column, steering wheel-mounted audio/cruise control/phone buttons, and a 320-watt, nine-speaker Alpine audio system with a six-CD changer.

If you look closely, you’ll also spot that there are only 65,241 miles on the odometer. A car this gorgeous needs to be seen by more people, which means it needs to be driven more. If you want to be the person who adds to that low mileage figure, it’ll cost you $19,750.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com