I have just wandered through what I suspect are the bulk of the pictures of your "new" XJR. I will have to complain to my doctor next week about my new problem of excess salivation. I'll have to have a towel handy if I look at any more.

The color is just stunning. It puts me sadly in mind of my '06 VDP that was totaled by a falling pine one night in townhouse parking lots. (Sadly, I have no garage.) I replaced it with an '03 VDP (30k miles) in Quartz with a charcoal interior. It's grown on me.

I've driven an XJR, though I cannot recall if it was a 308 or a 350/358. They have more power than I really need to have at hand!

So, what a drop dead gorgeous vehicle. I hope you enjoy the heck out of it. Oh yeah, great pictures of your drive home. Such beautiful countryside.

 

Thanks eliotb… glad you enjoyed the pictures although I doubt you’ve seen the bulk of them ( the bulk of them don’t even get posted.

Sorry to hear about your’06 VDP. I have had two Series 3 V12 VDP’s written off through no fault of mine - an ‘87 and a ‘92 - so I know how painful it is.

It’s true that the XJR has more power than I need but, like the V12’s, it’s less that they’re needed and more wanting them simply because they exist.

I share your opinion that the Carnival Red Mica is a stunning colour. I knew before picking it up that it “wasn’t a two foot car” but it is an exceptional “six foot car” and exceptionally photogenic.

I applied a coat of the Meguiars Liquid Gold Class Carnauba this morning and think it might be similar - it looks quite good from six feet but not quite as good from two, possibly because I followed their directions and applied it to the whole car before buffing it off instead of sequencing three panels through as I’m used to. I’ll see how it improves after a wash or two and a second coat.

 

Ah yes - I forgot that your numbers plates are smaller than the UK ones. That might be why some have had to drill holes.

Here's hoping you never have to worry about the issue!

 

I posted that and then realised I was not replying to the latest post - what a treat those last photographs are!

The red is really an absolutely gorgeous colour, the Meguiars appears to have done wonders to me!

 

It's amazing how darn close Carnival Red Mica and the Radiance Pearl on my late '06 VDP are to one another. More drooling on this end today, along with a few tears at my lost 350. Our 4.0/5-speeds are great. The 4.2 engine/x-speed is a nice step up from that. I loved ride of the air shocks ... when they weren't leaking.

Enjoy your new toy.

 

I'm reading all these comments about the beautiful red of Ken's car and am inclined to agree. Being from the blue side of Liverpool, however, having a red car is unthinkable. I wouldn't be allowed into the car park on matchday! I'll have to make do with my lovely Sapphire Blue X308.

 

Thanks Chris… It had Victoria Yellow paste wax when we picked her up which is what you see in the earlier photos but I can’t find it here (except on-line). I prefer a paste but the Meguiars liquid isn’t supposed to leave a haze on rubber or plastic trim so I thought I would give it a try (and it didn’t so that’s a plus).

 

Having spent hundreds and perhaps thousands of hours detailing and waxing Jaguars, I can say that the Victoria Wax - both in their Concours (red) and Collector (yellow) formulations produces a finish which is simply superb - glassy smooth and without any evidence of spider-webbing. It is also ultra easy to use. I have used virtually every "professional grade" wax available and this is the very best and easiest to use.
This car is a 1992 V12 Vanden Plas (a model Jaguar built for Canada ONLY) in Black Cherry. Look closely at the paint finish with Victoria Wax Concours formulation:







and a 1990 V12 Vanden Plas in Jaguar Racing Green:


and a 1966 Mark 2 - much harder to see because of the colour but look at the reflection on the rear door. This car is done in the Victoria Wax yellow Collector formulation:



and Jaguar Racing Green on a 2007 XK - again, simply a glassy mirror finish with zero spider webbing or hazing. This is Victoria Wax Concours (red) formulation again:

 

Aaah Gregory...

Such beautiful photos of such beautiful cars. And having seen some of them in person I know the photos don't do the cars or their finish justice.

As you know, it was sixteen years ago that I bought a Jaguar sight unseen over the internet from someone I had never met.

I did the same thing again eight years after that although by that time we had met several times.

And then I did the same thing yet again eight years after that which is what effectively started this thread.

I am happy to report that I am still batting a thousand after three trips to the plate.

And despite that (or perhaps because of it?) you apparently think I should now be buying wax sight unseen over the internet from who knows who??? Oh the horrors...

 

The gloss on that V12 Vanden Plas is incredible!

 

Chris, I have had the pleasure of seeing that car in person on more than one occasion both on the concours field and on the road. It was the most exquisite Series car I have ever seen both inside and out and would hold its own against just about any other car I’ve ever seen.

That rear quarter panel photo that shows off the finish also highlights it’s Black Cherry colour with the red emphasizing how much muddy brown was in Jaguar’s typical blacks (to their detriment I might add) and noting that Black Cherry is NOT a typical Jaguar black.

As an aside, that was a very very successful car “on the field” despite being driven to the field - no trailer queen she - and being driven regularly if never in the rain.

The same things could be said for that pretty little Primrose Yellow Mark 2.

 

."Muddy" is definitely not a term that would apply to the Black Cherry colour on the 1992 cars - it is a very complex colour that (properly maintained) has multiple hues. Here is the same car on the concours field in Seattle, being judged. When the sun hits this colour, look at the result:



But without direct sun it can look almost black (appropriately, given the colour name):


The sound track to this photo runs something like this: "There's got to be something. Keep looking!" And they did: the judges this day found one and only one defect - a bug caught between the headlamp chrome trim and the fender curve. Not too bad after a drive from Victoria to Seattle. This car is #92 of the last 100 V12 VDP cars produced.

 

I thought I was clear but it appears I wasn’t so I have added “and noting that Black Cherry is NOT a typical Jaguar black” to my last post. The muddy brown reference was to their typical black, not Black Cherry which as you noted was/is a very complex and beautiful colour.

As for the bug caught between the headlamp chrome trim and the fender curve being all they could find, that’s what happens when they’re looking at “a 6” car” rather than a “6’ car”.

 

A couple of “looking back and taking a picture” photos from yesterday:




And a few more from this morning on not as nice a morning (the weather, not the car):





The Meguiars’ needs another coat or two and it might not quite be up to Victoria Wax standards but it’s not too shabby.

And this arrived yesterday for the naked cam cover although I’m not sure when it will get on:



Non Jaguar but some photos of art work in the office lobby I was visiting;

 

Turtle wax works for me.

 

It got wet, oh no! I bought my cam cover decal from the same guy on FB, looks great on the car.

 

I know!!! Although, for what it's worth, I'm in no hurry for a return to those days when overcast with a light rain is just wishful thinking:

 

I'm cold just looking at that forecast

 

Exceptional car and colour, they were Daimler in the UK.

I almost opted for Black Cherry for the rebuild, but chickened out - it's evolved slightly from the almost purple fleck to a more red over the years, having seen only a few Jaguars special ordered in this colour - because you need a lot of light on the paint chip for it to 'come alive', I had to go outside the paintshop and into the sun for it to go from black to these amazing deep reds. I looked at 2010/2011 chips, the later XF/XJ/XK really suit it.

Again, what a gorgeous car compliments to the owners of all of them!

 

No update, just picking up some stuff for the grandkids before grocery shopping.