I’ve been driving and owning X308 Jaguars for around 15 years now having bought my first one in 2009. It was a dream car for me, I had a press shot of one on my bedroom wall growing up when everyone else lusted after Italian or Japanese sports cars. My ownership has not been consistent though, I’ve had several periods of being between Jaguars, but I seem to find myself back behind the wheel of a 308 eventually.

I’ve owned my current one since November 2023 and I’ve been driving it around here and there as I work though some of the issues she’s got. But today whilst creeping though some early rush hour traffic it occurred to me I haven’t actually seen another one on the road for a while now. As I looked around me in the fading light I realised that there were several of the same type of cars, mostly the same colour and there I sat in my BRG Jaguar XJR which stood out amongst the silver and grey jelly moulds.

I am lucky enough to be the owner of a few classic cars and whilst I love them to pieces they do attract attention whenever I take them out. I’m a pretty quiet person who enjoys his privacy, and it can be a bit much when for the eighteenth time that hour someone has honked at you in traffic or shouted to you. But the X308 is different. It has without a doubt reached reached classic status, but it’s a cool classic that slinks below the radar of the masses of armchair car experts and is appreciated by the educated few.

So as I continued my journey home I paid a bit more attention to those around me and whilst most people paid me no attention whatsoever, I did notice the few who’s eyes were caught as the big cat went by or the odd person who deliberately took a look at the lights instead of immediately looking at their phone. Despite the car being 23 years old it still very much stands out and is instantly recognisable as a Jaguar, more than the modern ones ever will.

But for me the best part is when you’re cruising along the motorway and someone in a car they believe to be fast lurches up behind you and begins to hassle you. I just love looking in the mirror at their face as they quickly learn the old car that was in their way and is now quickly disappearing still has a wicked bite.

 

We don't see many 308 around here, either. See many more in the San Francisco area when we visit each year to see my daughters. Last year my wife and I spent a week in England: mostly in London/Westminster, but a road trip to Bath and the Stone Henge. Saw only one: a silver grey north side of the Waterloo Bridge. Never saw a 350/358. Bunches of the newer models parked in the streets in Mayfair.

 

They’re rare now, any left are survivors barely hanging on or enthusiasts cars that get the appropriate amount of attention. They’ve had their cheap used car period and only the strong survive.

I do see a few of the X350 models going around, but they’re becoming rarer.

 

"silver and grey jelly moulds." What an appropriate description.

 

There are a handful in my area that I see sometimes, but mine is the only XJR I've seen in my area in the last year or so.

 

Defiantly getting a bit scarce everywhere...I occasionally see one in the Atlanta area but not like a few years ago. The two red ones we drive also get looks and compliments from young and old. I dropped my granddaughter at her Wednesday church class last week and a 15 year old kid ran up to the car and said, "Cool Car!" The 308's were truly a beautiful design and a classic and a pleasure to drive.

 

saw my first x308 XJR out in the wild since owning my car (nearly 2 years now) the other day. White with white pentas parked at the grocery store.

I see the occasional xj8 or vdp, but nowhere near a regular occurrence. Saw a series 3 the other day also, which basically never happens.

 

I was at the food store and some guy commented as I was getting in my X308 to leave.
He said "I remember these cars."

Guess they are getting harder to find?

 

Excellent write up, and couldn’t agree more. I went to a local cars and coffee the other day, and was quite surprised with the amount of interest. Couple of early twenties guys walked past and saw the pillar “V8” emblem, and jokingly said “oh wow a V8” since they’re dime a dozen at these meets. Reaction was quite a bit different when I popped the hood for them! Another guy stopped to chat and we compared notes against his E39 M5. Said he always loved this but couldn’t make the leap and went the BMW route, instead. He was glad to see one still on the road (and being used, daily!) Asked me if it still gets up to go and I explained I was at triple digits most of the ride over. No shade to the E39 or BMWs generally (wife has an M2), but there’s something about the *look* of these that just gets people to smile. A perfect balance of old world artistry and new-enough mechanics.

 

As little as three years ago, I remember seeing a couple of the Big Cats around town. I had a friend that owned
a Beautiful Madera Mica X-308 but has since moved and occasionally I would see a white one parked at various
places. These days, I have not seen ANY...even at the car swap meets which is extensive in Pigeon Forge Tn.
I am beginning to think that the complexity and expense required to keep these ladies on the road might be causing
some look for something cheaper for upkeep but certainly less desirable.

 

They’re definitely getting rare and scarce now, I can’t remember the last time I saw an X300 or XJ40 on the road either now I think about it. I think part of it is that it’s so easy for people to get hold of new cars now that they’ve literally become disposable items, much like phones or iPads. No one needs to fix their car on Sunday so they can go to work on Monday anymore, they all have cars on EZ finance deals or have cars given to them on a disability allowance (UK thing called Motability). So only true enthusiasts will be looking at XJ8s now, I’ve stopped short of saying car guys because the vast majority are fickle and seem to follow the trends of the moment whereas proper car enthusiasts will appreciate cars for what they are.

Back in 2009 it was a close run thing between me buying my first XJ8 or an E38 BMW 740i, I loved both cars and had dreamed about both all through my teenage years but it was the Jag that won and continues to win.

 

A similar story for me, in 2008 I had 2 cars I was actively shopping for, an Avus Blue E39 M5 BMW or an XJR100...having not seen a 100 for sale for nearly 18 months I almost gave up and bought a silver M5, but then it popped up and I won it on eBay. 16 years, where did that go?!

 

In 2005 I had a hankering for one of the new Land Rover Discoveries (called LR3, here in the Colonies!). But I couldn't decide which car to give up: my 2001 XJ8 (Canadian model) or my 2004 BMW Z4. Traded the Jag. Regretted it almost immediately. In 2013, now driving a 2008 Supercharged Range Rover Sport, I spy this 2001 XJL on the local BMW lot; traded the RRS/SC (dealer said it was the first time they ever gave money back on a trade). Drove and repaired the Jag for three years until it was obvious my old knees wouldn't let me out of the Jag. Traded it for a 2013 RRS (5 liter Jag engine). As soon as I got both knees renewed; regretted losing the Jag. Dumped the RRS for a lease on new series Continental; did it again after a Bambi f***** up the first one. Getting close to lease end, I spy this white 2003 . . . .

 

Where I live there is one xj40, one x100 and my x308. In town closeby there used to be one x350. I've seen twice one Daimler Super V8 x308 in the same motorway. So not so common here either. Jaguar used to be and still is very expensive car to buy. Only super rich people could buy these when they were new. In those days there were saying what is coarsly translated: price of a house made of stone.

 

I see a couple of late X300s on my way to work, both parked together on the same drive. it's quite rare to see another proper Jag on the road. my neighbour has a XF, but it's an XF & diesel so not a proper Jag.

 

I know I have mentioned him before, our cars were designed by him, Geoff Lawson, from 1984 -1999. He absolutely got the design language of Jaguar Cars Limited.
He passed away at his height, at 55.
He was responsible for the entire line up of models in the period from 84' to the 2004 X350, including the XJ220 (But not the XJR15, that was designed by the McLaren F1 designer Peter Stevens).

Without him I'm almost certain Jaguar would have folded, his designs brought Ford's finance and world wide network of parts suppliers, and the move to Whitley.

Ian Callum's designs? Each one has to have rather large branding on it to distinguish it from other brands, 6" leapers and big JAGUAR badges adorn the latest F X R derivatives, and now they have announced their flagship car, their aspirational super saloon that dates back to the hot MKI's that Mike Hawthorn, our first British Formula One world champion raced, to the MKII 3.8 every London gangster required, to the XJ series of the late 60's that again brought Jaguar to the front followed by series 2 and 3. There is where Lawson came in and the seamless continuation.

Once the shift was completed, they were no longer Browns Lane Factory cars, and no longer Jaguar, even the guys at the factory felt it, I spent the day at Halewood with a production team.

We drive the last, and the BEST.

 

Nice history lesson. It is rather odd to see a prominent and respected product line to sink into
design obscurity, however it could be that new owners are only interested in profit rather than
maintaining expectations. That said, the newer jaguars do not even bear a resemblance to the
style and composition I would look for.

 

There are a few X300s and 308s that I see reasonably regularly in Northern Virginia, and 350s as well. I've even seen a stray XJ40 on occasion. Interestingly, and perhaps tellingly, I don't see all that many of the XJs and XFs that came after the 358s. I sometimes see a "two Jag" driveway as well, usually models 2010 or newer.

We have a dealership group that had a LR franchise and a few years ago added Jaguar, moved to a huge facility built for the two lines, and is now seeing the Jaguar marque fading. I suspect they're wondering why they sank so much money into the project.

 

This week instead of standing alone, I stood out instead! The weather has been cold and icy this week in the UK and we had a light dusting of snow. It was so light that people who live in actual cold climates must point and laugh at how the UK can’t cope when the weather turns bad; we are useless.

On Thursday as I left my house to go to work the accessory belt snapped on my daily driver Volvo which rendered it useless. The temperature was -5°c and the snow had turned to ice. Unable to do anything there and then I switched to the XJR and after defrosting I set off. As I picked my way through the chaos on the two mile drive to work, I felt calm, warm and relaxed. Whilst I was very late for work I simply didn’t care, I’ve never felt stressed in a 308.

Over the last two days I’ve noticed people noticing the big cat slinking through the chaos, whilst others are driving with partially defrosted windows or wrapped up in big coats and hats I’ve been floating past in my climate controlled cocoon. I’ve had nods off people, waves and people in car parks stopping to look. The car now needs a wash, but she handled the conditions with poise and dignity, unlike a certain German brand.

Like Sean said, they are the last and the best.

 

I completely agree. Here is my '98 VDP