1996 Jaguar XJR review from UK and Ireland

Those beautifully curved flanks seem to attract every parking dinks going.

When I bought the car, I fitted a set of brand new Pirelli PZeros. The tramlining, noise levels and twitchy handling characteristics they gave the car really made me feel hugely disappointed with it - it just felt badly set up - almost as if it had been in an big accident and the chassis not realigned properly - I almost sold it again immediately. Having driven another XJR and found it to be so much better I bit the bullet and paid £750 for a set of Michelin Sports. It completely transformed the car!! It now rides well, drives superbly, sticks to the road like glue, it's quite quiet (if you want quiet don't run wide low profile tyres!) and has more than restored my faith - but at a cost!

Slight whine from back axle developing.

Without doubt one of the top automotive bargains available.

Just to think, the car's previous owner had spent £50,000, including all the extras, to buy it 8 years ago and I paid 10% of that. That kind of value cannot be ignored.

It has done 25,000 miles in a year for me without a murmur.

Rear seats very cramped. Forget having adults or large teenagers in the back for a long journey - especially if the driver is a fat individual of over 6ft - I know, I am that man.

Fast, comfortable, bags of cachet. Love it to pieces.