British brand’s luxury saloon that’s been discontinued for five years can match the speed of BMW M3 & is now under £5k

A LUXURY saloon car with a level of class that is only underpinned by its top speed can be bought for a bargain price – some five years after it was retired.

The famous nameplate was on sale from 1968 and ran all the way through to 2019 before being finally discontinued.

The Jaguar XJ is one of the British brands most well-loved models and, since day one, was a big seller.

In fact, the XJ ‘sedan’ remains Jag’s best-selling model since its launch in 1968, amassing sales of 680,530 units.

While the example from the 1970s through to the 1980s is perhaps the most iconic XJ sold, the most recent version – sold from 2010 through to 2019 – is by-far the most luxurious and naturally comes with an array of modern features.

Despite that, the newest XJ – also known as the X351 – can be picked up at a pinch in 2024 and we were able to find an example on the Autotrader website for just £4,700.

This 2012 model does come with a fairly sizable 151,000 miles on the clock, but features the popular 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine with an automatic transmission.

Other highlights include a plush leather interior, ‘Ivory Jaguar Suedecloth’ Poemium headlining, built-in sat-nav and xenon headlights.

This iteration of the XJ is championed for its refinement that’s great for long-distance driving, coupled with a muscular performance that can see it hit 60 mph in six seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.

This impressive power is comparable to the limited top speed of the mythical BMW M3.

Notably, the XJR model’s limited top speed is raised to a stonking 174 mph.

Jaguar did originally plan to continue the XJ nameplate, even lining up an electric XJ – before the ambitious project was cancelled in February 2021.

Towards the end of its existence, the XJ had become Jaguar’s least popular model and sold only 301 units in September 2018 – with the likes of the F-Pace SUV and XE saloons out-selling it.

Today, Jaguar are going through something of a transitional period, recently announcing they won’t sell any new cars in the UK for an entire year after they unveil their upcoming EV sports car.

The company has scrapped its entire product range in order to meet its target of going electric-only from 2025.

The move sees the end of the road for the firm’s iconic petrol models – breaking an illustrious 88-year tradition.

Only one model, the F-Pace, will see its production run extended into 2025 but Managing Director Rawdon Glover has confirmed that no new vehicles, ICE or EV, will hit showrooms before 2026.

The change is set to come into effect in Europe by the end of this year, with the UK deadline in the early part of 2025.

Elsewhere, a classic Jaguar left inside a barn for 40 years after an attempted theft has been found alongside a Rolls-Royce.