Man buys VIP Jaguar XJ8 at auction but immediately notices something mysterious about it

Published on Dec 06, 2025 at 2:50 AM (UTC+4)
by Daisy Edwards

Last updated on Dec 04, 2025 at 9:01 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones

You might think buying a VIP Jaguar XJ8 at auction would be the end of the story for one wealthy buyer, but they immediately noticed something mysterious about it – turning what looked like an easy win into a strange story.

The long wheelbase sedan seemed perfect during his first inspection, but that was not the enduring feeling.

When he returned to collect it, something important had already disappeared.

The incident really set the tone for a restoration project that had some unexpected issues along the way.

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Nothing classier than a VIP Jaguar XJ8

A man had a vision, and he thought this was the car for it.

The car was a 2000 Jaguar XJ8 Executive Long Wheelbase, the stretched version built for extra comfort.

It had just over 106,000 miles, a clean black leather interior, and glossy trim that still looked premium two and a half decades later.

The massive rear doors and adjustable front passenger controls delivered classic early-2000s VIP luxury.

Under the hood sat a 3.2-litre V8 engine that started quietly, showing why these engines were once praised for refinement and embodying the class associated with the prestigious luxury British brand.

Everything seemed correct at the classics auction, but it was when he returned after winning the bid, the iconic leaping Jaguar hood ornament had been ripped off.

The auction house checked CCTV, confirmed the theft, and promised a replacement – but it seemed that the mysteries had begun before he even drove the car home.

Something mysterious

A bigger issue appeared when he checked the engine, because the V8 engine idled smoothly, but the check engine light stayed on, and the revs dipped whenever he touched the throttle.

Not wanting to risk damage, he trailered the car home, suspecting a fuel or air sensor fault.

The Jag cost him under $2.6K, a bargain for a long wheelbase model, but he expected more surprises.

The YouTuber had loved the classic Jag style, and he wanted to revive a car he had loved since childhood, so for him, the next step was diagnosing the engine mystery before taking the VIP Jag on its first proper drive.

Theft, engine disasters, and a luxury British brand made this car mystery truly an epic one that persists until he works out how to get the stunning car back on the road.

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Daisy Edwards is a Content Writer at supercarblondie.com. Daisy has more than five years’ experience as a qualified journalist, having graduated with a History and Journalism degree from Goldsmiths, University of London and a dissertation in vintage electric vehicles. Daisy specializes in writing about cars, EVs, tech and luxury lifestyle. When she's not writing, she's at a country music concert or working on one of her many unfinished craft projects.