When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I mentioned this in my other thread, but it's important enough to ask directly: just how rare is a long-wheelbase black X300 interior, on any side of the pond? Am I embarking on a fool's errand trying to track one down for reasonable money - that is, for less than it'd cost to have it all custom-made?
On a related note, I'm under the assumption that an XJR black interior would provide everything except rear door cards, sills, and carpet (headliner I would redo myself). Is this the case? The seats would be a different shape, though I don't know what either are like to begin with. Sill plates are simply dyed plastic? In that case, all I really need to hunt down is the rear door panels and carpet?
A check of my 1996 color and upholstery guide for the USA shows that the Vanden Plas and XJ12 (LWB cars) were never offered with a black (Charcoal) interior. That would make it extremely rare! Apparently only a special order from the factory. Don't know if this is the case for other markets.
That leaves you to get a SWB XJ6 or XJR with a black interior and swap out. You could probably paint your LWB rear door cards and trim to match (vinyl paint), and customize the rear carpet fit by sectioning in a piece across the rear floor pan. I believe the seats would all mount up correctly.
A parts car with a black interior, plus a few inexpensive mods would probably cost a lot less than custom-made new items!
Not appearing in the brochure for half of its (two) model years? Thanks for that info; that's an unquantified but meaningful measure of probability approaching zero.
Dye and paint are possibilities in theory, but while I've seen good paint on rigid surfaces, I've never seen a good leather redye in practice.
IIRC.. the one I saw, was a 1997. Is there any way to tell apart from a 96? It was for sale some uncertain time ago for 10k at a JLR dealer in (Seattle?) WA. There was another one whose year I forget (but definitely a 300, not 308), for sale some uncertain time ago in Virginia. Text description mentioned a very rare black interior but no photos. I saved photos of the first one for reference, and frankly just for eye candy:
There was a LWB Sovereign ( lower equipped ) X300 series model made for the US known as the X306 with the non - supercharged 4.0 liter that may have come in a black interior . Saw one in person but not black interior
The X305 is the V12 engine X300
There was a model production numbers chart I had somewhere maybe later
Last edited by Parker 2; Jul 16, 2020 at 04:04 AM.
A ha! What we are looking at (and looks delicious) is a 1997 XJ6L. Not a VDP, but long wheelbase. Same trim and upholstery as the XJ6. Only offered in 1997MY in the USA. The standard six was available in black on black, so the L must have been no exception. I almost bought one years ago, in Topaz.
The production numbers chart says only 203 XJ6L were made (probably for the US) as Parker says. More plentiful was the Sovereign badged LWB at 4973, presumably for other markets as the Sovereign name was not used during this time in the US.
Although... 1 of 19 in Wisconsin has one of the nineteen 96 XJ12 "Sovereigns" produced. I suppose there could be more than 203 LWB XJ6L sent out here. But still... RARE!
Last edited by SleekJag12; Jul 16, 2020 at 05:42 AM.
Reason: Added info
In the almost thirty years I owned a succession of XJ's from Series One through to X308, I always wanted a black interior. It was listed in the brochures but very few original buyers went for this option and although I very occasionally found one, there was always something else about the vehicle that put me off buying. Never did get the rare black interior.
The situation (or fashions) changed with the XK in around 2010 when "triple black" became the most popular combination and I had serious difficulty finding an alternative paint and interior combination.
A ha! What we are looking at (and looks delicious) is a 1997 XJ6L. Not a VDP, but long wheelbase. Same trim and upholstery as the XJ6. Only offered in 1997MY in the USA. The standard six was available in black on black, so the L must have been no exception. I almost bought one years ago, in Topaz.
The production numbers chart says only 203 XJ6L were made (probably for the US) as Parker says. More plentiful was the Sovereign badged LWB at 4973, presumably for other markets as the Sovereign name was not used during this time in the US.
Although... 1 of 19 in Wisconsin has one of the nineteen 96 XJ12 "Sovereigns" produced. I suppose there could be more than 203 LWB XJ6L sent out here. But still... RARE!
North American “XJ6” are all counted as Sovereigns.
XJ6 in the world market starts out at total poverty spec. These came standard with no AC, no sunroof, manual cloth seats, no cruise control and if you were really stingy a manual trans. The best equipped XJ6s usually have a 4.0, leather and AC but still stuck with semi-automatic seats and no sunroof/cupholders that we’re used to.
Here’s a LWB Sov with a two tone blue and black interior.
Color for color, any difference between VDP and regular interior materials?
The production numbers chart says only 203 XJ6L were made (probably for the US) as Parker says. More plentiful was the Sovereign badged LWB at 4973, presumably for other markets as the Sovereign name was not used during this time in the US.
[strike]So my odds of finding one are approximately 42% as likely as finding an E34 530iT, which I've done thrice (and once more that I didn't buy). That's actually good news. Let the patience begin...[/strike]
Hm, any idea how many of them had black interiors?
Originally Posted by GGG
The situation (or fashions) changed with the XK in around 2010 when "triple black" became the most popular combination and I had serious difficulty finding an alternative paint and interior combination.
While the "murdered out" look goes a bit far - I like some chrome and wood here and there - the whole Triple Black thing gets no objection from me. If you saw me in person, it'd make sense.
Originally Posted by xalty
no sunroof, manual cloth seats,
More good news for me, that's just how I'd've specced mine, except with leather. For my E34, the previous one I had the sunroof deleted by a body shop, and the current one is a factory hardtop that took a decade to find. I kept AC and cruise, swapped to a manual transmission, and custom-assembled heated leather manual comfort (as opposed to Sport) seats for it, a combination rare if available at all when new.
Two-tone black and blue! Sounds like quite a few more options in its home country.
Don't mind RHD, but our stupid 25 year rule means only the (quintet?) of LWB XJ40 are eligible for import.
VDP uses more leather on the seats, or elsewhere (door cards, dash...)?
Pretty sure the only place even a VDP has leather is on the seats, center armrest and a section of padding for the lower door cards. Everything else is vinyl.
VDP has Autolux leather, XJ6(L) has connolly’s regular line of leather. VDP has some cool wood from a latin american country, regular XJ has wood from somewhere.
Two related questions:
1. Is the small center console/table thing ahead of the rear seat bench easily retrofit into a car that didn't come with it?
2. Was there any extra-special Vanden Weelderigplas or whatnot (anyone here know Flemish?) 4-seater rear seat option, like contemporary Mercs or BMWs had? And/or any with reclining rear seats?
The VDP option is more substantial between in both the armrest and the transmission cover is dressed out with a walnut pan bottom tray with controls for the rear seat pan electric heaters
The transmission tunnel cover modification is dependent on the gap to the rear seat where the XJ6L and the VDP should be the same gap , the SWB is most likely too short of a gap
There was a Middle Eastern ( Kings chairs or Captains chairs ) market full interior that a guy in Taiwan snapped up when one was found available in England
His pics are a dream
He even added a wine glass rack , his name is Ericjansen , see post # 22
On the tele that's a lot of work for a small screen
See VIN digit # 7
Last edited by Parker 2; Jul 21, 2020 at 10:51 AM.
Don't give a hoot about the TV screens, but reclining rears and various table surfaces in the back are options I like. Middle Eastern market only? I'd've thought the UK domestic ones had the most options. Got a link handy?
I've seen XJR with the rear table, and photos suggest it's the same size on the LWB and SWB, just with more of a gap on the former.
Don't give a hoot about the TV screens, but reclining rears and various table surfaces in the back are options I like. Middle Eastern market only? I'd've thought the UK domestic ones had the most options. Got a link handy?
I've seen XJR with the rear table, and photos suggest it's the same size on the LWB and SWB, just with more of a gap on the former.
on 308 XJRs it’s pretty common to find that mini table
The rears seat tables can be added to the Sovereign front seat backs and you need the taller front seat backshells that cover the leather up higher as in Xalty's pic in post # 16 . The attach points for the table hinges are already installed on the Sovereign seats and the shorter backshell cover them up , just not used
The Britsh market I'm not fully aware of like al ot of things and based on others postings
The Daimler package / marketing confuses interior dress out options
Last edited by Parker 2; Jul 20, 2020 at 09:33 PM.
Just how rare is a LWB black interior?
