Hi,
I’m on the brink of purchasing one of two X308 XJRs. They’re both in genuinely nice condition but neither car was fitted with the CATS suspension.
Does anyone know if it’s possible in theory to retrofit CATS to a 308 XJR? I’m sure it would be expensive and not necessarily worth it but just curious to know if it’s an option.
Is it maybe preferable anyway for whatever reason to not have CATS, perhaps it’s more comfortable without for example?

 

Hi XJ Ned,

all X308 XJR have CATS. That was not an optional option. It was always included.
As far as I know, that's true for all markets.

Check the shocks on the top if there is a electrical connector. If yes, its adaptive suspension aka CATS. If not, one of the previous owners exchanged the CATS shocks with normal sport ones.

Kind regards,
Alex

 

The CATS does not really affect comfort as it only stiffens the suspension at hard cornering (anti-roll action) or harder braking to reduce nose dive. The reason why some owners replace CATS with non-CATS shocks is the price. If you don't have any wires plugged into the tops of the shocks but you find them tucked somewhere, it will mean that the CATS shocks of your Jag had been replaced with standard shocks. You can also check whether you have the accelerometer with a wire plugged into it (near the firewall, at the centre) as shown on the picture.

 

Thanks everyone for this info, really appreciate it. I hadn’t realised all XJRs had CATS, I’ve now seen it myself in an old 1998 sales brochure that it was standard on all XJRs.

 

Good to know also that it only stiffens up under hard cornering and braking.

I’m not expecting a super soft ride like the old series 3 XJ but I just want it to be as good as it can be for an X308. I might even consider smaller 17” rims if they’d accommodate the XJRs presumably bigger brakes?

 

XJR did not come with bigger brakes unless the first buyer ordered it with the special 'R' performance option.

 

I guess 17s would fit then, I always quite liked the Celtic 17” wheels from the XJ8.
I guess it’s a balance between the good looks of bigger wheels vs the marginally improved ride comfort one might achieve with a slightly smaller rim and slightly thicker tyre side wall. The XJR Asteroid wheels for me look so lovely I’d struggle to part with them.