Why Modern Jaguars Are a Bargain for Collectors

Jaguar made what many people think is the prettiest car of all time, but modern models from the marque have been less loved, largely because they simply don’t compare to an E-Type. That might also make it the perfect time to buy a modern Jaguar.

The perfect time, in this case, is relative, since many people will tell you that there is never a perfect time to buy a used Jaguar, given Jaguar Land Rover’s long history of shoddy reliability. That long history also has tended to depress prices in the secondary market, to account for all the money buyers will be paying their mechanics. The brand has also been able to get away with it in part because, still, their cars have always looked incredible, with an implicit class that only Jaguar can offer.

Take Ian Callum’s F-Type, which was universally lauded after its launch in 2013, for being both beautiful and exciting to drive, getting even better after a facelift in 2019. 

Contemporary reviewers called the car one of the most desirable and affordable sports cars on the market. Jaguar cancelled the F-Type in 2024 amid a wholesale transition to all-electric cars, but the F-Type, along with many other Jags, remains desirable and relatively affordable.

“I think of Jaguar now, and I think of Waymo F-Paces,” Howard Stig, head of auctions at Bring a Trailer, said. He explains the XJ220, a supercar built from 1992 until 1994, remains the standout Jag of the past few decades, but, overall, the brand has suffered from that reputation for poor reliability, in addition to mediocre product. 

“I think it’s probably fair to say from a market collectability standpoint that post the Series III E-Type, there is a pretty scarce amount of cars that are truly desirable and coveted and rare with a market value,” Stig said. 

That might be bad news for owners looking to sell, but it’s good news for enthusiasts and collectors looking to buy. Here are three such examples, with that in mind, that were recently sold at auction.

2015 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe | $32,001

This 2015 example of the F-Type has 39,000 miles on the odometer and gets its power from a 5.0-liter V-8 engine making 550 horsepower, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. There is some minor damage noted in the Carfax report, and the auction listing also notes there is an open recall on the car—suggesting its owner was perhaps not the most assiduous—but, overall, looks clean in the photos. 

The eagle-eyed commenters on Bring a Trailer also noted various instances of wear and tear, while agreeing that, for the price, the car is somewhat of a steal. The R Coupe was the top trim and started at $99,000 back in 2015. 

“The car runs, drives, and handles as a low 39k-mile car should, nothing needs to be replaced anytime soon,” the seller said. “And yes, she is a beauty.”

The final price of $32,001 is also below the average F-Type price on Bring a Trailer in recent auctions, usually hovering around $50,000. 

2012 Jaguar XF Portfolio | $14,000

This 2012 XF was built near the end of the first-generation XF’s run, with the final first-gen model built in 2015. Then came the second and last generation of the XF, which was built from 2015 until 2024.

Also powered by the 5.0-liter V-8 engine—this time making 385 horsepower sent through a 6-speed transmission—the Portfolio trim of the XF was a higher-priced package including bells and whistles like heated and cooled front seats that also adjusted position in 16 different ways. That is a lot of car, as they say, for less than the price of the cheapest new car on the American market, though, like any Jag, might require some maintenance.

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“If this is your first Jaguar XF 5.0 NA,” one commenter wrote, “I recommend immediately replacing the battery.”

1996 Jaguar Vanden Plas | $4,200

This 1996 Vanden Plas recently went for the price of a fancy laptop; and it’s a car that originally went for around $64,200 back in 1996, or around $130,000 today, accounting for inflation. The Vanden Plas Jags were meant to be the crème de la crème, competing with the best versions of the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and Audi A8.

This example, 30 years old now, has many problems typical of old cars—the seller noted that it needs a brake fluid flush and some brake hoses are cracked, among other issues—but also had a price typical of old luxury cars. That is to say, it went for just a tiny fraction of it did brand new. This car could use some love, and, for a price in the four figures, the buyer likely has money left over to supply it. It also shows where the market is for Jags of the last few decades.