A Crystal Blue XJL Portfolio at no reserve: $20,500

The X351 XJ is one of the best-looking big sedans of its era, and the long-wheelbase Portfolio was the well-equipped way to have one. This car is Crystal Blue Metallic over Ivory leather, with the Executive Package that adds rear business trays and an electric rear sunshade. The 5.0-liter V8 is paired with a ZF six-speed automatic. It spent most of its life registered in Texas, and the current owner bought it in November 2024 and added about 8,000 miles, for 42,000 in total.

The equipment list is long: panoramic roof, xenons, heated and ventilated front and rear seats, a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, rearview camera and adaptive suspension. Pirelli P Zeros went on in November 2024, and the oil was changed in March 2026.

Why we went no reserve

Luxury sedans lose value fast, and buyers know it. Nobody bids on a twelve-year-old flagship sedan hoping to discover the seller’s reserve; they bid when they know it’s selling. No reserve is how you get a big sedan in front of the buyers who actually want one.

The 75-photo listing covered the imperfections as carefully as the options: paintwork on the right-rear door and quarter panel, curb marks on the wheels, an indentation in the driver’s door upholstery, and a technician’s 2024 recommendation for tie-rod and CV-joint service. With service records, a clean Carfax and a clean Pennsylvania title, there were no surprises left.

The auction

The auction drew 4,728 views, 515 watchers and 38 comments. Thirty-eight bids came in, and the car sold on Thursday, June 4 at 12:21 in the afternoon for $20,500.

What the number means

X351 XJs don’t come up often on Bring a Trailer. In the two months around our sale, a 2012 XJ Supersport sold for $18,000, a 2013 XJ AWD for $12,750, and back in April a supercharged 2012 XJL brought only $14,000. Newer cars, unsurprisingly, did better: a 24,000-mile 2016 XJL Supercharged at $29,500 and a 2019 XJR575 at $60,007.

Ours, a naturally aspirated 2012, outsold both the 2012 Supersport and the supercharged 2012 XJL. That’s color, condition and a complete, honest listing doing their job in a market that doesn’t reward much else.

If you own one

The cars that bring top money on Bring a Trailer share three things: honest condition, complete paperwork, and a listing that answers questions before they’re asked. If you have a luxury sedan or GT you’ve been thinking about selling, we’ll tell you where it fits in the market and what we think it will bring. We’re a Bring a Trailer Local Partner and we handle everything from photography to the last comment.