▁short - w heel base ▁configuration . ▁This ▁became ▁an ▁option ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁when ▁a ▁long - w heel base ▁configuration ▁was ▁introduced , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁super charg ed ▁variation ▁of ▁the ▁X J 8 ▁with ▁the ▁more ▁lux ur ious ▁V anden ▁Pl as , ▁or ▁Da im ler ▁interior . ▁Its ▁primary ▁compet itor ▁was ▁the ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁S 5 5 ▁AM G . ▁A ▁distinct ive ▁wire ▁mesh ▁gr ille ▁and ▁chrome - fin ished ▁side ▁mirror s ▁set ▁the ▁Super ▁V 8 ▁and ▁the ▁X J R ▁apart ▁from ▁the ▁less ▁expensive ▁X J ▁sal o ons . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁Super ▁V 8 ▁model ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁Da im ler ▁Super ▁E ight ▁in ▁all ▁mark ets ▁other ▁than ▁North ▁America . ▁The ▁Da im ler ▁Super ▁E ight ▁was ▁essentially ▁the ▁same ▁car , ▁but ▁with ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁a ▁different ▁gr ille , ▁box wood ▁in l ays ▁finished ▁in ▁wood ▁v ene er ▁and ▁several ▁other ▁interior ▁lux uries ▁as ▁standard . ▁Da im ler ' s ▁US ▁equivalent ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁V anden ▁Pl as , ▁but ▁the ▁Super ▁V 8 . ▁The ▁V anden ▁Pl as ▁name ▁was ▁used ▁on ▁models ▁that ▁would ▁be ▁known ▁as ▁S over eign ▁elsewhere . ▁Da im ler ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁State ▁Car ▁for ▁the ▁British ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁Although ▁this ▁was