1994 Jaguar XJ12

Finished in Kingfisher with Doeskin hide interior, ‘M554 MYX’ is a Jaguar Sovereign V12 that Henlys of Chester supplied it to its first owner in August 1994.

We think it moved into the second owner’s hands at some point between 1996 and 1998, and were told it changed hands again in around 2012.

The third owner invested about £10,000 in restoring it before putting in in their collection, where it lay unused for a dozen-or-so years.

The seller bought it last year and has only just realised that he forgot to send the V5 off to be changed. So, it’s really had four previous owners, not three…

But, while he may neglect the paperwork, he doesn’t neglect his cars as he treated the Jaguar to a mini-recommission by way of four new tyres, a new battery and alternator, new rear struts, and much more, which resulted in an advisory-free MoT being issued in July.

All’s well that ends well, eh?
 

The Kingfisher coachwork (paint code HFE) presents beautifully; anyone who tells you that Jaguar quality control wasn’t up to scratch in the nineties is talking nonsense because any issues with the bodywork are more likely to be caused by owners trying to run a top-of-the-range luxury car on a Ford Fiesta budget than anything they did at Brown’s Lane.

Because when they’re looked after properly – and refreshed as necessary, which is what seems to have happened here – they’re still capable of wowing enthusiasts and passersby equally, even now, after weathering 30-odd winters.

Its shutlines are impressive, not so much in their tightness (nobody in German auto-manufacturing ever lost sleep over JLR shutlines) but in their consistency. The paintwork shines beautifully too, the badges are still nice and bright, and the door shuts are clean.

The XJ40 series doesn’t boast much in the way of chromework but what there is is still bright, shiny, and largely free of tarnishing with the exception of the offside door mirror, which is pitted.

The sunroof operates as it should: It seals snugly and evenly within its aperture, opens and closes smoothly, and the mini wind deflector pops up as it should.

The 16-inch alloy wheels are in a presentable condition, but they do have a few minor kerbing marks on them so we can see the new owner might like to get them refurbished when the tyres are changed next.

Mind you, that’ll be a while as the seller changed the tyres only last year, fitting a matching set of 225/60R16 Dynamo Street-H, which were made in 2024.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

As for flaws, there are a couple of marks at the trailing edge of the roof above the rear screen, minimal rust below the rear numberplate, a few small bubbles along the top of the offside rear wing, and a tiny scratch on the nearside C-pillar.

The rubber trim around the rear foglamps is uneven too, but as it is symmetrical it might be a feature rather than a flaw.

Finally, the Jaguar would benefit from a professional machine polish to let the paintwork fulfil what looks to be considerable potential.
 

The Doeskin leather interior (trim code AEE) is piped to match the coachwork – and, like the coachwork, it is very well preserved and still every inch the aristocrat it was when it rolled off the production line back in 1994.

Indeed, our man crawled over it with a magnifying glass and concluded: “Interior is very tidy, and the seats have worn particularly well for the car’s age and mileage.”

It’s a neat design too, blending the wood ‘n’ leather that Jaguar is famous for along with a redesign that CAR magazine – who called the XJ40 The Best Saloon Car in the World on the cover of its November 1986 issue – clearly had mixed feelings about.

On the one hand they said the new design is “free from the rather haphazard proliferation of … gauges” that plagued the old car but went on to call the minor instruments “Buck Rogers-style bar graphics”.

We think the design has aged well though – as has this particular example.

Because the seller tells us the only fault he knows about is the switch for the passenger window in the driver’s suite of four doesn’t work. The window itself works fine if you use the switch on the passenger side, so a fix should be straightforward.

Everything else works well, and the cosmetic condition is just as impressive with only lightly creased and still-plump front seats, and the general air of a ten-year-old car rather than one that’s entered its fourth decade.

The only exceptions to this are the headlining, which is coming loose, the walnut veneer to the right of the gear selector, which is damaged, the cover of the driver’s seatbelt buckle, which is cracked, and the front footwell, which has a light dusting of rust.

It really is remarkable – and we’d remind you this is a car with 111,000 miles on the odometer, not a delivery-mileage trailer queen.

As for the boot, its capacity is somewhat diminished by the presence of a full-size spare wheel but wouldn’t you rather that than spend hours on the hard shoulder waiting to be recovered?

The boot’s condition is as good as the rest of the cabin, with clean and undamaged carpets and trim.
 

The Sovereign’s service history is recorded as follows:

•    12.04.1995 and 10,742 miles – service by Henleys of Chester
•    06.11.1995 and 21,858 miles – service by Henleys of Chester
•    15.05.1996 and 29,579 miles – service by Henleys of Chester
•    01.11.1996 and 39,729 miles – service by Henleys of Chester
•    20.03.1998 and 47,635 miles – service by Rybrook Jaguar
•    26.03.1999 and 50,830 miles – service by Chiltern of Bovingdon
•    11.05.2000 and 54,694 miles – service by Chiltern of Bovingdon
•    25.05.2001 and 58,511 miles – service by Chiltern of Bovingdon
•    20.05.2002 and 61,868 miles – service by Chiltern of Bovingdon
•    08.07.2003 and 66,396 miles – service by Chiltern of Bovingdon

There is no paperwork past this point, but the seller tells us it was in a collection for over a decade.

He recommissioned it when he bought it a year ago, including a new Lucas battery and alternator, and new rear suspension struts plus many smaller items. As a result, its MoT, which is valid until July 2026, was issued with no advisories.

As the video demonstrates, the V12 catches immediately and idles so imperceptibly we challenge you to close your eyes and see if you can spot the moment the engine fires.

It also makes little more than a whisper when it is revved, and both the battery charge and oil pressure gauges read well.

As for faults, the gearlever sometimes needs to be held in ‘Park’ to start and there is a minor blow from the exhaust.

The condition of the engine and underbonnet area is good; with no obvious issues and well-painted inner wings, if you were to detail it then you could have some fun bringing it up to your preferred standard but we can’t imagine many people would feel the need to do even that.

Underneath, the Jaguar failed its MoT in 2011 for corrosion among other things. This appears to have bene rectified to a good standard as all we can spot now is good underseal that needs nothing more than a little touching up in places.  
 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the XJ comes with three keys and two fobs.

The history file includes various invoices for parts and repairs as well as some old MoT certificates.
 

Everyone loves a classic Jaguar – and it pains us to tell you that yes, the XJ40-series now qualifies as a bona fide classic.

It’s a car whose time has come; after years of being underappreciated, its charms are starting to make themselves known.

Therefore, now is the time to buy one, while prices are still low.

Very low, in fact.

Because, as good as it is, we suspect the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £7,000 and £11,000.

Better yet, it’s being offered with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.