1996 Jaguar XJR

This is a rear-wheel drive, 4 litre XJR from 1996 and it has ticked up just over 74,000 miles on the odometer. This motor is a manual now but it started its days as an automatic. The vendor converted it from auto because he wanted to find a good example but, in his words: “There were only 102 manual XJR6s made because Jaguar didn’t make this model for very long”. The vendor purchased this car back in 2021. During this time, he has had the aircon re-gassed so that it works and he says mechanically the car is in fine order: “The brakes and clutch are all good, I can’t think of any faults”.

Aside from the conversion to manual, the vendor has carried out a few other bits of work, too. This includes an exhaust refit, new manifolds and some electrical work because the car wasn’t idling properly. The car was set up on a crank to have its ECUs reset back to a manual’s factory settings. In total, the vendor reckons he’s spent the best part of £4000 on it to make it right. All the work has been carried in Ringwood in Hampshire.

The vendor purchased the car near Telford and reminisced: “It goes like hell, and I drive quickly…after converting the car to a manual gearbox it’s been really rewarding and it’s fun to drive”. He is a reluctant seller, but is parting with this motor as he has too many cars and has recently moved house. The only electrical matter worth highlighting is that there is a light on the dash which shows a gearbox fault due to the manual conversion but the vendor has confirmed that there’s nothing wrong. He also explains: “Sporadically a light comes on to say a bulb needs changing, which you can ignore”. Aside from that the vendor explains: “Everything that needed to be done has been done except for replacing the tyres. Everything else has been fixed to a high standard. The headlining is perfect and it’s been well looked after. Now it drives properly as I don’t want to sell a car that I’m not happy with”.

The sleek and curvy shape looks great in blue. At the front of the car, the XJR has a distinctive front fascia, which includes a bold chrome grille with a Jaguar emblem in the centre. The grille is flanked by two elongated headlights with clear lenses. The front bumper features large air intakes to assist with engine cooling and the bonnet’s raised centre section adds to its sporty appearance. The low slung and aerodynamic side profile is a sporty biproduct of the car’s long hood and short trunk. The only blemishes worth highlighting are a few chips to the door corners and scuffs on the A bar on the passenger side. The car is also in need of new front tyres. The tail lights are set into the car's sculpted rear fenders and the rear bumper features twin exhaust tips.

The oatmeal upholstery complements the blue bodywork nicely. The cabin is luxurious and highly original. All pedals, the gear lever and gear surround were all sourced from a 1996 manual and the clock works well, though the surround looks a bit worn. The interior is completely standard, aside from the veneer steering wheel (which is adjustable), though the car is also being sold with its original black leather alternative should a prospective buyer prefer it. The front seats are plump and supportive thanks to deep side bolsters - something to appreciate when you make the most of the car’s legendary performance and handling. That being said, they do show evidence of patina and the carpet under the driver’s seat looks slightly worn. The rear seats and the headrests fold down when they aren’t being used, which is a lovely touch that increases rearwards visibility immensely. The car comes with a sunroof and rubber mat, and the door cards look good. The boot is home to a spare wheel and tool kit, which adds a nice touch.

This car packs a 4 litre straight six supercharged engine which produces 332 horsepower and 399 lb-ft of torque. This engine is capable of propelling the rear-wheel-drive XJR from 0 to 60 mph in around 5 seconds. The car comes with a five-speed gear box. The aluminium engine block helps to reduce weight and improve performance. It also helps to dissipate heat more efficiently, which is important for high-performance engines. There does not appear to be any evidence of leakage and everything looks to be in its right and proper place. The vendor noted that at the car’s most recent MoT, the garage admired the motor for being sound underneath.

The car comes with its logbook, driver’s handbook, maintenance schedule, security system, and the sales and service directory. The logbook shows that the car has had four prior keepers. The car was first registered in March 1996. It comes with a record of MoTs dating from 2006 - the only exceptions being 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2020. The service record shows the most recent oil and filter change taking place in February 2021 at 72,584 miles. In 2017, new disc brakes and pads were installed. The car is also being sold with two car keys. The most recent MoT dates from April this year at 74,272 miles where it had the ignition coil replaced. The car passed with two advisories to replace both front tyres.

The Jaguar XJR has semi-mythical status as an ultra-quick super-saloon capable of destroying continents in a single sitting, and it also soothes and cossets as only a Jaguar can. The steel superstructure and body prevent the sort of rust and corrosion that has killed many a motor of a similar age – and servicing costs are more reasonable than you might imagine. All of which should add up to a suitably impressive price tag. But it doesn’t. Whilst there are some areas for improvement, it’s a lot of car for the money. We think a prospective buyer is going to have to part with somewhere between £12,000-£18,000 to take this car home. In the words of the vendor: “It’s not a perfect car but it’s a really good car ready to be enjoyed”.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.