1996 Jaguar XJS Celebration

Finished in Highland Green and first registered in June 1996, this lovely Jaguar XJS fixed head coupé comes with just 78,000 miles on the clock and 20 stamps in the book. Yes, that’s right; this is an XJS for which money has been no object.

It’s had a lot spent on it in the past couple of years in sorting out the brakes and suspension too, and it sits on a matching set of Nexen tyres, which is another good sign.

Money no object, you see?

As a Celebration model released to mark Jaguar’s 60th anniversary and the end of the model’s 21-year production run, it adds contrasting piping to the Oatmeal hide, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, different bumpers, and diamond-turned alloy wheels to the familiar XJS recipe.

Only for sale because the seller isn’t using it as much as he thought he might, if you’re in the market for a late-model XJS then your time may have come…

Highland Green is a dark shade, so dark that it almost looks black in some lights. It’s a fantastic colour though, endowing the XJS’s familiar lines with a modernity and classlessness we love.

This one’s in great shape, too. With straight panels that are neatly aligned, it presents very well indeed and is as effortless cool as only the XJS can be.

The smaller details also hold up to scrutiny. The chromework, for example, might be modest but it is in a good condition and carries itself well against that dark coachwork.

The same is true of the smoked rear lamps, which blend in very well and bring a freshness to that iconic rear view.

It’s nice to see the headlamps are the original oval items. These are getting hard to find, which is why you’re starting to see UK-spec cars fitted with the quad round lamps that were fitted to the US models.

A set of four Nexen NFERA SU1 tyres were fitted to the (very good) 16-inch alloy wheels at 75,318 miles; these have still covered fewer than 3,000 miles so are still in great shape with plenty of life left on them.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality 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. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Work to do is minimal. Apart from the stonechips and minor marks every car collects over the years, you might want to clean off the I.D. mark on the offside door mirror (#38) and take a look at the scuff on the rear bumper (#5) but that’s about it, really.

The Oatmeal leather interior is piped in a darker brown, a colour scheme that’s reversed for the carpets. It’s a great look and, like the coachwork, while it isn’t perfect it isn’t a million miles off, either.

The slim, tall front seats are as comfortable as they are elegant and with only the lightest of creasing to their faces, they’re more supportive than they look.

The walnut veneer is in a good condition too, and the two-tone, wood-rimmed steering wheel we mentioned earlier adds a rakishness we love.

As with the exterior, the details impress. Like the OE Jaguar-branded headunit, or the fact that both lights still work on both vanity mirrors. The nap on the sunvisors is good too, as is the white lettering on the switches. It’s all small stuff but it’s the small stuff that often reveals the most about the quality of a car’s curation.

The boot, with its space saver spare wheel and tool kit, is excellent.

Faults, therefore, are few. The lettering on the cruise control and electric window switches has faded, and the cruise control itself doesn’t work, but they’re jobs for Future You.

The engine bay is clean enough to satisfy all but the most fastidious of owners, and the underside is strong. Certainly, no MoT tester has ever mentioned structural corrosion to the floor or sills.

As you can see, the 4.0-litre engine starts well, idles perfectly, and revs freely.

It also makes all the right noises and none of the wrong with further proof of its health coming via the instrument panel, which show a healthy charge from the alternator and good oil pressure.

The Jaguar’s service history is recorded in the service history booklet and the attached invoices as follows:

• 13.06.1997 and 7,267 miles – service by Grange Jaguar of Welwyn Garden City
• 02.07.1998 and 10,076 miles – service by Grange Jaguar of Welwyn Garden City
• 20.07.1999 and 13,120 miles – service by Lancaster Reading
• 27.06.2000 and 17,758 miles – service by Hartwell Jaguar of Bristol
• 21.01.2002 and 28,433 miles – service by Westover Jaguar of Poole
• 09.01.2006 and 42,211 miles – service by Grange of Exeter
• 14.03.2007 and 45,986 miles – service by Bickington Garage
• 31.03.2008 and 48,728 miles – service by Grange of Exeter
• 24.03.2009 and 50,000 miles – service by Grange of Exeter
• 23.03.2010 and 51,699 miles – service by Grange of Exeter
• 14.03.2011 and 54,314 miles – service by High Bullen Garage of Torrington
• 12.03.2012 and 57,511 miles – service by High Bullen Garage of Torrington
• 21.02.2013 and 60,912 miles – service by High Bullen Garage of Torrington
• 24.01.2015 and 66,343 miles – service by Tasker & Lacey of Leeds, independent Jaguar specialists
• 13.03.2016 and 69,621 miles – service by TR ITZ of Knutsford
• 22.03.2017 and 71,922 miles – service by TR ITZ of Knutsford
• 13.06.2018 and 73,756 miles – service by TR ITZ of Knutsford
• 29.07.2019 and 75,367 miles – service by TR ITZ of Knutsford
• 04.08.2021 and 77,598 miles – suspension and brake overhaul by Mercury Car Centre of Brentwood
• 04.08.2022 – service plus suspension work by Overton Vehicle Overhauls of Southend-on-Sea

The XJS’s MoT certificate is valid until October 2023 and it was gained with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear and the XJS comes with two keys.

The Jaguar XJS’s time might have been a long time coming but there’s no doubt now it’s a bona fide classic and prices across the range have started to rise.

But, this is not a model to jump into on a whim because a poorly maintained and rotten example is capable of breaking you and your bank balance faster than anything else in its price range.

We think this one shows all the signs of being a good one: With an unimpeachable service history that includes plenty of money spent recently on the brakes and the suspension, this one looks to be in rude good health.

It’s a great colour scheme too, all of which makes our guide price £14,000 to £18,000 look like one of the few remaining modern classic bargains.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at the Bonhams|Cars Online 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’.