1987 Jaguar XJS HE Auto

‘E685 CRD’ is a Grenadier Red Jaguar XJS HE coupé that was supplied by Loxley’s in Kent to its first owner back in 1987. He kept it only for a few years until 1991, at which time it moved into the second owner’s hands, where it remained for the next 32 years. 

Showing just 13,000 miles on the odometer, this stunning "fire-ball" V12 automatic, comes to the market following a light interior refresh and is offered with a long MoT. 

With just a little TLC and time spent on detailing, an already lovely example, could be one of the very best HE's out there.

Grenadier Red (paint code CEH) is a great colour for a sporting coupé like this, and given this one’s low mileage and long-term ownership it may well be the original paint.

Beautifully shiny and free of significant flaws, its condition is underpinned by straight panels that are uncannily well aligned. It sports nice and consistent shutlines too, and it looks ‘right’ as you walk up to it.

Further originality comes via the Loxley’s sticker in the rear window, while the presence of original oval Cibie headlamps is also reassuring. They are also getting hard to find, which is why you’re starting to see so many fitted with the quad Federal-sec American jobbies.

The rest of the lamp lenses, along with the window glass and badges, are good.

As is the chrome. The later XJS doesn’t have a lot anyway but what there is has a good shine with only light pitting. It also all runs true bar a dent in the offside corner of the rear bumper.

The 15-inch alloy wheels are in great shape being free of scuffs and scrapes. They are fitted with a mixture of Dunlop SP Sport and Pirelli P600 tyres. The latter have good tread, but the former is looking tired and old.

As for other things you might to get sorted, there is some disruption to the paint under the rear numberplate, a stonechip on the nearside of the windscreen, a couple of the stonechips on the bonnet have started to rust, and rust is bubbling on the lower sections of both front wings and the nearside rear.

Biscuit leather is another classic colour scheme for the interior and one that complements the coachwork very well.

And it too is in a good condition with no rips, tears, or other major damage. Instead, the front seats show nothing more than light creasing and a gently developing patina. The rear seats are, as you might expect, in an even better condition with barely any creasing whatsoever.

The notorious Jaguar headlining is clean and undamaged, but then it, like the wooden veneer trim, is new. The latter was an incredible find, being genuine new/old stock – and for those for whom originality is important, the old trim comes with the car.

It’s also nice to see the original Jaguar-branded Clarion headunit. The value in classic cars is often as much about their originality as it is the condition, and it’s the little things like this that add up to differentiate a great car from the merely very good.

Other high points are bright and vivid lettering on the switches, the presence of heated front seats, excellent chrome trim and controls, good carpets, and excellent door cards. 

The dashboard doesn’t show any sun damage either.

The boot is very good too and it contains a full-size spare alloy wheel, the old veneer trim, and a cleaning kit. 

Which means the work you’ll need to carry out is low level. The driver’s seat is missing the knob on the lever to recline it, and there is some minor surface rust in the front footwells. 

As you can see in the video, the XJS’s V12 engine starts well. It also idles and revs as it should and builds decent oil pressure. The seller tells us that the gearchange was a bit sticky from lack of use – as the MoT record shows, it’s covered fewer than 3,000 miles in 17 years – so he had that attended to.

However, we do note the battery charge warning light comes on at low revs. The paperwork shows a history of charging problems, so you should factor in the need for some further investigative work.

As for the engine and underbonnet area, it is looking a little careworn with some surface corrosion and bits of loose tape in addition to being slightly grubby. None of it looks problematic or difficult to resolve but given how clean the rest of the Jaguar is we can see the new owner will almost certainly want to get it tidied up.

The underside looks decent, but it too could do with some attention as there are areas where the underseal is cracked and flaking off to reveal corrosion underneath. Some of the wheelarch lips are rusty, and there is evidence of some historic repairs, something the MoT record hints at.

(The last MoT also mentions a minor exhaust leak that will need to be remedied as soon as possible.)

That said, it’s nice to see lockwire has been used where appropriate, and its presence is a reassuring sign that the Jaguar’s maintenance has been carried out by someone who knows what they’re doing. 

The XJS’s MoT certificate is valid until May 2025, the recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file includes the original Jaguar "handbook pack", some old MoT certificates and tax discs in addition to a few historic invoices.

Modern classics like this offer an awful lot for the classic car collector and driver who’d rather not compromise unecessarily. 

With nigh-on modern handling, performance, and reliability they combine the romance of the iconic lines we love with what is usually a much easier ownership experience than older.

As to its value, given the need some cosmetic work to enable it to fulfill its full potential we think the canny enthusiast should be able to pick this one up for between £12,000 and £15,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, 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, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.