1985 Jaguar XJS V12 HE Cabriolet

This wonderful 1985 Jaguar XJS HE Targa was registered on the 27th September 1985, the rare option Targa. The low mileage example looks to have been somewhat of a barn find in 2008 when it was offered for sale. It then appeared to have been recommissioned and used briefly before being repainted from the original Blue Metallic to what's considered British Racing Green Metallic in 2011.

The Jaguar then remained with the owner up until 2021, covering just under 2,000 miles in the ten years until it was sold through ourselves to the current vendor. He purchased the Jaguar and drove it from Oxfordshire to the Wirral, where it was stored while he returned to his home overseas. So since then, the car has not been used other than the drive back. With his property being sold, the vendor no longer has the room to store the

XJS Targa, so it is regrettably being sold without even having had the time to enjoy the 80s classic.

Repainted in a more classic colour similar to British Racing Green Metallic, the paintwork on the Jaguar XJS Targa presents very well and is at its best in the bright sunlight when the metallic really pops. A few swirl marks and minor blemishes have been picked up in the past 13 years since being painted, but nothing excessive for the age of the vehicle.

Starting at the front, the chrome bumper top, grille and headlight surrounds are in excellent condition, with just a few light polishing scratches; there are no signs of tarnishing. The headlights and indicators are free from any chips or cracks, and the bumper rubbers don’t appear to be perishing. The bonnet aligns as it should, and moving further up, the windscreen has no damage or noticeable scratches, and the chrome surround has a bright finish.

Looking down the long flanks of the XJS, there are no dings or dents to point out, and the doors have an equal panel gap. The window frames are in good condition, the B-pillar trim has a couple of minor dings, and the black paint has faded a touch. The windows are free from excessive scratches, and the chrome is in good condition. The Targa top is in good order, with no signs of damage to the roof. Both panels are easily removed, and the rear window folds down as it should with no issues.

At the rear, the lights are damage free, and the chrome bumper has a bright tarnish-free finish. There is a small crack in the paint to the bottom left corner of the number plate, and the boot aligns well. The wheels have been replaced from the original five-spoke to a more classic-looking lattice-style wheel. These are in excellent condition with matching centre caps, and the tyres are matching Pirelli P4000 with a good amount of tread remaining.

Finished in light grey leather, the interior of the XJS is in excellent condition with an original period feel to it. The seats are superb, with no signs of wear or age to the bolsters. There are a few small scuffs to the back section and the top of the headrest. The door cards are also excellent, with no scuffs or damage, and the chrome door handles and mirror adjusters have a bright finish. The walnut trim matches the dashboard and steering wheel, which are also in good order.

The instruments are working as they should, and the odometer has a reading of just 18,890 miles, which from the paperwork, would suggest is original. However, we cannot guarantee this. The switchgear has no signs of wear and is said to work correctly. The fuel computer lights up, and the original factory radio cassette player works, but the cassette side hasn’t been tested.

The carpets are in excellent condition and lovely and clean, and the headling of the Targa roof panels are clean with no damage to them. Inside the boot, the original five-spoke alloy wheel has some corrosion to the face, the carpet wheel cover is in place, and the whole boot area is clean and tidy. The original tool kit is also present and correct.

The 5.3 litre V12 fires up without hesitation, and the idle is relatively high when cold showing the choke is working as it should. As the vendor has only driven the car a couple of hundred miles back from us in Oxfordshire, he’s not really had a great deal of experience with the car, but what he did say was that it drove lovely and can’t report any issues with the XJS.

We did notice the air conditioning belt was missing, so this would be something that needed to be investigated if you wanted air conditioning, or you could just take the roof off and embrace the summer months.

The gear change is said to be smooth, and no untoward noises are coming from the transmission or drivetrain. The Jaguar gives a comfortable ride, as you would expect from any luxury grand tourer.

Looking at the underside of the Jaguar, it appears to have been given a light coating of stone guard over the existing factory finish. With just some light surface corrosion spotted on some of the suspension components and edges of the sills, there don't look to be any areas for concern.

Just four previous keepers have enjoyed this 1985 Jaguar XJS Targa. The original handbooks are present, and some invoices date back to around 2008, when the previous keeper rescued it from ten years in storage and carried out the recommissioning and respray.

When the car was advertised for sale in 2008, it was said to be a low mileage example with just 14,000 miles covered. We can only go on the condition and check the MoT history, which does tally up with this, but impossible to say for sure, although it is a very nice example with an excellent interior that all points to low mileage.

The Jaguar XJS HE Targa is undoubtedly one of the rarer models available, and finding one with low mileage and low ownership is a nice bonus.

This example has covered around 2,000 miles since its recommissioning in 2008, and it is just waiting to be enjoyed. With a Targa roof system, perfect for the summer, you get the best of both worlds, making it the ideal grand tourer.

We estimate this desirable British classic with fetch in the region of £10,000 to £15,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Prenton, Wirral, United Kingdom. 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’.