1975 Jaguar XJS V12

Whilst good examples of a pre-HE XJ-S are a rarity in their own right, this is far more than an ‘early’ XJ-S. Oh yes, this is no ordinary production vehicle…

A pre-production prototype, this example - chassis number 17 - was first registered in January 1975, a full nine months before the XJ-S went on general sale. Finished in the classic specification of silver bodywork over a black leather interior, it is believed to be one of the earliest XJ-S cars still in existence.

Retained by the factory as a showroom car (as confirmed by the below heritage certificate) until 1980, the car was subsequently sold to Coombs of Guildford, Surrey where the majority of the car’s early history is from, with numerous service receipts and invoices available to view below.

Evidently, the car was cherished and well-maintained prior to being put into long-term storage, as there is a wealth of documentation from the early 1990s pertaining to chassis work, attention to the interior and other miscellaneous maintenance.

Having now been kept in long-term, dry storage, this historically significant pre-HE XJ-S requires some general mechanical re-commissioning before it sees the open road again, though our vendor - only the fourth registered keeper - states that they have had the car running from an external fuel supply, and the engine and transmission both seem to be in good health.

Having been kept in storage for a number of decades, the bodywork of this ‘big cat’ has escaped largely unscathed from the typically miserable British weather, and presents in good order throughout.

Looking closer, it would appear that both sides have been painted at some point in the vehicle’s life, whilst there is some light corrosion around the edge of the nearside rear arch and nearside front headlight, along with the usual signs of wear to the lower front bumper valence, lower edge of the rear bumper and the odd stone chip here-and-there, as expected from a car of this age and mileage.

Due to the aforementioned respray, there are a few panels that don’t quite match up in terms of colour, which can be seen in the gallery below. Other than the corrosion on the NSF headlight, all of the light units look to be in good shape with no damage or cracking, whilst all the chrome trim and detailing is also present and correct, in various states of wear.

There is also some wear visible on the nearside corner of the front bumper, and significant staining on the offside of the lower valence.

All four of the original alloy wheels are present - along with a matching spare - though, like the rest of the bodywork, these would benefit from refurbishment and attention to bring them back to their best, along with some fresh rubber before the car sees any use on the road. 

Jaguar have long been known for the quality and ‘feel’ of their GT car interiors, and the XJ-S is certainly no exception. Finished in black leather, the cabin has a timelessly luxurious feel about it, which suits the laid-back driving characteristics of this big V12 cruiser.

The interior of this example has faired well from its decades in storage, and the seats themselves are in good shape with minimal wear-and-tear, though the outer bolster of the drivers seat, along with the base, has worn away in typical fashion.  

That said, the wear to the seat is probably the most notable issue with the cabin, with the rest of the interior looking to be in good order throughout, showing only some light usage patina to the usual areas such as the shifter and steering wheel, along with some sagging/bubbling from the headliner material.

Underneath the carpets in the footwells, the floors look to be in good, solid order, whilst the luggage compartment also presents well with the spare wheel being present and correct.

Finally, as far as we can tell, there is no cracking or sun damage to the tops of the dashboard or the instrument binnacle. 

Kept safe from road salt, wet weather and general use for decades, the underside of this XJ-S has fared very well indeed, thanks to its lack of use.

As far as we can see, the floor pan looks to be solid as a rock, though exposed areas such as the exhaust, along with suspension components, wishbones and other areas have varying amounts of - what appears to be - surface corrosion, but we’d suggest a full inspection is likely the best course of action from a re-commissioning standpoint.

The engine itself presents in good order, though a full mechanical overhaul is advised before the car sees any regular use. There is evidently an issue with the fuel system, though the vendor has advised the car will start and drive with an external fuel supply.

Naturally, for a car that has spent decades in storage, there is no MOT certificate, though thanks to its age, the car does qualify for historic status, which would make it exempt from mandatory MOT testing.

Included with the vehicle is the Heritage certificate confirming its registration date and factory retention, the V5, numerous old MOT certificates and tax discs, two sets of keys and several handbooks and manuals.

There is also an extensive treasure trove of invoices and hand-written history dating from the late 1980’s / early 1990’s, giving evidence to the notion that this was a truly cherished and well-maintained car before being placed into long-term storage.

An exceedingly rare pre-sale vehicle that was retained by the factory as a showroom car, this 1975 pre-HE XJ-S is a truly remarkable piece of Jaguar history that has survived in good condition, though in need of a general mechanical overhaul and recommissioning before it sees use on the road again.

One for the collectors, restorers and historians alike, we estimate this V12 GT car to have a value in the region of £15,000 to £25,000 when the hammer falls. 

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