1989 Jaguar XJ-S V12

Registered on the 5th October 1989, this Jaguar XJ-S has been in the care of the vendor for the past six years. Always garaged while in his care, he’s only used it gently, covering no more than 1,500 miles since then. Never driven in the rain either. Well, not until the day he drove it down to us…

Little is known of its life prior to him buying it but the mileage has been consistently accrued according to the paperwork and online MoT history, which makes us think it’s accurate. The car itself has obviously been well maintained and, if its condition is anything to go by, it’s only ever been used as a high-days-and-dry-days car for most, if not all, of its life.

Being offered with a very sensible reserve, we expect this staggeringly original example to draw a huge amount of interest; cars like this rarely come onto the open market, so if you’ve ever fancied having a convertible XJ-S with a V12 engine in your garage, then your time has come.

When we think of colours for what might be the sexiest convertible of its generation, we tend to think of silver or, perhaps, a subdued metallic hue – and then we see a red one like this and realise that being staid isn’t necessarily the way to go.

And it’s in great shape. With very good shutlines and great alignment – something the contrasting pinstripes show off to great effect – the car pops in a way that a more traditional colour doesn’t. Just take a look at the shots of it from the side with the roof down, for example, and you’ll understand why we are so excited by the condition of this one.

It’s also free of rust and neglect; so many XJ-S’s went through the doldrums, lurching from one MoT-induced crisis to another, that it’s wonderful to see one that’s clearly been treasured throughout its life.

The chromework is very good too, as are the light lenses, badges, glass and black rubber trim. It’s got the proper leaper on the bonnet and the original, almost impossible to find now, headlamps. It all aligns beautifully too, while also being as glossy and sharp as any we’ve seen.

As are the 15-inch alloy wheels, which are bright and free of scuffs, scrapes and other signs of a careless owner. The tyres tell only a good story too; all four are the correct 205/70R15 size from Continental.

As we will never tire of explaining, our 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 seller would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The folding black fabric roof and matching tonneau cover are in a terrific shape. The roof itself is taut and waterproof when it’s up while offering the full-on convertible experience when it’s down. The tonneau cover is neat and does a very good job of hiding the roof when it’s furled, and the interior headlining is very clean and we can’t see any rips, tears or other damage to any of it.

Oh, and you need to apply the handbrake to operate the hood, a nifty safety feature that caught us out, even after all this time…

We can see from the paperwork that a Jaguar dealer made some localised repairs in 1997 and 1998 but we can’t see where they are, so wouldn’t worry about them at all. There is also the odd touched-in scratch and stonechip but again, nothing of any real note.

The interior is just as lovely as the exterior; finished in Magnolia leather, it contrasts wonderfully with the vibrant coachwork. The seats, which are piped in burgundy, are a little cracked and patinated but only the most fastidious would complain about their condition as they’re still presentable and very comfortable.

Behind them sits a luggage shelf with a delightful little chrome restraining bar. Neatly carpeted, it’s in great shape and more useful than you might imagine for keeping coats and bags out of the way.

The leather door cards are enhanced with the traditional combination of chrome and walnut; both are in a very good shape but then everything in the cockpit looks and works as it should.

The traditional round dials that show engine revolutions and the car’s speed flank four rotating drum gauges for coolant temperature, oil pressure, fuel level, and battery charge; these are wonderfully of-the-period and sit in a simple, dark dashboard.

There’s a cute little trip computer in the centre console too, plus the original Jaguar-branded cassette player - and even a cassette tape to play in it; after all, if you’re going to drive a period classic car then you might as well go all in, eh?

Speaking of which, the two huge chromed ashtrays speak of a gentler age when smoking a decent cigar was a sign of refinement rather than reducing the smoker to the status of social pariah – and just take a look at the console-mounted control for the cruise control!

A Thatcham Category 2 immobiliser was fitted in 2000.

The boot is very clean. Free of rust and home to the battery and matching spare alloy wheel, it also contains an indoor car cover and a spare glass for the door mirror.

Problems? Well, aside from the surface rust in the footwells (which you’d probably want to sort sooner rather than later to forestall more extensive and expensive problems in the future) there’s a mark on the lower right-hand corner of the instrument binnacle and a bit of colour loss to the outer edge of the driver’s seat but there’s nothing there than would either deter or concern us at all.

The engine bay is purposeful rather than pretty but that’s okay because you’re going to be admiring the huge V12 engine anyway. The engine starts promptly and settles quickly into an all-but-inaudible whisper.

Bloomin’ sprightly under way, it roars, albeit in a muted fashion commensurate with the Jaguar’s role as a long-distance grand tourer rather than an out-and-out sportscar.

The underside is strong and appears to be original as we can’t see any sign of welding or previous repairs.

The Jaguar’s MoT certificate, which is valid until August 2021, was gained without a single advisory point, something it’s been doing since 2017.

It has a number of expired MoT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years, work that includes 15 stamps in the service history booklet.

It also still has its original owner’s handbook, book pack, and storage wallet plus the original ‘certificate of completion’ from the factory.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

The Jaguar XJS’s time has come; after years of being unappreciated and ignored, discerning buyers are starting to understand their unique appeal. That mighty V12 engine, for example, just gets on with the job of wafting the car’s occupants around at indecently high speeds in almost complete silence while the interior cossets and nurtures like few others.

The convertible element of the equation is equally important as it adds an element of all-season versatility that the (albeit slightly quieter and stiffer) coupe lacks.

Which is a long-winded way of saying that we think this one will sell for between £13,000 and £18,000 and while we, like your parents, insist we don’t have favourites, it’s hard to imagine a better, or safer, place to invest less than twenty grand.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.