1993 Jaguar XJR-S

In comparison to the XJS, the Jaguar XJR-S is a rare car. Finding one is relatively difficult, especially ones in great condition. The example listed here is a 1993 XJR-S, maintained well enough to ensure it can be relished the way JaguarSport intended. That claim is backed by substantial paperwork, including service history, previous MOT certificates, and repair bills. The vendor has had it for the last six years.

It’s cleared its latest MOT test. The car, delivered to its first owner in the year 1993, was serviced last in April 2021. It’s not done too much mileage, either; the current odometer reading is just 29081 miles. It’s also got a ceramic coating on the paint, mentions the vendor. You can take a look at the detailed photos of the car in the gallery below. The adjoining paperwork can be accessed by going to the end of the gallery.

Saying the XJ-S was received well when it was brought out after the E-Type would be a big lie. It visually lacked the appeal of the cars Jaguar had made before it, especially the E-Type. And the press didn’t exactly turn a blind eye to the XJS’s looks, either. The oft-criticised flying buttresses served a purpose, and they stayed on the car (at least the coupe) until the end. The Malcolm Sayer-designed car, eventually styled by Doug Thorpe, was more aerodynamic than the E-Type. On the XJR-S, that was further improved with a new, wind-tunnel-tested body kit, which resulted in lower drag; reduction by 12 per cent.

Both the body kit and wheels help the XJR-S look exciting, if not conventionally pretty. The Metallic Red paint shines beautifully but the colour is deep enough to work with the subdued styling. As mentioned earlier, the vendor has got a ceramic coating on the exterior. Calling it just clean would be underselling the car’s exterior, given its age; it’s that good. In terms of visible damage, there are no dents or irregularities in the bodywork. Age-related scratches if any are hard to spot.

While there’s no doubt that Jaguar (or JaguarSport, in this case) gave the XJS enough power to perform well regardless of the scenario, the car was supposed to be a 2+2 GT. Hence the XJS was offered with a plush cabin. Understandably, the XJR-S is no different, in that regard. The space in the cabin is compromised for the rear passengers, but on the bright side, the boot space is good, although it’s not advisable to travel in the boot.

This XJR-S’s interior is sure to have a calming effect on long journeys. It has had a substantial amount of work done on it, which means that it can easily be passed as new. The ‘Sport’ steering wheel is rather large but fits in line with the rest of the dashboard. All interior switches and features appear to be in fine working order which of course fits the rest of the big cat.

In terms of signs of ageing, there are some wear marks on the front seats. The rear seats look immaculate. And while the steering wheel is easily the most touched part in the cabin, it has fended its age off rather well. The carpet looks perfect, and so does the roof. The ‘JaguarSport’ door sills have some scratches, but that’s expected on a 28-year-old car.

The JaguarSport magic worked well on the XJR-S, but that’s not luck; they put in a fair bit of effort in making it the most-focussed XJS. Apart from the engine, the team made sure that the chassis was made competent enough to handle the extra stress high-speed driving can throw at it. As noted by Motor, TWR successfully gave the XJR-S’s steering more life, in comparison to the XJS’s overly light unit. Motor Sport magazine, which took the XJR-S on a group test with some class-leading metal from Germany and Italy, found the Jaguar an unexpected winner. That it could handle both the road and track driving better than the rivals wasn’t just a validation of JaguarSport’s efforts but also a clear sign that the XJS, despite its shortcomings, was in a league of its own. And the 6-litre V12 made everything better.

The vendor mentions that it drives beautifully, as if it’s a modern car. Its age is also not apparent in the way it behaves on the move. He further adds that the immaculate example is solid underneath with no rust or damage whatsoever. That’s largely down to the routine maintenance and the fact that it had a galvanised body. He sums up the experience by pointing out that it’s so silent at idling that it’s difficult to make out if the engine’s running. Visually the busy engine bay is spotless and the boot is no different in condition. Some of the rubber seals do appear old on the surface but this is a strong statement of originality. Underneath, it’s largely untouched but not ageless.

Delivered on March 25, 1993, this Jaguar XJR-S comes with a detailed service record and a valid MoT. According to the service book, its first service was in July 1993 at 1339 miles, followed by yearly service till 1995, gap till 2001, then almost yearly till 2005. There’s also an entry for 2011, by then the car had done 23,445 miles. The latest service was done at 29,049 miles on April 13, 2021. This is when the car received new engine oil and filters. It also got a new front-to-rear brake pipe.

The car is HPI clear and has had only 2 former owners.

Apart from that and some minor work in 2016, the car had some maintenance done in 2017 including fixing the onboard voltmeter, refilling of power steering fluid, interior cosmetic work, power steering rack rebuild, etc. The front seats were also repaired earlier this year.

Other than that, the paperwork also includes MoT receipts from the past few years. A look at the history and it’s clear that the car has been used sparingly, especially in the last decade or so. The current MoT is valid till April 2022. The original book pack and toolkit are also still present and are shown in the gallery. 

The XJR-S is easily one of the best iterations of the Jaguar XJS. It did bring out the best in the XJS and ironed out the issues that would’ve otherwise stopped owners from enjoying it as a powerful GT car. It gained the delicate balance between too stiff for road use and too soft for the track, and even now, three and a half decades after the XJS stopped, the XJR-S is going to be a great buy — especially in the same spec that it left the factory.

This 1993 example has a lot going for it, including the improved body dynamics and the V12 engine. But not just that, the car’s overall condition, superbly low mileage, and clean bodywork can easily do the talking instead.

The XJR-S when new could achieve 160 mph with all the grace and space it had. Jaguar’s current line up might have cars that do 160 mph but nothing that can challenge the XJR-S’s grace. And if you were to go back in time and draw (like many others have) a comparison with the E-Type, it must be noted that the XJS actually outsold the E-Type by a respectable margin. Still don’t see a point? A drive in the XJR-S might change that for you.

On reflection of the overall condition and mileage of this Jaguar we estimate the car to sell for between £30,000 - £38,000.

Viewing is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), 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’.