1995 Jaguar XJS Celebration Convertible

This very late XJS (good for British car remember – the kinks have been worked out) is a Celebration model. Said merriment in its model name marked its parent firm’s 60th anniversary and the last of the line XJS models in the process. These slightly plusher Jags got chromed rear-view mirror and headlight surrounds, wood trimmed steering wheel and gear knob plus embossed ‘leapers’ on the seats. Celebrations were also powered by the new AJ16 4.0-litre motor, lifted from the X300 XJ6. That gave it 238bhp, which was good for 60mph in seven seconds and a top speed of 150mph.

This Celebration has been a cover star, in this instance appearing prominently on the front page of Jaguar World Monthly magazine, back in July 2002 (copy included). Its fantastic colour and contrasting 16-inch alloys no doubt played their part in its selection. Displaying just 45,691 miles and boasting a fairly comprehensive stack of invoices in its history for both servicing and restoration, it certainly stacks up well. The only reason the seller is letting it go is the prohibitive cost of keeping an old car within the capital since the new ULEZ rules came into force.

Finished in an exquisite shade of turquoise this Celebration XJS Convertible appears to have survived the rigors of life in the capital remarkably well. The panels all look straight and the gaps are some of the best Jaguar ever managed – aside from the boot to rear wing (offside). If you get a little closer, the imperfections start to become noticeable. There are some minor scuffs to the offside corner of the front bumper and another similar patch of parking rash to the nearside corner of the rear bumper. While we’re back here, the chrome trim on the bumper is a little uneven, especially as it wraps around the offside rear wing. Though the overall impression is still a very tidy one. The flanks of this Jag are looking strikingly straight and clean, as are its recently refurbished Celebration-specific alloy wheels. The latter are wrapped in a good matching set of Pirelli P7 Cinturato tyres.

Up front, there are a few very minor chips and some scratches to the bumper and the same wavy chrome capping on the nearside. The grille appears to be blemish-free as are the majority of the bonnet leading edge metal and headlight glass. We’ll say it again as it needs repeating, this is a very tidy example of a classic that’s lived in London. Its hood and headlining look great too, there’s also a heated glass rear screen and a very nice matching tonneau cover to keep things looking neat when it’s all stowed.

Jaguar leapers on the seats were another Celebration-specific feature and they look great, even if they’re a little worn. More Celebration bits include that partial wood wheel and gear knob. The latter has sadly suffered quite a few cracks. While we’re on the topic of wood, the veneer throughout is looking very tidy, there’s just a slight colour change for the panel surrounding the central heater vents – suggesting a replacement perhaps?

The usual driver’s bolster wear is present, but that’s really about the only mark worth mentioning on any of the hide. This are is more scuffed than torn at this stage so could be easily repaired or simply died to greatly improve its appearance. The driver’s seat base also has a few very minor scuffs and ingrained dirt that would also benefit from a deep clean and re-colour. The carpets throughout this XJS are looking fantastic, with only a small lifting section in the driver’s footwell – as it meets the kick plate – all to report.

If we’re being very critical, which is our job after all, there are some very small tears in the fabric covering the seatbelt towers. Though these are nit-picking really. More importantly, the dashboard looks very good (no cracks), the rear seats appear barely used and the door cards and carpets present exceptionally well. The boot lining trim is particularly impressive, with a Jaguar-branded autochanger also found back here, feeding the original radio/cassette deck up front.

There’s an invoice in the history indicating that the underside received considerable attention just a few years ago, which is certainly backed up by the condition of the floors of this Jaguar. They all look straight and strong with a neat application of underseal. The suspension and steering components look great too with several bushes looking very fresh, again backed up by recent invoices. Specifically, the rear radius arm bushes look as new.

The huge bonnet is easy to pop thanks to the assistance of gas struts. The ‘bay shows little sign of any issues, it’s largely dry, clean and fresh. Though we did spot a former mild coolant leak from one of the outlets on the water pump. This was given away by dried up pink anti-freeze crystals, so we very much doubt that it’s a current problem.

The three owners of this Jaguar have certainly lavished some love upon it, based on the bills in the history file. Starting at the beginning, this Celebration XJS was given its pre-delivery inspection at Browns Lane on the 27th of June 1995. From here, we get Jaguar dealer stamps for the first few annual services until well-known specialist Arun takes over in 2002. This is the final stamp in the service booklet but it’s by no means the end of this car’s care. Independent servicing at a variety of marque specialists has continued right up to the present day. In fact, the last service was only carried out in June 2021, which also confirms that those radius arm bushes were replaced at the same time.

More comprehensive work was carried out in Dec 2019 by Clarke’s Restoration. This can be viewed as a semi-restoration as it included; dent removal (boot lid, rear arch, doors and front wings), wheel refurbishment, fresh paint for the front wings, scuttle and wheel arches – at a cost of £4950, but the care didn’t stop there… Clarke’s also completely cleaned, repaired and sealed the underside as well as fitted a new hood and cleaned the interior and detailed the exterior. The total bill for this fairly comprehensive refresh came to a whopping £11,203.55.

More dent repairs – well this is a London car after all – were undertaken in June 2021 at a cost of £460. A little further back, the cooling system was flushed and topped up in 2018 along with a front brake overhaul that included new discs, pads, fluid and calipers. This work was carried out by The Jaguar Workshop in London at a cost of £1831.15. The air-con compressor, as well as its oil and seals, were replaced by Alpinair in 2017 at a further cost of £669.20. The brake fluid was again changed back in 2010.

Although a little far back to prove relevant today, there are nevertheless several receipts from R.A. Creamer & Son ltd for servicing and on-going maintenance going back as far as 2007. The car comes with two keys and fobs – only one of the latter works – plus all the Jaguar owner’s literature. A tracker was installed in 1997 too, but whether this still works is anyone’s guess…

A late XJS is a wonderful machine that’s usually reliable, fast and stylish, providing a genuine three-figure capable, four-seat open-top experience that’s very rare in the classic era. This one benefits from being a late special edition that’s clearly been well cared for and is reluctantly being let go by its current long-term custodian.

The servicing appears to be up-to-date and the minor cosmetic flaws don’t impinge on what is a highly attractive and useable classic Jaguar. That’s why, with summer just around the corner, we think its next owner will need between £25,000 - £35,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, 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’.