Tuesday 16th June 2015

Lynx Eventer: Spotted

A V12, right-hand drive, manual Jaguar shooting brake - where do we sign?!

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On PH social media last week we asked for your choices on the best Le Mans transport. This Aston V8 was our selection for the jaunt but now that appears an embarrassing mistake. Why? Because there's a Lynx Eventer for sale.

Blue with cream and a manual? Yes!

Think about it: style, space (look at that carpeted boot!), sufficient rarity to appeal even at Le Mans and oodles of V12 power for the autoroute trudge. What more could you ever want or need?

The Eventer was always an incredibly rare car, with just 67 produced between 1982 and 2002. This car is a very early example, having undergone its 14-week conversion in 1983. Arguably the pre-facelift XJS is more beautiful both as a coupe and a shooting brake. Furthermore, it's one of what's believed to be only 49 RHD cars and a manual; surely a very hard combination to come by but also ideal if you're of the PH persuasion.

There's more good news too. Given so few cars exist it's unlikely a bad colour spec is out there but Sapphire Blue with Magnolia leather must be one of the best. Traditionally classy but not as predictable as BRG with tan; lovely.

After a prolonged stay in the doldrums the XJS is beginning to appreciate in value. There's a real demand at present for the early models, perhaps evidenced by the fact this Eventer is the oldest XJS in the PH classifieds. Indeed, trying to find a 70s XJS of any description is tough.

Family day out?

So while there are a couple of cars still lurking under £5K, they certainly aren't as plentiful as a few years back. Obviously they aren't at E-Type values but the XJS isn't the bargain classic you might expect anymore.

Alright, that's enough skirting round the subject; this Eventer is £70K. £69,990 to be precise. That's a hell of a lot for an XJS, especially when you bear in mind that wild Lister V12 sold at auction last year for little more than half that. Plus there are still nice V12s at less than £15K. And there's a race ready car at 35,000 euros...

But what if it's compared to other V12 GTs? Er, it still doesn't look great actually. You want a rare, V12, manual four-seater that's finally beginning to be recognised? In blue with cream leather? How about a Ferrari 412? Exactly the same money as the Lynx...

Attempting to make a rational case for a Lynx Eventer is a little daft though. If you want and can afford it there will be nothing else like it. It's a about as cool as 80s Jaguars get and something very different, which will always appeal to collectors. Wonder how big a tent will fit?

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LYNX EVENTER
Engine: 5,343cc, V12
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 284@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 317@3,250rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 1983
Recorded mileage: 104,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £69,990

See original ad here.

[Specs: Cars Mind]

[King Steffy]

70 grand...
Let's not get funny ideas...This is not cognac...They don't mature better with age...They were crap new...
Add on more than 3 decades irrespective if maintained, they were & still are crap...

You would have to be wired to the moon...

[kambites]

Crazy money but I suppose exclusivity has a value to some people.

[j90gta]

Very strong price; but where are you going to find another?

[MyCC]

King Steffy said:

70 grand...
Let's not get funny ideas...This is not cognac...They don't mature better with age...They were crap new...
Add on more than 3 decades irrespective if maintained, they were & still are crap...

You would have to be wired to the moon...

This. And therein symbolises what is currently wrong with the 'classic car' market, people have seemingly forgotten about the reputation (or lack of) that the said car had when new. It has gone bananas.

Regards,

MyCC.

[mrclav]

King Steffy said:

70 grand...
Let's not get funny ideas...This is not cognac...They don't mature better with age...They were crap new...
Add on more than 3 decades irrespective if maintained, they were & still are crap...

You would have to be wired to the moon...

Absolutely agree with this.

[mrclav]

King Steffy said:

70 grand...
Let's not get funny ideas...This is not cognac...They don't mature better with age...They were crap new...
Add on more than 3 decades irrespective if maintained, they were & still are crap...

You would have to be wired to the moon...

Absolutely agree with this.

[rtz62]

Hmmmmn
I know of at least 3 of these that sold within the last 12 months at auction for £28k, £41k and £42k, with a further example remaining unsold.
Ok, this example may have a great restoration or be in excellent mechanical and body condition, but that's still a big jump in price.
Also, the other cars were earlier models I do believe, and that would probably make them more desirable to the discerning buyer, but I just can't see how that justifies such a price hike.
Price vs value is the leveller.
Rare? Yes
Classy? Indubitably
Overpriced? I'll let you decide....

[Fetchez la vache]

MyCC said:

King Steffy said:

70 grand...
Let's not get funny ideas...This is not cognac...They don't mature better with age...They were crap new...
Add on more than 3 decades irrespective if maintained, they were & still are crap...

You would have to be wired to the moon...

This. And therein symbolises what is currently wrong with the 'classic car' market, people have seemingly forgotten about the reputation (or lack of) that the said car had when new. It has gone bananas.

That's all very well, but if you removed all the cars from the classic car market that were crap new, there would be hardly any cars left ...
Plus there are plenty of cars for sale now that are crap, but some people like them, and buy them... in droves, sometimes.
Maybe your idea of crap isn't everyone's idea of crap?

Having said that... £70k?

[JohnoVR6]

Forgive my ignorance, I was four years away from being born if the first of these left the factory in '82, but what is/ was so crap about it?

I think that looks bloody fantastic!

[dc2rr07]

I reckon a funeral parlour could turn it into a sporty hearse.

[Wills2]

looks lovely to me, no idea how it drives though.

[King Steffy]

Fetchez la vache said:

That's all very well, but if you removed all the cars from the classic car market that were crap new, there would be hardly any cars left ...
Plus there are plenty of cars for sale now that are crap, but some people like them, and buy them... in droves, sometimes.
Maybe your idea of crap isn't everyone's idea of crap?

Having said that... £70k?

Actually...What you have just said is a very valid point on how so many Classics are really crap...
However there are good old classics out there too...
There are very few bad cars out there that you would want to spend money on...For me, the E-Type Jaguar is a bad car that you just want to own...Who cares if it coughs & splutters every now & again when @ least you can look at it in the garage !!!...It's a stunner...OK true also that the price is not the same for sure...
Then again, no wonder...
Anyway, to this advert for this jag estate, I'd rather walk...

[Sir Bagalot]

I love it. Have always admired these.

But £70K? Seriously?

[dbdb]

They're very elegant cars and look in no way hearse like in the metal. They're long, low and sleek. The father of a lad I knew at school had an Eventer. I never went in it but it was a handsome car.

The XJ-S was an outstanding car in its time. I don't see why anyone would say they were 'crap'.

The market sets the price for cars: availability versus desirability. If it is overpriced it won't sell.

[RoverP6B]

The XJS was always a deeply lovely car, BL quality issues notwithstanding. However, the PH writer here is evidently mad - who on earth could think the pre-facelift XJ-S was better-looking than the post-facelift de-hyphenated XJS? The latter really tidied up a hitherto rather messy shape - and that's the one I'd have. He's also mad if he thinks the 412 is prettier than this...

[Olivera]

RoverP6B said:

However, the PH writer here is evidently mad - who on earth could think the pre-facelift XJ-S was better-looking than the post-facelift de-hyphenated XJS? The latter really tidied up a hitherto rather messy shape - and that's the one I'd have.

Looks are subjective, bit I think the pre-facelift looks better. Nicer front end with cool splitter instead of a modern plastic bumper design.

[marcosgt]

I don't understand the "these were crap then and they're crap now" comments.

The XJS wasn't a terribly popular car initially, but that was because the press (primarily) expected it to be a new Mk1 E-Type, rather than what it was, a replacement for the boulevard cruising V12 E-Type.

It got better with time and later ones were good cars.

As I recall Eventers were always rated in period as an excellent conversion and Lynx had (and still have) a great reputation for their D-Type and XKSS replicas (just look at the prices THEY demand!).

Nice car, I'd say, but a bit dear to my mind, but if you want one of the best examples of anything, you'll pay over the odds.

M.

Edited by marcosgt on Tuesday 16th June 14:23

[Twoshoe]

dbdb said:

The XJ-S was an outstanding car in its time. I don't see why anyone would say they were 'crap'.

Yes, I'm not sure about the references to it being 'crap' in its day either. I'm sure I remember it being compared very favourably with Porsche 928s and contemporary Mercs etc by Car magazine and others.

[RoverP6B]

marcosgt said:

Lynx had (and still) have a great reputation for their D-Type and XKSS replicas (just look at the prices THEY demand!)

Not any more. Lynx ceased trading last year, all assets sold and dispersed.

[J4CKO]

XJS's have a certain charm and there is some cachet in this being a rarity but it does indeed look like a hearse-ified XJS, The name "Eventer" makes it sound horsey-fied though.

70 grand, that is a lot of money, cant imagine who would spend that on one but it takes all sorts.