1990 JAGUAR XJS

Under the stewardship of Laurence Pearce in the late 1980s and 1990s, the Lister Motor Company entered a golden era. Using Jaguar’s XJS as its foundation, Pearce reimagined the brand as a builder of some of the most powerful and dramatic road-going Jaguars ever produced. His vision took Lister beyond its established racing pedigree, blending bespoke craftsmanship with extraordinary performance enhancements such as enlarged V12 engines, advanced transmissions and bold styling. The result was a range of cars that redefined the grand touring experience and secured Lister’s standing as one of Britain’s most formidable specialist manufacturers of the period.

Chassis #081LJ began life in 1990 as a standard UK-supplied Jaguar XJS before returning to the Lister works in early 1991 for conversion to ‘System 2’ specification. According to the original factory invoice on file, this upgrade included Le Mans wheel arches, rear wing, twin headlamps, door mirrors, steering wheel, as well as a complete interior retrim. Mechanical enhancements were equally extensive, comprising a Lister suspension kit, uprated brakes, bespoke wheels and tyres, Le Mans exhaust, a rebuilt engine, a five-speed gearbox and strengthened final drive. The total for this work exceeded £54,000.

In March 1992, #081LJ went back to Lister for the ultimate transformation: conversion to full 7.0-litre ‘Le Mans’ specification. Detailed invoices in the car’s extensive history file confirm this work, which included another engine rebuild, the installation of a Getrag six-speed gearbox, twin superchargers and a host of supporting modifications. The additional cost was a remarkable £24,000.

The car was sold by Lister Cars Ltd in January 1993 to Mr M. Bush of Bournemouth, showing just 3,800 miles. By May of that same year, Mr Bush had already returned it to Lister for servicing, the odometer recording 7,901 miles. He clearly enjoyed the car enthusiastically until 1996, when it passed to Bradshaw Garage at 25,952 miles.

In 2012, the car was subject to extensive recommissioning by David Marks, a respected engineer well known in Jaguar circles. Three years later, in January 2015, it was road tested by Ross Alkureishi of Classic Cars Magazine, who described it memorably: “Say hello to the biggest, baddest Jaguar on the planet – not even the XJ220 comes close in terms of sheer brute force… At 3000rpm the twin superchargers kick in fully, the rear squats down, the nose rises and you’re hurtled forward as the instant torque arrives with a visceral ferocity.”

Although some invoices are absent—particularly those for an engine rebuild and repaint, reputedly carried out off the record by respected specialists—the car’s more recent history is exceptionally well documented. Since 2023, under the stewardship of its current owner, #081LJ has been meticulously prepared and maintained. It was entrusted to renowned Jaguar specialist Tom Lenthall, whose invoice for mechanical work alone exceeds £8,500. The owner then commissioned Topaz in London to carry out a full Level 3 Correction Detail. This included recolonising the leather seats, dashboard and steering wheel, repairing carpets, retrimming the gear knob and replacing driver’s kick well trims, at a cost of over £5,000.

Ahead of sale, the car once more returned to Tom Lenthall for a comprehensive inspection and further works, with the resulting invoice totalling more than £5,500. The outcome is a car that both presents and performs superbly, not merely “for an XJS” but by any standard. This example stands apart from the handful of Lister XJSs that have appeared on the market in recent years, its quality and condition immediately evident in the metal.

Having covered extensive miles behind the wheel over the past two years, I can attest that this is among the most rewarding classic cars I have ever driven. The car is remarkably responsive, with sharp steering, precise throttle control and confidence inspiring brakes, qualities that just aren’t expected of an XJS. Finished in an elegant shade of dark blue metallic over a cream interior, complete with its original in-car telephone and accompanied by a substantial history file, #081LJ represents one of the finest examples of Lister’s legendary XJS conversions.