Jaguar XJS | Spotted
We all know the XJS's problems, but desirability is creeping up by the year - especially at £7,495
There's a rule of thumb for Jaguar sports cars, one that stretches back more than half a century. Put simply, it's that the original is, styling-wise at least, by far the most appealing. Over the extensive production runs of everything - E-Type, XJS, XK, even F-Type - Jaguar has seen fit to meddle and modify where it really isn't needed.
Spoilers, skirts, scoops and spats are added, spoiling the purity of what were originally very nice designs. Naturally there is a desire to keep up with trends, especially when one model must be made to last so long - though it often seems that that Jaguar way of doing it is clumsier than others. Look at Series 3 E-Types, the XJSs of the 1990s, the XKs before its 2014 demise; they've all just been made fussier, without necessarily being better. Fortunately it seems that the message has gotten through - because the latest F-Type's facelift is a very successful one - but even that didn't escape scot free, with one or two dubious bodykits before then. And the new one's rear diffuser...
Anyway, point is that it's earlier the better for any of the Jag sports cars, at least from a design point of view. Nowhere is that better evidenced than with this XJS, a survivor from the third year of production (meaning it's more than 40 years old) and looking better than it ever has in red over cream.
Now, because the early versions of all these Jaguars tend to be the more desirable, they're also often the more expensive - E-Types being the perfect example. However, that isn't so with this XJS, as it's for sale at just £7,495.
Which, even allowing for the car's pitfalls - all of which are extremely well documented by now - looks like an alluringly cheap way into classic (and stylish) Jaguar ownership. It's a V12 automatic, which the majority of XJSs are, but as one of the early cars it goes without the High Efficiency tweaks that came later; or, as the advert puts it, "unhindered by the fuel saving restrictions" of HE versions. Still the issues around timing chains and an auxiliary air valve, raised in a recent Brave Pill, apply, as well as other XJS maladies (anyone ignorantly going into cheap XJS ownership now really only has themselves to blame).
The seller here freely admits a less than perfect exterior, suggesting the XJS "represents an ideal basis to improve upon or enjoy as is." There's appeal and merit in both choices; with money invested this could be one of the nicest (as well as oldest) XJSs around, while diving around in its current state means the next owner wouldn't have to be too precious - and can just get on with enjoying it.
Projects of any kind take a fair amount of commitment, leave alone those involving classic British sports cars and a V12 engine. Certainly, an XJS that's this affordable warrants closer inspection, and some considerable courage even with an all clear. But look at what stands to be gained: one of the best looking XJSs seen over its 21-year production run, a V12 engine and a price thousands less than anything comparable from the era. Risk and reward have seldom been so finely balanced - who dares take the plunge?
SPECIFICATION - JAGUAR XJS V12
Engine: 5,345cc V12
Transmission: 3-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 290@N/A rpm
Torque (lb ft): 294@N/A rpm
MPG: let's hope for double figures
First registered: 1977
Recorded mileage: 52,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £7,495
As a petrol headed kid growing up in the late 70's I remember the first XJS I saw - it was in the yellow - and to me it looked a complete mess, especially when compared with my grandmother's series 2 I guess Daimler.
Only with the facelift did so many of the heavy handed styling features get sorted and finally the bumper design didn't look Volv'esque to my eyes.
Very badly built BL money pit of a car. The build quality of these is on a par with an Allegro or Maxi. Pretty horrible to drive as well.
About as appealing as an arrow through the neck only to then find a gas bill attached..
I can’t imagine time has been very kind to them at all, they were really very unloved from what I can remember?
Is there such a thing as good one left anywhere?
I can’t imagine time has been very kind to them at all, they were really very unloved from what I can remember?
Is there such a thing as good one left anywhere?
I remember them being awfully posh, along with Stags they were up there as cars for the wealthy, sure there was other stuff but it was no way as prevalent as it is today. I rmeember my next door neighbour getting one and going for a spin, was a fairly new one, about an 86, it felt other worldly at the time.
But, they did get manky with age and they were a product of the BL machine and rotted for fun, interiors went mouldy and fell apart and all that stuff on top of the V12 gently cooked, went brittle and fell apart over time.
I saw one the other day, was a facelift and those always to me seemed to still look fairly modern but it lumbered past, the suspension was creaking a bit and it was emitting a haze of smoke from the exhausts, to be fair it may have just been started but it just seemed old.
The original ones now look best, still got a fondness for them, but own one, not really but a well kept later convertible could be a nice thing if you have a garage and some patience.
There is a big difference between the early & late ones; remember they were produced for 20 years.
Mine is a 1989 so just prior to the Ford takeover where all the engine gaskets etc were revised, but it still has some good simple improvements like all the relays being Bosch, not random *BL sourced for cheapest* stuff that craps out after 5 years & a bit of moisture.
From what I’ve seen, the pre-HE models do actually go for more money usually, so this is especially cheap (and therefore dubious).
Also, pretty much every one I’ve looked at that has a number plate showing has the aforementioned structural rust in the MOT history, as does the X100 XK (shared floor pan I think?) Real shame because to me the designs of both have aged very well indeed.
I remember helping my mate run his Elise way back in the early 2000s and at one race meeting at Snetterton, there was a Jaguar racing series & we got chatting to some guys about their XJS. After their race the engine was totally lunched and spurting various fluids all over the pit lane. I asked if that was going to be a big job to repair and they just laughed. They weren’t going to repair it, they just going to pop down the scrapyard and pop another one in.
I also took a dark blue/cream full convertible XJS in as a part exchange once. It had only 44000 miles and it was immaculate. As the handover was on a sunny day my trip to the compound took a little longer than normal as with the roof off, the smile on my face was broad. It was only when I got back to the showroom that I realised I had started talking like Terry Thomas. That car really was “ding dong!”
I'm old enough to remember these new and they certainly had wow factor back then. I think the styling now is great, just unique.
I'm sure it's a b
h to work on and will have woeful build quality bit so will almost any relic from this long ago. Just imagine a 70s Maserati equivalent or whatever.And as for it being "brexity" as someone above stated, nah they all drive German blandness round my way. Won't even touch JLR stuff.
They look quite big cars but, comparing to more modern cars is actually not
£7.5K is a good price for this, a similar car (Year/Colour/mileage ! ??) sold at auction last year for ~11K
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff