1995 Jaguar XJS

This beautiful left-hand drive XJS Celebration has covered just 29,000 miles from new and spent most of its life in the USA and Spain, so hasn’t had to survive salt-laden UK road conditions.

It’s now fully UK registered and in UK numberplates, so you can drive it away (but you’ll have to buy it first).

The Topaz paintwork has survived the Spanish sun very well, and still shines with a deep lustre. However, there is the odd ding here and there, noticeably on the driver’s door and the boot lid. There are also some small dents in chrome strip on front of bonnet.

The rubber gasket that sits between the passenger door handle and bodywork has shrunk in the sun, revealing cracks in the paint finish underneath.

Generally though the XJS looks very straight and clean which, bearing in mind its pathetic mileage figure is probably of no surprise.

The classy Jaguar alloy wheels look very good and the car sits level, with no sagging in the suspension springs. A complete set of matching 255/60/16 tyres helps here – today’s trend towards rubber band-clad wheels means rims easily get damaged, whereas the XJS has survived unscathed by kerb rash.

The hood itself is in great shape, and has probably seen little use. It’s tonneau cover is also good but has a few small black marks on one side. They may, of course, clean off.

The heat has been slightly less kind to the interior, and in particular the seams of the rear seats have split. In the front the driver’s seat shows slight signs of use on the bolsters and the passenger seat also has some wear related cracking of the leather on the seat base.

That said, the woodwork all looks excellent and the dash top is also undamaged. The owner tells us the clock isn’t working and that there’s a new one with the car ready to go in, although he also advises the problem may simply be a fuse.

He also suggests a new bonnet pull handle, although the current one is still working. In addition, a plastic clip on the passenger seat has come loose while the car was being cleaned, and needs refitting.

In the boot is a full sized spare wheel that may well never have been used, plus the original jack and tool kit.

While the E-Type’s Jaguar XK engine is a classic, it was designed during World War 2 and, especially in late spec 4.2-litre guise, it wears out quickly by modern standards. And Jaguar’s sumptuous V12 is a wonderful thing, but it struggles to return more than 15mpg, even in later HE spec.

The 4-litre AJ16 straight six, on the other hand, will easily cover three times the mileage of an XK engine before needing any work, and can manage around twice that fuel mileage figure on a run. So a classic Jaguar convertible with this engine really is a very good thing indeed.

In fact we’d go as far as saying that this car represents the peak of XJS development. It has the most useable engine and, coupled with the excellent automatic gearbox, it’s a proper mile muncher that will run and run, without breaking the bank.

The under bonnet area on this one is in very clean and original shape, with only very minor surface blemishes on some of the alloy components. The engine itself is very smart, and runs beautifully sweetly.

The car’s underside is as you’d expect from one that’s lived in sunny climbs – it looks to be corrosion free and in great condition. There’s some gravel rash on the very lower section of the front air dam, but you need to lie on the floor to see it.

The Jag has just been serviced and comes with a fresh MoT, with no advisories. It comes with a certificate from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, a bill showing that all customs duties have been paid and the original handbooks. The owner says:

‘I wanted a car to use when I went to our Avocado farm in Spain. We particularly liked the Celebration model with the 4-litre engine, and were delighted to have this one with such low mileage. Our farm in Spain is being sold and we are moving on, so sadly the XJS has to go now also.

‘We drove the car down to Spain over a period of a month, stopping off at some beautiful places making memories we will never forget, especially driving through the Pyrenees with the top down. The sweeping roads through the mountains really suited the XJS.

‘The car has been sparingly used and stored at VIP parking at the airport, where they bring the car to you when you exit the airport at arrivals. It’s slightly cringeworthy having that service but makes you feel you are really away from it all once you’re in the car again.

‘As you can see from the images the car is beautiful and has been kept dry-stored in a hot country. There are some small hardly noticeable knocks here and there from what looks like previous storage, but no marks from parking or any scrapes at all.

‘As soon as my storage circumstances change I’m buying another one, but I don’t expect it to be easy trying to find a low mileage XJS like this one.’

The perfect car for European cruising this summer, or just for cruising to the local on a Sunday lunchtime. The choice is yours, but this later spec 4-litre XJS is very likely the pick of the bunch, and at this mileage, barely run in.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £12,000 - £17,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.