World-famous sports car makers relish images of wild animals as their mascots: Ferrari has the prancing horse, Lamborghini employs the raging bull. Jaguar Ltd. is proud to carry the name of the irresistible feline, and perhaps no other manufacturer's products are quite so aptly named. A Jaguar is velvety smooth, sounds ferocious, and surprises with dizzying speed, while keeping an elegant composure.
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Created as successor to the legendary E-Type and the last model designed with input from the firm's founder, the legendary Sir William Lyons, the XJS is actually more than just a replacement. It is a Grand Tourer par excellence, the finest mode of transportation for two people wishing to travel fast and in style.
Produced for over two decades, from 1977-1998, a few special iterations of the XJS have already attained classic car status, among them the rare XJSC, or "Cabriolet."
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Just 3,864 of these Landaulet-like, V12-powered Cabs were manufactured between 1983 and 1988, with a only a few hundred sold in the United States, in '86 and '87 only.
The car presented here is a very special survivor, being a fully documented, one-owner, extremely low-mileage Southern California Jag. As pampered as they come, it's truly a dream come true for the serious XJS-C connoisseur!
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The XJS-C came in one flavor only: fully loaded. Authentic window sticker shows factory MSRP of $45,480.00, on par with contemporaries Mercedes-Benz 560SL and Porsche 911 Carrera--and quite a bit of cash, 25 years ago. Click on the image to the left for an XXL-sized view |
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Tom Jones's Jag, VIN *SAJNV3842HC135038* was purchased as the young neurosurgeon's gift to himself. After those interminably long years of study and 'round-the-clock internship, in 1986 the time had finally come to celebrate success and to pamper oneself with a great automobile. Well deserved!
Note original California small "pink slip" title.
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To call this car fully documented would be the understatement of the year. Original black leather pouch holds all manner of factory literature, including, but not limited to:
- Window sticker
- Owner's handbook
- Passport to Service w/ all dealer stamps
- Electrical data chart
- Trip computer addendum
- Capacities chart
- Security radio information booklets
- 1987 Emissions warranty (California)
- OEM tire warranty
- Key code label
Pictured above on the right are 55 receipts for service and maintenance, totalling exactly $21,267.57, filed chronologically, in clear plastic sheet protectors, and kept inside a large black ring binder. Not only do these receipts speak volumes about the exemplary care this fine Landaulet has always received, they also irrefutably document the car's low mileage.
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Stunning Arctic Blue Metallic (factory code JFE) certainly is a very appropriate color for the XJS. The factory original paint has kept its deep luster through all those years; it has been regularly detailed, and aside from a couple of minimal blemishes, there is nothing to take away from its beauty. If you work as an undercover agent for the FBI, this car is not for you. You'll definitely receive undivided attention in this Jag!
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The ne plus ultra in versatility, the XJSC can be configured as a Landaulet convertible, a Targa, or a Coupe. Additionally, the rear folding soft top can be replaced by a fixed roof panel with heated glass window.
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Rear hardtop and T-top panels can be installed during the cooler season to create a weather-tight Coupe.
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Plain and simple, the XJS-C was the most elegant luxury car of its generation.
Note Jaguar chrome wheels with like-new MICHELIN Pilot radials of the size 235/60-15 all around, a $2,800.00 update, performed in 1990.
Let's have a peek under the car's long bonnet now.
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The Jaguar XJSC is a member in good standing of the most exclusive car club on Earth. Aside from Jaguar, this club has only four members, namely Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. You guessed it, we're talking about the Twelve Cylinder Club.
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If you never had the opportunity to drive a V12-powered automobile, you probably cannot conceive what you've been missing. A V-12 has 50% more cylinders than your father's Oldsmobile or your neighbor's Mercedes S500. Accordingly wide is the power band, even more convincing the legendary, turbine-like smoothness of this incredible engine. The special High Compression May cylinder heads assist in producing around 262 hp to effortlessly cope with any traffic situation.
All factory recall and warranty work has been performed on this immaculate cat; every other needed item has always been promptly addressed, exceeding the dealer-prescribed maintenance schedule. Recent work included replacement of power steering pump and rack-and-pinion steering unit, intake manifold and valve cover gaskets, starter, battery, hood shocks, fuel lines, and injector wiring.
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The interior accoutrements of a Jaguar are legendary. A dashboard that deserves the name, with honest-to-goodness burled walnut wood and a leather-wrapped volant, here immaculately preserved. Not a single crack mars the dash. This automobile has always been garaged; it has never been smoked in! All that old-world craftsmanship meets modern day technology, though: nestled between wood and leather, a space-age vehicle information center supplies the driver with valuable information. Factory Jaguar concert sound system with multiple speakers includes cassette deck. Automatic climate control lets you select a convenient ambient temperature, and the system will supply ample amounts of ice cold or super-heated air.
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Notice odometer reading of 30,392 actual miles. All gauges and warning lights work flawlessly.
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Seats, door panels, and console are covered with the finest, delightfully patinated Isis Blue hides from deliriously happy, well-fed Scottish Highland bovines. These hides were most carefully selected, then vat-dyed in an antique wooden drum at the now-defunct, Edwardian CONNOLLY factory. Truly superior to the Detroit leather found in a pedestrian Lexus or Cadillac, the luxurious ambiance of a British high-end marque, such as Jaguar, Aston Martin, or Bentley is unmatched in the world.
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Behind the seats: a large luggage area. Wall-to-wall WILTON wool carpeting, as used by Rolls Royce, is an integral part of the car's veddy British charm.
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Two separate, lockable storage boxes for your valuables.
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All lights work, including license plate and backup lights.
Ready for the test drive? So are we, but before we leave, let's have a good look at trunk and undercarriage.
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Surprisingly spacious trunk will hold a large amount of luggage and the golf bags, too. It is completely carpeted so Madame's Louis Vuittons will remain without scuff marks.
Note tool kit in matching bag. The battery--protected by a black cover--is located next to the spare.
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Undercarriage is virginal, confirming sheltered life of a Santa Barbara pussycat. Everything is original, down to the mufflers, which proudly show off their "British Leyland" logos. There has never been any worry about rust or any other weather-induced damage. It's truly as good as it gets down here. Click on the image to the left for an XXL-sized view |
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Fascinating details of a showroom-worthy bottom. We didn't notice any fluid leaks, either.
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Wednesday, March 23, provided us with some long-awaited sunshine and we seized the opportunity to enjoy a ride in the plush Cabriolet while taking these pictures.
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You turn the ignition key, and hear . . . nothing. You check the gauges right in front of you and they indicate that the engine is running. Can it be? Yes, indeed. It's a V-12, remember?
Put the sleek gear selector into "Drive" and you immediately notice the incredible, silky smoothness of this power plant. The cat moves forward from idle without any indication of stress, the GM-designed turbo-hydramatic shifting imperceptibly. At any speed, in any gear, there is an abundance of power; you feel sovereign in any situation.
Since you will probably never be driving the car at its 6400 rpm redline, you might be pleased to learn that the feline will continue to accelerate briskly and silently beyond any legal speed. Even at triple-digit velocity, you will barely notice the engine, nor any intrusive wind noise or buffeting.
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Speaking about the Jag's creature comforts, this car is well appointed with amenities such as power windows, mirror, door locks, telescoping steering column, and cruise control. All lights, switches, and controls work as Sir William Lyons intended.
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Driving a Vee Twelve-powered Jaguar can be an utterly rewarding experience, but acquiring a car that comes with deferred maintenance issues will lead to sleepless nights, perhaps even nightmares. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to seek out the best surviving example you can find, a car that features a full, no-expense-spared service history, such as this one.
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An incredible automobile with all the luxury, exclusivity, and performance imaginable, this low mileage Jaguar XJSC Landaulet from Southern California--owned by "the other Tom Jones" for a quarter century--represents a golden opportunity to join the Twelve Cylinder Club; driving it will make you feel like royalty.
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A bona fide collectible: now's the time to acquire this stunning automobile, the best example of the rare XJS-C you could ever hope to find.
Carpe diem, and may God save the Queen!
Addendum:
We sold this rare Jaguar in March 2011 to a customer in Southern California.
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