Description
Jaguar XJ-S V12 Cabriolet | 1989
Highlights:
– 5.3-litre V12 engine, petrol, automatic transmission
– 188,000 km indicated
– Recently fitted new tyres, shock absorbers and exhaust
– Documented history with approximately 20,000 euros in invoices
– Previously owned by a former CEO of Jaguar Netherlands
The seller offers for sale this 1989 Jaguar XJ-S V12, powered by a 5.3-litre V12 petrol engine, paired with an automatic transmission. This is the full cabriolet version of Jaguar’s grand tourer, introduced in 1988 as a factory-built open car with a powered soft top, and it represents the flagship twelve-cylinder specification of the range. The car shows 188,000 km and comes with a valid periodic inspection. It was imported from Germany and was subsequently owned by a former CEO of Jaguar Netherlands, a piece of provenance that speaks to the way this example has been kept and used.
The car is accompanied by an extensive file of invoices totalling approximately 20,000 euros, documenting the work carried out over recent years. Recent expenditure includes new tyres, shock absorbers and a new exhaust system. A documented history file of this depth is particularly welcome on a twelve-cylinder Jaguar, where a clear record of maintenance and past investment tells a prospective owner far more than mileage alone.
The XJ-S arrived in 1975 as the successor to the E-Type, and it deliberately took a different path. Where the E-Type had been a sports car, the XJ-S was conceived as a long-legged grand tourer, wrapped in an aerodynamically led shape developed with input from Malcolm Sayer, the aerodynamicist behind the C-Type, D-Type and E-Type. Its flying buttress rear pillars, low nose and wide track gave the car a silhouette unlike anything else on the road, and time has been kind to that design. The V12 remained the heart of the model throughout, and from 1981 the High Efficiency cylinder head developed by Michael May transformed the engine’s consumption while lifting output, giving the HE the character it is remembered for today.
Behind the elegance sits a genuine competition record. Tom Walkinshaw Racing turned the big coupé into a European Touring Car Championship winner in 1984 and took outright victory at the Bathurst 1000 in 1985, results that few would have predicted for a car of this size and weight. That motorsport chapter, combined with more than two decades of continuous production and a total of around 115,000 cars built across all variants, has secured the XJ-S a firm place in Jaguar’s history.
On the road, the appeal is the effortless delivery of the 5.3-litre V12. The engine is smooth and quiet at cruising speed, with a wave of torque available at any point in the rev range, and the automatic transmission suits that character perfectly. With the roof down, the combination of twelve-cylinder refinement, generous proportions and traditional Jaguar interior appointments makes for one of the most relaxed open cars of its era. Values for well-documented V12 cabriolets have been climbing steadily as the model is increasingly recognised by collectors, and an example with a substantial invoice history and interesting ownership provenance is exactly the kind of car that attracts that attention.
Condition of the bodywork & paint
4 — Very Good. Minor chips or scratches; may need minimal bodywork or paint correction.
Condition of the interior
4 — Very Good. Clean with minimal wear; might need minor replacements for small missing or broken parts.
Technical condition
4 — Very Good. Mechanically solid, with potential for minor servicing.
Overall condition
4 — Very Good. Displays only minimal wear and can hit the road any time.
This item is sold on an as-is basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and descriptions of the listing are for information purposes only.
