2022-02-10 10:37:28 | pauls writes:

Car offered at:

www.carandclassic.com/auctions/1995-jaguar-xjs-convertible-celebration-nVxaD8

Auction description:

1995 Jaguar XJS

Colour Blue

Odometer 64,660 Miles

Engine size 3980

Town Aberfeldy

Location Scotland

Country United Kingdom

Gorgeous condition throughout

Soft top in exceptional shape

Superior AJ16 4.0 engine

Luxurious leather and wooden interior

Low mileage example

Rare Celebration edition

This beautiful example of XJS has had quite an easy and forgiving life over the years, as can be expressed by how little miles the car has done in the 26 years it’s been around for. The current owner spent countless months searching for just the right Jag to show up, when finally this one did. 

A Celebration in a very sought after colour, well maintained and exceptional body work, he couldn’t turn it down! Unfortunately however, due to money needing to be invested elsewhere the car is now up for grabs after only around 5 months of ownership.

The Paperwork

Accompanying the XJS is a nice bundle of paperwork including a bill of sale, MOT paperwork, invoices and of course the V5C in the current owners name. There are no telltale signs of any major mechanical work being done here, which could mean this is a largely original car.

The Interior

Line any 90’s Jaguar, the interior is an absolute pleasure to behold. Gorgeous Oatmeal interior leather with wooden inlays make this a very comfortable place to be, whilst making sure you know just how special the car is. The seats are very well presented with only some wear shown on the driver side bolster and the usual crease lines to be expected of soft leather, however the rest of the seats are very lovely indeed. 

The passenger seat looks to have had very little usage over the years, and the same can be said about the rear seats. That same Oatmeal leather envelopes the centre armrest and the centre console edges giving a beautiful contrast against the wood, enhancing the feeling of luxury this car exudes.

Both door cards are complete with armrests, handles, speakers and of course the electric seat controls which allow the driver or passenger to move the lower and upper portions of their seats with ease. A pretty advanced feature for a 90’s car, even today this is considered quite a luxurious feature to have. Both kick plates on the door sills are in great shape too with none of the usual dents, and all of the carpets are present and in good shape - maybe just in need of a good clean on the drivers side, but no real signs of excessive wear or damage.

The retractable soft top is fully functional and in wonderful condition too, inside and out. There are no apparent rips or tears and all of the stitching lines look wonderfully kept with no fraying or breaks. The electrical components which activate the motors are all still in working order with no unwelcome noises, you’d be fooled into believing that this car is much, much younger than it actually is!

The Exterior

This example is rather difficult to pick flaws with - but like any car this age, there are some very minor ones, so let's get them out of the way first and get right on to the good stuff. 

The front of the vehicle does have the normal stone chips across the bonnet and bumper, to the rear of the vehicle just above the driver side tail light there is a small scratch which has been filled in with some touch up paint, the drivers side rear tail light appears to have some very small cracks starting in the lens, and one of the covers on the chrome rear bumper trim has come slightly loose - and honestly, that’s just about everything to complain about here.

Finished in the stunning metallic Sapphire Blue paint, and paired with the rarer 5-spoke alloy wheels, this XJS is an absolute stunner, especially sitting glistening in the sun. All of the chrome trim on the front of the vehicle is in lovely shape, the headlight lenses appear to be free of any damage or cracks and the reflectors and indicators are present and functional. 

To expand on those gorgeous 5-spoke wheels, the level of clarity is just fantastic. We can’t find any damage on any of the wheels here, and that is a great achievement given the polished finish these wheels have - they can be quite difficult to keep over time however this set is truly a great example of the care that this car has experienced over the years.

All of the car's panel gaps look to be factory, which is a great sign, and the original pinstriping which travels along both sides of the vehicle is still present accentuating that sleek and stylish body style. The chrome mirrors are in fantastic shape and the chrome finish is still as bright as ever, as is the chrome laced around the front windshield. All in all, this is a very well presented example!

The Mechanics

The turn of the key fires up that 4.0 AJ16 engine with a deep grumble, this iteration of the inline 6 is among the best of the bunch and was used in a variety of vehicles over the years. Coupled to a 4-speed ZF automatic transmission and sending power to the rear wheels, a whopping 245bhp of it, this certainly is no slouch when you want it to pick up the pace. 

The 4-speed ZF box handles the power transfer with absolute ease and with no unwanted or unwelcome shudders or knocks, it’s all smooth sailing here. 

The cars previous MOT did showcase a couple of points to be fixed however the owner has said these will be taken care of.