1990 Jaguar XJ-S V12 Convertible £18,495
A beautiful example of Jaguar’s consummate tourer in its most appealing form. Rob Scorah takes the helm
Presented in Signal Red with magnolia leather under a black hood, this later mid-production XJ-S convertible ticks a lot of boxes for anyone wanting a refined touring express.
The bodywork wears its 49,231 miles well. From any angle it looks to be a straight car, the doors lining up and shutting properly, and that big, long bonnet keeping a nice symmetry and even shut-lines. What looks like the original paintwork is in exceptional condition with its twin- striped coachlines intact. In certain light you might get a hint of the slightest fade to the lip of the bootlid. Nooks and crannies are mainly clean and screw heads corrosion-free. Some chrome details could do with a polish, but the metal retains its lustre and isn’t pitted. There’s one small area of corrosion to the chrome atop the right rear bumper, and the grille under the front bumper shows some light surface rust spots. The underside of the car is very tidy.
Likewise, the light- coloured leather interior is in excellent order. There is, predictably, some light wear to the driver’s seat bolster, but the leather is supple and surfaces and piping retain their colour well.
Door furniture and switchgear remain functional and firmly mounted – not always so in an XJ-S. This car has no rear seats, just the luggage shelf and storage lockers. Both carpeted area and chrome rail look good, as do the mats in the footwells.
The hood fabric is deep black with no tears or signs of mould, and its rear window is clear and straight. The top folds smoothly and stows under a well-fitting tonneau.
That big V12 snorts into life without fuss and settles into the familiar muted burble. Its fluid levels are correct and there are no untoward smoke signals, likely the result of its largely main-agent full service history that hands over to specialists more recently.
That history translates into a text-book touring Jaguar ride on the road. The steering is positive and the wheels don’t slam into potholes the way some of these cars can when they ride on tired suspension.
It’s not the kind of car you want to hustle too enthusiastically down the lanes, but this XJ-S is nicely balanced and communicative going into bends of all radii, while the brakes rein in the big GT without wobbles or groans. You’ll hear no complaints from the coachwork either, even if your driving becomes more lively or the roads rutted.
Left to its own devices, the three- speed auto changes gear smoothly and without shunt, and remains compliant if you select the cogs yourself. The famous 5.3-litre V12 doles out power and torque with no flat spots or oil- starved valve chatter. The oil pressure needle sits mid- gauge, and water temperature holds steady in traffic.
The price is at the upper end for one of these and some prospective owners would prefer a lower price coupled with rear seats. But its history and condition should put it on the ‘go see’ list of anyone wanting a usable but presentable XJ-S convertible.