Jaguar XJ-SC 5.3 H.P. V12 — 1985

This car was delivered new in Hannover on 25 October 1985 and arrived in Sweden on 27 April 1989, but was not registered for traffic until 24 June 1998. The first owner in Sweden kept it for 32 years, and the next owner for five years before it was donated to Blågula Bilen AB. The car has covered 80,310 km, which can be traced through the service book in Germany and inspection records in Sweden. The car has been serviced and maintained throughout the years. The latest major service with oils and filters was carried out in 2021. It has a newer stainless steel exhaust system and a newer battery.

The car comes with original instruction books with service book and documents, inspection records and useful Jaguar literature. Dual keys. The car also comes with a set of wheels with tyres and a box with various items.

The car has been inspected and is roadworthy.

• Mechanical condition

  Started easily and the engine ran well. During a short test drive in residential areas and on through roads at a leisurely pace, everything was perceived to function well regarding steering, automatic gearbox with kickdown, road holding and brakes. The staff who had driven the car the good 200 km to Stockholm had the same impression. Not inspected on a lift, but what could be seen looked good and the undercarriage felt fine without any concrete signs of rust. No comments from the vehicle inspection authority regarding the undercarriage.

• Interior condition

  Fine original condition with mild wear from use. Comfortable and well-maintained seats, good door panels, panels and textile carpets. Steering wheel, controls, dashboard and gauges in fine condition, likewise the wood trim details. All gauges and electrical functions work well. Equipment includes cruise control, trip computer and electric mirrors. The AC function is uncertain and needs attention. Targa roof panels and soft top in good condition. The headliner in the Targa roof panels is however partially sagging. Functioning period Blaupunkt stereo, including manual.

• Exterior condition

  Fine paintwork with normal wear consistent with age and mileage, including minor dents, door gaps and stone chips among other things. It appears that some areas may have been repainted, but most of it is likely original. Glass, chrome, trim, emblems and lighting details are at the same level. Fine original wheels and newer tyres which according to information have covered approximately 1,000 km. Engine and luggage compartments in fine condition. Original storage bags for the targa roof panels are included and in fine condition.

• General condition

  A fine car with a potent 295 hp engine and most of the ticks from the period's equipment list. An open and charming car that reflects the era's thinking about safety when traveling without a roof. It is fully functional and in fine, well-maintained condition. With over 50 years for the model and over 40 years for this particular vehicle, it is now a sought-after classic and enthusiast car.

The Blue-Yellow Car is a volunteer organization that since 2022 has supported Ukraine by driving vehicles down to the Ukrainian defence forces. The vehicles have either been donated or purchased with donated funds. The vehicles are used for personnel transport, logistics transport and evacuation of the injured. Primarily, utility vehicles are requested, but other vehicles have also been driven down. We also drive down trucks with items that have been donated and are useful for Ukraine. Today there are approximately 200 volunteers active within the Blue-Yellow Car.

The successor to the E-type, presented in 1975, initially struggled to take over its predecessor's iconic status. Partly unfairly, for the new XJ-S was a different kind of car. More of a Grand Tourer than a pure sports car. Certainly a flirtation with the American market. At the same time, its design and lines made it look like a fast "road locomotive" even when standing still. Opinions were divided, but slowly but surely it became popular, precisely as a fast and comfortable Grand Tourer. The V12 engine, which was the only one offered from the start, was a powerful piece, albeit thirsty. The buyer could choose between manual transmission (until 1979) or automatic. Manual transmission made a comeback when Jaguar also launched the model with a six-cylinder 3.6L engine as a complement to the larger engine.

From the beginning, the XJ-S was intended only as a coupé. The main reason was that safety considerations in the US and Europe meant that the pleasure and possibility of buying and driving an open new car were being phased out. As always, the market ultimately decides, and after a time open versions of the XJ-S were requested and built through private initiatives. So in the mid-80s came a Targa variant similar to the BMW Bauer and Triumph Stag.

More and more people began to demand cabriolets at this time, and manufacturers followed suit. Eventually, one could also get one's XJ-S as a fully open cabriolet from model year 1988.

In 1991 came a facelift with, among other things, a modified rear end that aligned with the design of other Jaguar models. Then and in the years that followed, the engines were upgraded, the six to 4.0L and the twelve to 6.0L. In 1995, the latter engine and the XJ-S, now without the hyphen, were taken out of production. The following year, the six-cylinder variant also disappeared. Now Jaguar was ready with its successor, the XK8.

So, if the XJ-S had a slow start, it eventually lasted well over 20 years and was manufactured in 115,413 examples. An unusually high figure for a car of that caliber.