“The Cherished Cat”
Jaguar XJSC
V12 5.3 HE Cabriolet
World-famous sports car makers relish images of wild animals as their mascots:
- Porsche & Ferrari have 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.
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."
Just 3,864 of these magnificent Landaulet
like, V12-powered cabriolets were manufactured
between 1983 and 1988, with barely a few hundred sold in the U.S., in the years
'86 and '87 only.
The car presented here is one of the rare “survivor” in an utmost condition, being
a fully documented Jaguar XJSC Cabriolet. As pampered as they come, it's truly
a dream come true for the serious XJS-C connoisseur!
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.
Tom Jones's Jaguar XJSC Cabriolet,
VIN *SAJNV3842HC135038* was
purchased as the young neuro-
surgeon'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!
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
• OEM tire warranty
• Key code label
Also pictured above left: original cassette
player maintenance kit and both sets of
keys.
Stunning Arctic Blue Metallic (factory
code JFE) certainly is a very appropriate
and outstanding color for the XJS.
The factory original paint has kept its
deep luster through all those years, 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!
The “ne plus ultra” in versatility,
the Jaguar XJSC can be configured
as a Landaulet:
- Convertible;
- Targa or stylish and closes coupé.
Additionally, the rear folding soft
top can be replaced by a fixed roof
panel with heated glass window.
Rear hardtop and T-top panels can be installed during the cooler season to
create a weather-tight coupé.
Plain and simple, the XJS-C was the most elegant luxury car of its generation.
Note Jaguar chrome wheels with MICHELIN Pilot radials of the size 235/60-15
all around, a $2,800.00 update.
Let's have a peek under the car's long bonnet now.
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”.
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 (V12 5.3 SOHC 24V) assist in
producing around 262 hp to effortlessly cope with any traffic situation.
The interior accoutrements of a Jaguar are legendary.
A dashboard that deserves the name, with honest-to-goodness burled walnut wood
and a immaculate leather-wrapped volant immaculately preserved.
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.
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.
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.
Two separate, lockable storage boxes for your valuables.
Let's have a good look at trunk and undercarriage.
Surprisingly spacious trunk will hold a large
amount of luggage and the golf bags, too.
It’s completely carpeted so Madame's Louis
Vuittons luggage remains without any scuff
marks. Small note: tool kit in matching bag.
The battery, protected by a black
cover, is located next to the spare.
Undercarriage is virginal, confirming sheltered life of a “U.S. climate spoiled
pussycat”. The pictures shows the original mufflers, which proudly show off their
"British Leyland" logos.
Fascinating details of a “showroom-worthy” bottom.
Thanks to a long-awaited sunshine, we seized the opportunity to enjoy a ride in
the plush Cabriolet while taking these pictures.
You turn the ignition key,
and hear… nothing at all.
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 and most
of all the utmost silky
smoothness of this real
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.
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.
Driving a V12-powered Jaguar XJSC 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.
An incredible automobile with all the luxury, exclusivity, and performance
imaginable, the Jaguar XJSC Landaulet represents a golden opportunity to join
the Twelve Cylinder Club; driving it will make you feel like royalty.
A bona fide collectible: now's the time to admire or start looking for such a
stunning automobile, the best example of the very rare XJS-C you could ever hope
to find...
Carpe diem and may God save the Queen (also read this blessed “Lady Jaguar”)!
Author: Gino Mariman – Technical Advisor Jaguar Drivers Club Belgium