1990 Lister Jaguar XJS 7.0 Litre Le Mans Coupe

Lister is one of the most renowned names in sports car racing history. The Lister-Jaguar, designed by Brian Lister, swept almost all before it during its first full racing season in 1957. In recent years cars bearing the Lister name have been a major force in GT racing worldwide. From the early 1980s, the name has also graced some of the world's fastest road cars. Following an agreement first with BLE Automotive and then with WP Automotive, we saw highly modified XJ-S models marketed as Lister-Jaguars. The famous Lister Jaguar connection made its commercial reappearance in 1986. Approximately 90 tuned Jaguar XJSs were produced, with the emphasis very much on super car performance. For those who felt the standard V12 Jaguar engine a bit insipid, Lister added a comprehensive tuning package. The fuel injection was modified with 4 additional injectors and throttle bodies. The engine management system was tweaked, the heads gas flowed with larger valves fitted and to take the power, the crankshaft was nitrided, whilst Cosworth conrods carried special forged pistons. New bearings and a modified oil system were also deemed necessary in order to reliably deliver the 604bhp that it could now produce. The Le Mans Coupe was capable of over 200 mph with the correct gearing and was the first production car to do so. Clearly the suspension and braking were going to need some attention, and this they duly got. The car was made to look the part too with a full body kit and superb Lister Recaro leather interior.

According to factory chassis records, this Lister Jaguar is one of only 20 Le Mans 7.0 litre Coupes ever made. Chassis number #037LJ04LM was exported from new but repatriated from Brunei by the last owner. It is believed that the car was delivered new to the Brunei Royal Family. Purchased by the current owner in 2004 with only 3,350 miles reading on the odometer, #037LJ04LM has been professionally stored since in a temperature controlled environment. A little over 120 miles have been covered to and from the MoT station over the last 9 years. However, oil changes at regular intervals have ensured that this incredibly rare car is in fine mechanical order. The bodywork is factory precise, the underside spotless and the paint is reflective of a car that has been used sparingly over the years. The engine bay is extremely clean and the inner wings flawless. It is very rare to find an XJS in such pristine original order, let alone a Lister Le Mans. The interior shows some signs of age, specifically the leather would benefit from reconolising treatment. Pre-auction inspection is welcomed and encouraged.In 1990 this car was sold new for nearly £160,000. Today, it is yours for a snip of that original price and surely represents an investment opportunity for any classic car collection. 1980s and 1990s exotica, such as Lister XJS', have shown bullish rises in value recently as their depreciation curves level off and good examples become harder to source.