1995 Jaguar XJS 4.0

• First registered in the UK on 17/05/1995 in Graphite Mica with Grey Saville hide
• Dating from 1995, this 4-litre car features 'Celebration' bumpers and a revised interior
• On offer from an eclectic collection made up of Jaguars, Aston Martins and Bentleys
• Previous MOTs, service receipts and a signed declaration corroborates the mileage of c17,000
• The car will benefit from a fresh MOT and further detailing prior to the sale

Conceived as a comfortable and long-legged Grand Routier, rather than an out-and-out sports car like the preceding E-Type, the XJ-S made use of the Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 saloon platform and running gear. Shorter in the wheelbase than its saloon siblings, the XJS debuted as a V12-powered Coupe, with six-cylinder and soft-top versions following in the 1980s. The XJS had a lot to live up to and comparisons to its iconic predecessor are dismissed with today's hindsight as being unfair. Jaguar appears to have been quite long-sighted with their ambitions for the model as nippy, impractical British sports cars were difficult to sell during the 1980s, Aston Martin's V8 coupe catered for the very wealthy and the Lotus Esprit was perceived as the chariot of choice for the nimble-footed Yuppie. The XJS, however, was the perfect car for the successful gentleman of a certain age wanting a stylish, comfortable sports coupe that cut a dash and its general level of comfort and lightness of controls made it particularly popular with women. By the time production ceased in 1996, 115,413 coupes, cabriolets and convertibles had found homes.

Jaguar launched a faintly re-styled XJS in 1991 sporting wrap-around rear lights, improved interior, new five-spoke alloy wheels and chrome inserts to the upper part of the bumpers. Two engines were made available, the 6.0-litre V12 and the silky smooth AJ6-derived 4.0-litre. From 1993, the XJS was produced with colour-coded bumpers and these pre-1996 cars are often mistakenly called Celebration models due to being near identical to the final run of the model formally entitled the 'Celebration'. These earlier cars are often described as the 'Facelift 1.5', featuring five-spoke alloys and leather-covered gear selectors but none of the XK8 prototype electrics fitted in the later Celebration cars.

This exceptional motor car is finished in Graphite Mica with a Grey Saville hide interior and was first registered on the 17th May 1995. It was delivered in right-hand drive with a kilometre per hour speedometer and it's believed that it was a cancelled overseas order and that Jaguar Cars Ltd was the first keeper. In 2013 Silverstone Auctions sold the car, our vendor at the time having owned it since 1996. The speedometer was documented as being changed at 4,911 kilometres (3,050 miles) for a correct UK unit which was showing 14,620miles at the time of cataloguing or circa 17,000 miles combined. The history file contains previous MOTs detailing the mileage, main dealer service receipts and a signed declaration from a previous owner stating such. The vendor informs us that the paint is original and that the car will be detailed and MOT'd for the sale.

The XJS has finally come of age with low mileage and original cars becoming harder to find. With hindsight, it's generally felt that cars from the mid-1990s are the most desirable and we are really pleased, once again, to offer this exceptional example.