Highlights

Only 10,333 documented miles from new
Fully detailed history from first keeper
Recent £35,000 recommissioning by E-Type UK
Original, factory correct and very rare Series 2 XJ12
Ziebart injected at factory before delivery which has withheld its originality
One of the best if not the best available

The Appeal

In the midst of the British motor industry’s abject turmoil, nobody expected the best saloon car in the world to be built in Coventry. But perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised. Jaguar’s XJ was conceived as a four-door E-Type and masterminded by Sir William Lyons himself.

It was brilliant. The ride was superlative, the looks gorgeous and there was wood and leather to add traditional British character. The arrival of the 12 cylinder XJ12 simply dialled things up to 11. Ok, 12 then. The head honchos at Mercedes-Benz must have been shaking.

The Series 2 improved quality and tidied up the aesthetics. Despite its intrinsic appeal, the fuel crisis meant just 4,157 RHD LWB Series 2 XJ12s like this one left the factory. It must be one of the best and certainly amongst the least used - it has only covered a carefully documented 10,333 miles from new.

The car’s history is carefully annotated through its handful of marque enthusiast keepers - the first for 30 years of its life - and includes the factory Bill of Sale. The current keeper acquired it in 2021 and commissioned none other than E-Type UK to undertake a fastidious £35,000 renovation. The result is possibly one of the best XJ12s remaining in the world.

Opportunities like this do not come along often. This is perhaps the best example of one of the greatest saloon cars ever built. It will be the centrepiece of any collection.

The History and Paperwork

First registered 13th September 1974
Acquired by first keeper from dealer James Winson and Son of Mansfield
First keeper retained car until 2005 amassing only 3,998 miles
High factory specification which the car retains including special order paint scheme
Fitted with chrome side strips by supplying dealer usually reserved for Daimler versions
Car number 2,312 of the 4,157 RHD LWB XJ12 Series 2 cars built to 1978
Six registered keepers
Second keeper acquired car for his collection in Northern Ireland in 2005
Third keeper was a renowned Hong Kong interior designer and architect who kept the car in the UK
Current keeper acquired car in November 2021
We are told that all keepers have been Jaguar enthusiasts
Factory Bill of Sale, handbooks, wallet and other supplying dealer paperwork in very good order
Hand written records of maintenance and servicing
Extensive array of invoices and receipts dating back to car’s earliest days
MOT and servicing records verify the low mileage
£35,000 of invoices from 2022 by E-Type UK which can be checked in the photos
This work is extensive and covers mechanicals, bodywork and many other areas
MOT exempt with few miles covered since last advisory-free MOT in 2018

The Condition

£35,000 refurbishment by E-Type UK including structure and bodywork
Very original, well specified and beautifully presented early XJ12 LWB
Special order Dark Blue paintwork in very good order with few signs of age
Fitted with chrome side trims which were usually reserved for Daimler models
Due to age of vehicle buyers should be realistic about exterior condition
Straight and very tidy bodywork with recent high-end refurbishment by E-Type UK
No reported accident damage and very good panel fit and finish as shown
Well kept car with chromed wheels in good order as shown
Quality Avon tyres fitted all round showing good condition and tread
Underside in very good order with recent work as part of recommissioning
Very smart interior with factory standard and highly original finish all round
Dark blue leather in remarkably preserved condition with few signs of age
Veneers, switchgear, door cards, headlining and dials all present very well
Well specified car with Sundym tinted glass and Radiomobile 8 track stereo
No reported faults or malfunctions with interior features

The XJ’s origins as a four door E-Type are obvious in the car’s long, low profile, the pinched rear end and the general sense of raffish style. Despite gaining 4in in the wheelbase to accommodate a limousine-like rear cabin area, the Series 2 XJ LWB still looks beautifully proportioned and balanced.

The shape responds well to the right colour. This car eschews the more common beiges and browns of the era in favour of a classy dark blue finish that was apparently specially ordered by the first keeper. He also optioned the car with fog lights, Sundym glass, Paddy Hopkirk-style wing mirrors and dealer-fit chrome side trims. It retains all of these lovely original features.

The exterior condition is a testament to the hard work of the team at E-Type UK, who clearly know their way around E-Type-derived cars as well as the model itself. The paintwork, bodywork and exterior fittings, like the stylish chromed wheels, all present well.

The story continues inside with a highly preserved dark blue leather interior that presents much as it surely did the day this car rolled out of the dealership in Mansfield in September 1974. A XJ interior is a masterclass in wood and leather and this one’s very good condition is a chance to fully appreciate the clever details.

The Mechanics

5,343cc V12 Jaguar engine on carburettors
3spd automatic gearbox
Very smart and well detailed engine bay as shown
Extensive recent work by E-Type UK across running gear and mechanicals
You can review the extent of this work in the photographed invoices
No reported running or driving issues
Verified 10,333 miles from new supported by MOT and service data

The 5.3L V12 is a mark of Jaguar’s commitment, in the late 60s, to accepting nothing less than perfection. The firm toyed with a V8 to enable it to compete in the lucrative USA market, but couldn’t develop a motor that it felt was sufficiently whisper-smooth to justify a big cat on the bonnet.

And so there came the V12, arguably one of the greatest mass-produced engines ever to leave a British car factory. It transformed the XJ into unquestionably the best executive saloon car of its era, an effortlessly quick, smooth-riding four door with the heart of a thoroughbred.

Given all that it is a surprise to discover that the successive owners of this car have managed to resist the temptation to drive and drive and drive it. The first keeper amassed less than 4,000 miles in his 30 years with the car, a tradition that the subsequent keepers have stuck to. The result is surely one of the lowest-mileage XJ12s in existence, the total on the odometer barely over 10,000 miles as the car clicks past its 50 birthday.

Despite that sparing use, in 2022 the current keeper commissioned none other than E-Type UK to undertake a vast recommissioning across the mechanicals and running gear. With work totalling over £35,000 there is barely a part of the car that hasn’t been attended to.

Here, then, is a chance to benefit from all that work. It was completed less than 1,000 miles ago and therefore delivers to the buyer a car in impeccable condition with no work immediately required.

BEFORE YOU BUY

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