Launched in 1975, the Jaguar XJS has gone from strength to strength with various upgrades and improvements along the way. With engine choices such as a 5.3 litre V12 or a 3.6 litre in-line six, the luxury grand tourer had something for everyone. 1991 saw a facelift model launched, focusing mainly on the improved engines. The 3.6 went to a 4.0 litre, and there was a 6.0 litre added to the line-up. The 4.0 litre was improved again in 1994 to the AJ16 engine, which had an improved ignition system which is perfect in today's climate offering good performance and returning a respectable fuel economy.

This 1994 Jaguar XJ-S has been with the vendor since 2016; it is said to have been garaged for most of its life by the current vendor and the previous keeper, who had owned it since 2001. The Jaguar is in original condition apart from the passenger wing, which has been repainted. Mechanically, it appears to have been well maintained and hasn’t been used a lot during the past 12 years, covering an average of 1,000 miles yearly. 

 

A nice sense of luxury greets you upon opening the door to the 1994 XJ-S. Leather, burr walnut and plush carpets make the Jaguar a lovely place to be. The electric front seats are said to be working correctly.  They have been repainted. There is some colour wear, creasing, and a small split in the driver’s bolster; the passenger seat is in very good condition, with minor wear to be seen. Both door cards are in good order with no damage to mention, and the same can be said for the rear seat. 

The dashboard is in excellent order, finished with a slightly darker colour than the seats, with a burr walnut fascia, which is excellent and has no crazing to the lacquered finish. It has been reported that the tachometer does not work, but this hasn’t been investigated. No warning lights are displayed when the car is running, and the odometer shows a reading of 104,493 miles. The centre console holds the original Jaguar radio cassette player and a boot-mounted CD multi-changer. The switchgear appears in good condition, apart from the electric window switches. These do work, but the surround which holds them in place has broken, and another thing to mention is the air conditioning hasn’t been tested for some time. The steering wheel is in good shape with no excessive wear, and the leather gearknob has some light colour wear. 

The carpets throughout the cabin are in excellent condition, as is the headlining, which has no signs of sagging. Inside the boot also presents well; the spare wheel, jack and tool kit are present.

  

Looking around the Jaguar, the bodywork presents very well. The panel gaps have an equal gap, and everything appears to align as it should. There is a ding in the passenger door, which could possibly be removed by a paintless dent removal specialist after inspection. The British Green paintwork is in lovely condition. There are a few age-related marks here and there, as you would expect for what is thought to be 90% original paint. The nearside front wing has been repainted whilst in the vendor's possession, and then the whole car has been ceramic coated to give it that extra deep wet look shine.  There are signs of rust on the inner arch lips and older repairs below the front scuttle.  

At the front, the brightwork is excellent with no real signs of tarnishing; the quad headlights are in good condition with no splits to the lenses, as are the indicators. The bumper has a bright finish to the chrome, and there are a couple of minor scuffs on the nearside corner. The windows are bright and free from excessive scratches, as are the frames, seals and surrounds. There is a small issue with the driver's door lock. This doesn't unlock from the driver’s side, but it will unlock from the passenger side. This is quite a recent discovery, but it did not cause an issue for the vendor as the car was kept inside.

The rear of the Jag is like the rest of the car, and there don’t appear to be any issues to point out. The factory-tinted lights are in good condition and free from any splits or cracks. The brightwork is also in very good condition with no tarnishing, and the boot lid has an equal gap to each edge. 

The original lattice-spoke alloy wheels are in good order, with the slightest signs of corrosion creeping in. The tyres are a matching set of Pirelli P600 and have a good amount of tread remaining although it should be noted that they are fairly old. 

The 24-valve 4.0 litre uses the later type AJ16 engine, with the new engine management system and distributorless ignition. This fires into life at the flick of the key, and as you can imagine, sounds fantastic. There are no signs of any leaks that we could see, and no unwanted noises that shouldn't be there. The engine bay is very clean and well presented, with everything looking to be in good order. 

The seller reports that the car pulls strongly through all the gears, and the five-speed manual gearbox has a smooth and precise change. The car drives and handles well, and no untoward noises are said to come from the suspension or transmission. The XJ-S is said to come to a halt in a straight line with no juddering through the brake pedal. 

Looking at the underside, there are the usual flaky bits of underseal as you would expect and some surface corrosion to the suspension components, but generally, it presents well for the age of the Jaguar. 

Quite possibly, the perfect grand tourer fitted with the 4.0 litre AJ16 engine. The lovely leather interior offers plenty of room and comfort, making it quite easy to sit back and relax whilst munching up the miles without breaking the back in fuel economy.

There are a few minor areas that could be improved to add value to this lovely car.  But otherwise it is a lovely original example with low ownership, perfect for that weekend cruise down to the coast. 

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