∙Ultra-rare 7.0-litre V12 Lister XJS
∙Equipped with the desirable six-speed manual gearbox
∙Presents in good, original condition 

Replacing an iconic model can be a bit of a minefield for manufacturers, especially when the model to be replaced is as revered as the Jaguar E-Type. But by the end of its life the E-Type in V12 guise really was getting a little bit long in the tooth and a breath of fresh air was needed – enter the XJS.

It was a very different machine to the E-Type with flowing 1970s bodywork and those trademark rear buttresses that took their time to find favour with Jaguar enthusiasts. By the time the XJS was launched the American market was becoming increasingly important so it was perhaps unsurprising that the XJS was more of a boulevardier than back-road blaster. Straight line performance, ride comfort, cockpit space and decent air conditioning were the order of the day.

Nevertheless the XJS was a fine car, but one that perhaps had some untapped sporting potential. Some of this was released with the launch of the V12 HE, the HE standing for High Efficiency, in 1981, which added a little more performance along with better economy. Eventually Jaguar launched the XJR-S version which certainly added some much needed pizzazz to the range.

But if you wanted even more from your XJS there really was only one place to go – Lister. The name was famous for the ‘knobbly’ Lister Jaguars that competed in the late 1950s but the name had died during the 1960s until it was revived by Laurence Pearce in 1986. During his tenure approximately 90 XJS models are thought to have been converted with a variety of V12 powerplants, initially with a 6.0-litre capacity, then 7.0-litres and some even with the addition of a couple of superchargers too.

This Lister Jaguar XJS was first registered in December 1988 as an XJS HE Auto, it was converted to Lister specification at a later stage. Exactly when that was isn’t known as the car’s early history was lost during a messy divorce many moons ago. The current owner believes the Lister upgrades were probably carried out in 1992 as he has been told the six-speed gearbox and the brake upgrade were not available before this time.

Lister’s engine conversion was certainly comprehensive with increases to both bore and stroke taking capacity to 6,996cc. Upgrades to the internals included a nitrided crankshaft, Cosworth conrods and forged pistons which took the compression ratio up to 11.7:1. The cylinder heads were gas flowed and fitted with larger valves while there were extensive changes to the engine management, injection and throttle bodies, too. The headline figures for the car were 496bhp and 500lb ft of torque with a 4.5-second 0-60mph time and a top speed of 200mph. This example is unusual in that it is equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox that was usually only fitted to the supercharged Lister V12s.

While the vast majority of the Lister XJSs were also equipped with a rather wild wide-arched bodykit this example takes a far subtler approach. While there’s no paperwork to back this up the current owner believes the car may have been converted by Lister for one of its directors who wanted the performance offered by the 7.0-litre upgrade but who also wanted to be able to fly under the radar with an XJS that appeared to all intents and purposes to be a standard car. 

This XJS also benefits from Lister’s upgraded suspension with fully adjustable twin coilovers on each side at the rear while it also has an uprated limited slip differential. Larger Brembo brakes were fitted and in order for the wheels to fit over the larger front brake callipers a set of 18-inch Lister branded Borbet A Flat Cap wheels. To cope with the improved retardation from the Brembo brakes the front stub axles had to be beefed up to stop them flexing under hard braking.  

The paper trail to accompany the Lister is sadly rather sparse with the original service history and paperwork relating to the Lister conversion having been destroyed. 

The current owner never expected to sell the car and wasn’t concerned with keeping any receipts for the servicing he carried out on the car but there are some old MoT certificates that come with the car. The Lister has been stored for the last few years having last been MoT’d in 2017 and it is currently SORNed. There is a V5C in the owner’s name.

While some of the XJS models converted to Lister specification were treated to a series of interior upgrades this example is refreshingly standard bar the fitment of a smaller than standard Lister three-spoke leather rimmed steering wheel.

The cream leather interior still looks to be in very good condition with no obvious nicks or damage to the seats. After a period in storage they could well do with some deep cleaning and treatment to the leather with the driver’s seat not looking quite as spotless as the passenger side one. There is some very light cracking to the leather on the driver’s seat but it doesn’t detract from the overall interior ambiance – the car is, after all, 33-years-old. The rear seats are in good order with just a small amount of discolouration to the seat base on the nearside.

The carpet, door trim panels and wooden dash are all in fine fettle and present well, as does the instrumentation. A Jaguar-branded stereo is fitted and all the correct switchgear remains in good condition. Of course, after a period in storage we would expect items like the air conditioning to require a regas. The headlining is in excellent condition.

On the whole the Lister looks to be in good condition externally with the green paintwork in fine order with only a couple of very minor stone chips. The panel gaps are consistent around the car and the shut lines of the bonnet and doors are pretty uniform. The striping along the sides of the car appears to be original and has faded a little and overall a detailing session would add a deep lustre to the paint.

The lights and glass are in good condition and the headlight wipers are present and correct. Here and there some of the rubber trim is showing signs of age and could do with refitting but overall the XJS hides its 33 years very well indeed. The chrome work on the bumpers and around the glasshouse is in excellent condition.

The Lister Borbet wheels are in fine order with no kerb marks or unsightly marks from brake dust and are shod in a set of Bridgestone Potenza tyres with a decent tread depth. The badges are all present and correct and the Lister exhaust appears in good order, too.

The heart of this XJS sounds absolutely intoxicating while the car was manoeuvred for photography with a deep bassy rumble that’s far more sinister than you’d expect from a standard XJS.

As the Lister has been in storage for several years a full service and inspection would definitely be in order, but there’s nothing to suggest that it has any major faults. Due to the car being on SORN we were not able to road test the car. While stationary the six forward gears and reverse all seem to engage correctly and as it’s believed to be a BMW 8 Series derived Getrag unit it shouldn’t present any problems.

For many years the XJS languished as a relatively unloved Jaguar but it’s now seen in its true light – an evocative piece of 1970s design backed up with a really rather engaging personality. And if you’re looking for the ultimate XJS then the 7.0-litre Lister models are right up there with the best of the best. While the wide-bodied machinery are perhaps a little over the top this example really does offer the best of both worlds, packing that 496bhp V12 mated to a six-speed manual gearbox yet retaining the purity of line offered by the standard XJS styling. With thundering performance and a soundtrack to die for this Lister XJS is surely the ultimate in modern classic Jaguars and represents an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. 

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