Description
1990 Jaguar XJR 4. 0 TWR JaguarSport.
First registered 1 August 1990, V5C in my name, 8 former keepers.
Silky smooth engine pulls like a train, especially in sport mode. Leaves many modern ‘sporty’ cars in her dust. Ultra reliable, cranks no more than a second even after sitting weeks.
‘Regency Red' paintwork with ‘Red-Piped Magnolia’ leather seats. Metal electric sunroof works fine. CD interchanger in boot (never tested) and cassette player up front (which I know works - former owner left a Boxcar Willie tape inside!)
Nice aftermarket wooden style steering wheel and gear knob fitted, cream leather originals also still with car. New fan/ alternator/ water pump belt fitted in December and all four gas struts (2x bonnet, 2x boot) just replaced with brand new ones.
Comes with three keys. She benefits from non-factory remote central locking, courtesy of the period Laserline immobiliser, with two remote key fobs. It’s a very simple system, giving you time after unlocking to start the engine, a period which can be reset, if required, by clicking the immobiliser fob as long as the ignition key is turned to the ‘on’ position.
Was a rare car even in its day. Last year she drove extensively across England and Wales, and on a 200+ mile run to London in December she managed 26mpg, calculated manually - a figure which was matched by the trip computer.
For those who don’t know, XJRs of this era were naturally aspirated, using an upgraded TWR-tuned version of the 4. 0 AJ engine featuring a higher 9. 75:1 compression ratio, high-lift cams, revised inlet manifold and remap.
Period figures quoted 251bhp and 278lb/ ft torque, 7. 7 seconds 0-60 going on to 146mph. So she might not have a supercharger but is no slouch! The TWR/ JaguarSport features include suspension upgrades, spoiler and skirts, rear number plate recess panel, a square slatted grille unique to the XJR, and 16-inch Speedline alloys reminiscent of the XJ220. Think she also has a non-standard (but quiet) stainless exhaust system.
This one was a known car in Jaguar circles - and stood out even more when her wheels were gold! In this guise she was the January 2010 cover feature car of Jaguar Enthusiast magazine.
Interior is really tidy, even still has that new car smell, rear seats hardly sat in. Exterior shows signs of age and historic amateur efforts at tidying up, here and there. Crusty in places, including bubbles on sunroof edge, near filler flap, and on bodywork near front and rear bumper mounts. I I can’t comment on the condition of the arches as I bought her fitted with embellishments and I'm too afraid to look underneath! The radio’s aerial-raising motor stopped working, so it protrudes a few inches.
MOT expired at the end of February and sadly needs a fair amount of corrosion repaired to get through another one, so she is being sold as a project car - she has to be far too good and rare to split for parts.
A lovely old girl, but XJ40s just aren’t valuable enough to warrant me sending her to be done by a professional because the costs would be so high due to how much time it would take. Really needs someone who can weld themselves. XJ40s are famous for rust - and the worst I know of this one is that:
—Front driver’s side inner wing rusted through in places, particularly the edge near where the arch liner clips slot through. The passenger side in this area is only showing minor signs that I can see. This is a classic area for rot on these cars, and in my opinion is the worst in terms of difficulty to fix, because of the preparatory work required, and limited access.
—Corrosion where the front end of the passenger side sill meets the footwell/ inner wheel arch. Not complex.
—Rear at both sides, where the lower wing meets the inner wing/ arches has rusted away. I've extensively pressure washed in this area so that nothing is hiding, where I dislodged clumps of old filler, exposing a past bodge. A repair would be well within a budding metalworker’s ability, however bear in mind that this would require new metal in the lower outer wings and wheel arch, so some cosmetic fettling skill required too. Would be helped if lower repair skins are available.
She passed last MOT with knocking from at least one of the rear shocks, so I’m sure both would benefit from renewal. Handbrake weak.
All but first two photos taken May 2025. Obviously the car is sold as an unroadworthy project car without any warranty or guarantee, but anyone interested please come and inspect first. Jack her up, poke and prod as much as you want, so that you can have a good idea as to what condition she is in and what work is needed. Car is SORNed but has near half a tank of fuel so I can probably show you how she drives off road. To be collected from dry farm barn in Pembroke.
Will also soon sell a 1958 Rover P4 75 project, and a Rover V8 (on a pallet) which engine number confirms was factory fitted to a Defender.
