By the mid-1990s, the Jaguar XJS was getting a bit long-in-the tooth – yet it remained a beautiful anachronism. A grand tourer in the truest tradition, and a Jaguar stalwart of over 20 years. It’s an oft-overlooked fact that the XJS lasted seven years longer than the E-Type ever did; a fact that many Jaguar purists try not to think about.
 
Towards the end, though, Jaguar had to load the XJS to the gunwales to keep it selling, making the last cars off the line the absolute best.

Among them was the Celebration, launched to mark 60 years of Jaguar Cars in 1995. Instead of the 6.0 V12 it got the AJ16 4.0-litre straight six engine from the new ‘X300’ XJ saloon, and as such was the most reliable and fuel efficient XJS variant ever, as well as a pretty eager performer. It produced 238bhp, with a 150mph top speed and 0-60 in seven seconds, so wasn’t notably slower than the V12.
 
It also got a new four-speed auto transmission and partially galvanised bodywork, making it arguably the best-ever XJS.

Inside, a selection of high-quality hides were offered along with a modernised dash and centre console, while exterior colours included Turquoise, Sapphire Blue and Regency Red, all carried over from the X300 saloon and initially unique to the model.

Sure, it’s not V12, but it’s a wonderful package, and represents the XJS in its most dependable and enjoyable form. As such, a good Celebration is a highly sought-after car today – and this one’s a gem. Finished in Turquoise, which was the rarest of the hues, the car comes from 26 years in the same ownership, the last owner having acquired it in 1998. It has been garaged and well-loved throughout that time.

 

 

BEFORE YOU BUY 

This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following: 

✓ The seller of this vehicle is registered as a business seller. And you are covered by Car & Classic’s Terms and Conditions. 

✓ We request that a non-refundable fee be paid if you are the lucky winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted. Please refer to our helpful FAQs and T&Cs for specific rates. 

✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is Where Is’ basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are solely for guidance purposes and it's customary to carry out a full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase for your own peace of mind. 

✓ VAT is included in the buyer's fee. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing. 

✓ We want a smooth transaction just as much as you do and as such we run all UK-registered cars and motorbikes for sale on Car & Classic through an online HPI check to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing, allowing you to bid with confidence. 

✓ We also  check whether vehicles are recorded as being written off as part of an insurance total loss claim at the time an advert is placed and we helpfully provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) for your assistance, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the vehicle’s status and  it's always worthwhile carrying out your own full vehicle history check before making an offer. 

✓ Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection 

or delivery. Importing vehicles may result in additional customs duties and import taxes so it's worth checking beforehand.