“The Cherished Cat”

Jaguar XJSC

V12 5.3 HE Cabriolet

World-famous sports car makers relish images of wild animals as their mascots:

- Porsche & Ferrari have the prancing horse;

- Lamborghini employs the raging bull.

Jaguar Ltd. is proud to carry the name of the

irresistible feline and perhaps no other manufacturer's products

are quite so aptly named.

A Jaguar is velvety smooth, sounds ferocious and surprises with dizzying speed,

while keeping an elegant composure.

Created as successor to the legendary E-Type and the last

model designed with input from the firm's founder, the

legendary Sir William Lyons, the XJS is actually more

than just a replacement.

It is a Grand Tourer par excellence, the finest mode of

transportation

for two people

wishing to travel

fast and in style.

Produced for over two decades, from

1977-1998, a few special iterations of

the XJS have already attained classic

car status, among them the rare XJSC,

or "Cabriolet."

Just 3,864 of these magnificent Landaulet

like, V12-powered cabriolets were manufactured

between 1983 and 1988, with barely a few hundred sold in the U.S., in the years

'86 and '87 only.

The car presented here is one of the rare “survivor” in an utmost condition, being

a fully documented Jaguar XJSC Cabriolet. As pampered as they come, it's truly

a dream come true for the serious XJS-C connoisseur!

The XJS-C came in one flavor only:

fully loaded.

Authentic window sticker shows

factory MSRP of $45,480.00, on par

with contemporaries Mercedes-Benz

560SL and Porsche 911 Carrera and

quite a bit of cash, 25 years ago.

Tom Jones's Jaguar XJSC Cabriolet,

VIN *SAJNV3842HC135038* was

purchased as the young neuro-

surgeon's gift to himself.

After those interminably long years

of study and “round-the-clock

internship”, in 1986 the time had

finally come to celebrate success and

to pamper oneself with a great

automobile. Well deserved!

To call this car fully documented would be the understatement of the year.

Original black leather pouch holds all manner of factory literature, including, but

not limited to:

• Window sticker

• Owner's handbook

• Passport to Service w/ all dealer

stamps

• Electrical data chart

• Trip computer addendum

• Capacities chart

• Security radio information booklets

• 1987 Emissions warranty

• OEM tire warranty

• Key code label

Also pictured above left: original cassette

player maintenance kit and both sets of

keys.

Stunning Arctic Blue Metallic (factory

code JFE) certainly is a very appropriate

and outstanding color for the XJS.

The factory original paint has kept its

deep luster through all those years, there

is nothing to take away from its beauty.

If you work as an undercover agent for the FBI, this car is not for you.

You'll definitely receive undivided attention in this Jag!

The “ne plus ultra” in versatility,

the Jaguar XJSC can be configured

as a Landaulet:

- Convertible;

- Targa or stylish and closes coupé.

Additionally, the rear folding soft

top can be replaced by a fixed roof

panel with heated glass window.

Rear hardtop and T-top panels can be installed during the cooler season to

create a weather-tight coupé.

Plain and simple, the XJS-C was the most elegant luxury car of its generation.

Note Jaguar chrome wheels with MICHELIN Pilot radials of the size 235/60-15

all around, a $2,800.00 update.

Let's have a peek under the car's long bonnet now.

The Jaguar XJSC is a member in good standing of the most exclusive car club on

earth. Aside from Jaguar, this club has only four members, namely Ferrari,

Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. You guessed it, we're talking about

the “Twelve Cylinder Club”.

If you never had the opportunity to drive a V12-powered automobile, you probably

cannot conceive what you've been missing.

A V-12 has 50% more cylinders than your father's Oldsmobile or your neighbor's

Mercedes S500. Accordingly wide is the power band, even more convincing the

legendary, turbine-like smoothness of this incredible engine.

The special High Compression May cylinder heads (V12 5.3 SOHC 24V) assist in

producing around 262 hp to effortlessly cope with any traffic situation.

The interior accoutrements of a Jaguar are legendary.

A dashboard that deserves the name, with honest-to-goodness burled walnut wood

and a immaculate leather-wrapped volant immaculately preserved.

All that old-world craftsmanship meets modern day technology, though: nestled

between wood and leather, a space-age vehicle information center supplies the

driver with valuable information.

Factory Jaguar concert sound system with multiple speakers includes cassette

deck. Automatic climate control lets you select a convenient ambient temperature,

and the system will supply ample amounts of ice cold or super-heated air.

Seats, door panels and console are covered with the finest, delightfully

patinated Isis Blue hides from deliriously happy, well-fed Scottish Highland

bovines.

These hides were most

carefully selected, then

vat-dyed in an antique

wooden drum at the now-

defunct, Edwardian

CONNOLLY factory.

Truly superior to the Detroit leather found in a pedestrian Lexus or Cadillac, the

luxurious ambiance of a British high-end marque, such as Jaguar, Aston Martin,

or Bentley is unmatched in the world.

Behind the seats: a large luggage area. Wall-to-wall WILTON wool carpeting, as

used by Rolls Royce, is an integral part of the car's veddy British charm.

Two separate, lockable storage boxes for your valuables.

Let's have a good look at trunk and undercarriage.

Surprisingly spacious trunk will hold a large

amount of luggage and the golf bags, too.

It’s completely carpeted so Madame's Louis

Vuittons luggage remains without any scuff

marks. Small note: tool kit in matching bag.

The battery, protected by a black

cover, is located next to the spare.

Undercarriage is virginal, confirming sheltered life of a “U.S. climate spoiled

pussycat”. The pictures shows the original mufflers, which proudly show off their

"British Leyland" logos.

Fascinating details of a “showroom-worthy” bottom.

Thanks to a long-awaited sunshine, we seized the opportunity to enjoy a ride in

the plush Cabriolet while taking these pictures.

You turn the ignition key,

and hear… nothing at all.

You check the gauges

right in front of you and

they indicate that the

engine is running.

Can it be? Yes, indeed. It's a V-12, remember?

Put the sleek gear

selector into "Drive" and

you immediately notice

the incredible and most

of all the utmost silky

smoothness of this real

power plant.

The cat moves forward

from idle without any

indication of stress, the

GM-designed turbo-

hydramatic shifting

imperceptibly.

At any speed, in any gear, there is an abundance of power; you feel sovereign in

any situation.

Since you will probably never be driving the car at its 6400 rpm redline, you might

be pleased to learn that the feline will continue to accelerate briskly and silently

beyond any legal speed.

Even at triple-digit velocity, you will barely notice the engine, nor any intrusive

wind noise or buffeting.

Speaking about the Jag's creature comforts, this car is well appointed with

amenities such as power windows, mirror, door locks, telescoping steering column,

and cruise control. All lights, switches, and controls work as Sir William Lyons

intended.

Driving a V12-powered Jaguar XJSC can be an utterly rewarding experience but

acquiring a car that comes with deferred maintenance issues will lead to sleepless

nights, perhaps even nightmares.

Therefore, it is of paramount importance to seek out the best surviving example

you can find, a car that features a full, no-expense-spared service history.

An incredible automobile with all the luxury, exclusivity, and performance

imaginable, the Jaguar XJSC Landaulet represents a golden opportunity to join

the Twelve Cylinder Club; driving it will make you feel like royalty.

A bona fide collectible: now's the time to admire or start looking for such a

stunning automobile, the best example of the very rare XJS-C you could ever hope

to find...

Carpe diem and may God save the Queen (also read this blessed “Lady Jaguar”)!

Author: Gino Mariman – Technical Advisor Jaguar Drivers Club Belgium