A 1987 Jaguar XJ-S V12 Cabriolet is a car worthy of appearing in many places during Monterey Car Week, though not necessarily at the signature event on Sunday. The Concours d’Elegance has a decidedly pre-war bent, whereas this Jag is decidedly post-war.
Yet, while walking past important Duesenbergs and Royces-Rolls, I found this more Radwood-appropriate car. I cannot tell you how shocked I was, even if the car was stuffed at the far end of the golf course, which is where the most interesting (to me) cars often reside.
Even the oddball stuff – like our pal Myron’s one-off Paxton Phoenix – normally has some sort of irreplaceable significance. So far as I could tell, this was just a normal XJ-S.
A Jag Fit For A King, Or, Well, A Princess
There is something unique about this Jaguar that makes it special even before you know who the owner was. Every Jaguar XJS convertible sold was a two-seater, presumably because the rear seats are taken up by the top mechanism. This has two seats in the back.
Additionally, the rear convertible section (maybe for this reason) acts more like a targa top that’s fixed in place. That’s weird! Who would do that, and why would it wind up at the Concours?
I took a step back, and then I saw what was written on the little placard set up to explain why this ’80s car you can typically buy on Craigslist for $4k was suddenly rubbing fenders with the world’s most elite cars.
Diana, Princess of Wales, had excellent taste in cars, including most notably (to me) a 1985 Ford Escort RS Turbo (one of two Escorts she owned). You could honestly put on a great Radwood category of just her cars, including both an Audi cabriolet and an R129 Mercedes.
The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust acquired the car from Princess Diana and explains that ” this car was specially fitted with rear seats for the young Princes William and Harry.” That makes sense, and also makes this very much a 1-of-1 even without the royal lineage.
Amusingly, this car was taken up the hill at Goodwood last year during the Festival of Speed. As Simon Ostler writes for the Goodwood blog, it wasn’t exactly the fastest trip up the hill:
It’s no surprise that the late Princess had taste, and her Jag was of course powered by the V12, feeding power to a three-speed automatic transmission. The result was perhaps the most relaxing drive up the Goodwood Hill we’ve ever experienced during the Festival of Speed.
The temptation was to grace spectators lining the hillclimb with a royal wave, but we resisted the urge in order to instead soak up the history of this car which has a very special royal connection.
The car is in remarkably good shape considering the Princess put real miles on the car with her children in the back. The only thing that doesn’t quite work, according to the blog, is the air conditioning.
It was chilliest Pebble Beach Concours in memory, so I doubt the folks who drove it up onto the lawn this weekend missed it.
Top photo: Author
Good friend of mine back in high school had a 1985 Jaguar XJS V12 HE coupe in BRG outside, tan leather inside. It was a total bastard, broke down all the time, caught on fire once, had to carry ether to start it in extreme cold (it started – eventually), had a leaky trunk, reverse lights came on when you hard braked… but… In the rare times it wasn’t having a meltdown or being a bastard in general, it was a magnificent place to be and a great vehicle to see when you walked away… and for as often as it broke down and gave a hassle, only truly stranded us twice. A load of tools and parts was always in the trunk…
The New Avengers tried to make the XJS cool, but all they really did was to prove that the XJ6 Coupe was the greatest, best looking Jag, ever made.
I have always loved the long, low lines XJS and it’s still on my list of cars I’d love to have in my garage. The XJS-C or Cabriolet, however, is, uh, maybe not quite as stately in my opinion. Personally I think it loses something without the flying buttresses for the hardtop and with the targa panels and back off it looks even more odd with it’s awkward hoop, rear windows and front window frames still in place (none of which are removable). The more traditional convertible that replaced the Cabriolet in 1989(?) was much more successful in my opinion.
But I still want the flying buttresses.
Maybe SWG can sneak a Jaguar into the top automobile website in the world.
Fascinating write up. I had the an ’89 coupe. It was as close to being famous as I’ve ever been. Always smiles and waves each time I went out.
“The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco.”
It was always a shock to make the trip from 100+ F Sacramento to Candlestick Park, or really anywhere in SFO, in the summer. The first time, you freeze and after that remember to bring a jacket.
Spent a week in the Bay area and Monterrey September or 2000. Bought myself a 3 day Skip Barber class at Laguna Seca for my birthday as I was out of school and making actual real money as an engineer. Dad gifted me the airfare. I had an old college buddy in grad school at Berkeley and crashed there a day or two.
great looking car. i wouldn’t touch one unless it has a powertrain swap from anything else and probably some new wiring.
Aren’t XJ-Ss the perfect target for EV conversion? When I win the lottery, that’s what I’ll do to the best XJ-S, the Lynx Eventer:
https://www.aronline.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Lynx_Eventer_1983_30-600×348.jpg
That’s a fine looking shooting brake.
That reminds me of the XK-E hearse in Harold and Maude.
it would be the perfect candidate for sure
Later V12 Jaguars can be had for a pittance–my 1996 XJ12 isn’t worth much at all–and are arguably the cheapest way to get into such an engine. So I’m not surprised it takes a literal royal provenance to put one in the Concours d’Elegance, pre-war or not.
During the big big big Grand Procession I saw on the ‘gram, they included an…Avanti. As my mother would say (about other things, not Avantis): feh.
Early Avanti’s are about my favorite 60s American cars. Another genius bit of work by Raymond Loewy, one of the greatest industrial designers ever.
I’m biased because my Dad had one for a bit as a kid but I still think the XJS is a very good looking car. Especially the coupe.
Agreed – particularly pre-facelift.
The latter rounded quarter windows did the design no favors at all.
Ours was an 81. White over tan. Gorgeous.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a Fox Body Mustang was in The Quail show this year. A very special Fox Body, but still.
Are there pictures of the modification made inside for the boys? I would love to see that if it is still inside the car. I may make fun of the electrics inside Jags of this era, but I still love their look.
You can just barely see them in the photos here:
https://treasuredcars.com/articles/details/princess-dianas-treasured-xjs_31
” Every Jaguar XJS convertible sold was a two-seater, presumably because the rear seats are taken up by the top mechanism. ”
Incorrect.
Look at the 1995 & 96 US brochures – See the factory convertibles.
Back seats:
https://www.centuryu.com/uploads/1/4/4/6/144698822/1995_jg_lineup.pdf
https://www.centuryu.com/uploads/1/4/4/6/144698822/1996_jg_lineup.pdf
As for the cabriolets (of which Diana’s was one) and the earlier Hess and Eisenhart convertible conversions, I believe you’re correct – no back seats.
But it wasn’t due to the top mechanism – especially for the cabriolets. It was due to the necessary added bracing boosting the height of the seats, and therefore limiting headroom/possibly having rear seat passengers hit their heads on the roof bar under deceleration, and a cost/benefit thing due to the infrequency with which back seats were expected to be utilized.
“Additionally, the rear convertible section (maybe for this reason) acts more like a targa top that’s fixed in place.”
Huh?
The central lift-off panels are the Targa panels.
The rear folding roof is comparable to a Landaulet.
Similar arrangement to the Baur E21 3 Series TopCabriolets and the first-year Porsche 911 Targa.
I have a physical copy of the 1996 brochure!