1989 Jaguar XJ-S V12 HE Coupé

Footnotes

With E-Type sales falling and an outright ban on convertibles looming in its most important export market – the USA – Jaguar addressed the problem of defining its successor as the 1960s drew to a close. Code named 'XJ27', the car that would evolve into the XJ-S was styled by Malcolm Sayer, the man responsible for the E-Type, under the fatherly eye of Jaguar boss, Sir William Lyons. Conceived as a comfortable and long-legged Grande Routière, rather than an out-and-out sports car like the preceding E-Type, the XJ-S made use of the Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 saloon platform and running gear. Shorter in the wheelbase than its saloon siblings, the XJ-S debuted at the 1976 Frankfurt Motor Show as a V12-powered coupé; six-cylinder and soft-top versions following in the 1980s, the expected ban on open cars having failed to materialise. One of the most important developments in the evolution of the V12-powered XJ-S was the introduction of the HE (High Efficiency) engine in 1981. Incorporating a new 'Fireball' cylinder heads, designed by Swiss engineer Michael May, this more fuel-efficient unit enabled the top-of-the-range XJ-S to meet tighter worldwide emissions legislation. Combined with a higher (2.88:1) final drive ratio, the result was an improvement in fuel consumption of up to 20% at some engine speeds. It is worth noting that that figure applied to the automatic transmission version, which with a top speed of 155mph (approximately 249km/h) was the world's fastest 'slush pumper'.

Finished in white with black interior, the automatic transmission XJ-S offered here was delivered new in the UK through Robert Motors in Islington, London N1. In 1990 the car relocated to Ontario, Canada where it remained until 2017. Imported into Belgium that same year (EU import taxes paid), the XJ-S comes with its service book; an old Ontario Certificate of Title; Jaguar attestation confirming the chassis number (dated 2017); and a quantity of old invoices and correspondence.