1996 Jaguar XJS 4.0 Celebration

This Celebration model XJS 4L Coupe was built in 1995 but supplied new in January 1996 via Jaguar dealers Mead of Bolton. The XJS was used and enjoyed by a further five registered keepers between then and 2021, racking up just 72,000 miles in that 25 year period – well under 3,000 miles per year on average.  Current owner, Steve, acquired the XJS from Bonhams Cars Online in July 2021 to become the car’s seventh registered keeper to date. 

Steve has used the XJS lightly but often during his tenure averaging just 1,500 a year. This has mainly been enjoyable and faultlessly undertaken road trips such as the NC500. Between road trips the Jaguar has been kept in a dehumidified garage and diligently maintained. Steve’s input has included the fitment of refurbished front brake callipers and new Borg & Beck discs and pads at 74,000 miles, a new air conditioning compressor and system recharge at 75,000 miles and two new Falken rear tyres at 76,000 miles (less than 4,000 miles ago). This careful stewardship has enabled Steve to maintain this car’s proud tradition of not only having never failed an MoT but never having even picked up a single advisory. Impressive!

It is only Steve’s recent acquisition of a long desired Daimler Double-Six that has prompted this sale of this fine XJS Celebration to make room.

Despite other changes under Ford’s oversight, it wasn’t until the last facelift of 1993 that the XJS finally gained its body coloured panels in the stead of the rather chunky rubber and chrome bumpers. This allied to the earlier improvements to the rear window surrounds and taillight clusters finally garnered the almost universal approval of stakeholders. The key driver of these changes was a more modern and contemporary persona, but also a significantly more dilligent manufacturing process with Ford laser focussed on improving the build quality of the XJS and other Jaguars of the period. It worked.

Our car presents in bright and sophisticated Nautilus Blue and a much-loved hue for XJSs of this vintage. The condition of the original paintwork is very good indeed, again, pointing to fastidious ownership and storage across all its owners. The visible portions of the sleek panels exude a lustrous shine, and the paintwork appears thick and smoothly applied. This presentation has, no doubt, been enhanced by Steve’s full machine polish and Synergy 2 year ceramic coating applied in February 2024.

Light lenses, and those original front ellipses are a purist’s dream, are clean, clear and undamaged. The cabin glass is equally good with the subtle, original “XJS” decals noted on the rear edges of the rear side windows. All the original marque and model badges are present and correct. The main external differentiator of the Celebration models are the special, 16-inch Aerosport alloy wheels with their polished, diamond cut faces. In this case they appear beautifully presented and shod with Pirelli Cinturatos from 2015 up front and the aforementioned Falkens from 2022 at the rear.

The interior of the Celebration models can immediately be identified by the classy looking coffee hued piping to the sporty, high backed seats. The most subtle of embossed leapers to the headrests and the leather and veneer steering wheel are other key differentiators here, too.

This example is finished with Oatmeal (AEM) hued leather. The deeply bolstered front sports seats are arranged into horizontal, padded box pleats for optimal support and comfort. The condition of the leather is excellent with even the, usually vulnerable, driver’s bolster appearing surprisingly free from significant wear. The front seats are electrically adjustable by multi-button controls situated on the doors. The rear cabin is identically trimmed and in excellent condition. The rear seats look like they’ve never been used, which they probably haven’t due to their decidedly compact dimensions.

The top and bottom rolls of the dashboard are finished in a sable hue. The central section is finished with luxurious looking, bright and glossy burr walnut veneer. The XJ40-esque gauges sit behind that original, four-spoke black stitched leather and walnut veneer Jaguar steering wheel. The centre console houses the heating and ventilation controls, and a Kenwood head unit is also fitted here. Door cards are finished in leather, walnut veneer and panels woollen carpet. The original sable hued woollen carpets are edge bound in oatmeal leather for added durability. The deep boot features its original, hard wearing grey carpet and provides a home to the space saver spare, tools and first aid kit.

Under the long, sleek bonnet lies the 4.0-litre AJ16 engine that was first seen in the XJ40 from 1989 and replaced the 3.6-litre AJ6 engine in the XJS from 1991. The extra displacement was achieved by lengthening the stroke of the 3.6, which increased the power from 199bhp to 223bhp. To increase refinement, the engine featured redesigned pistons and a forged steel crankshaft instead of cast iron, while a revised cam profile with increased lift and reduced overlap improved both low-end torque and idle stability. The 4.0-litre had the option of the Getrag’s 290 five-speed manual or, as in this case, ZF’s 4HP24 four-speed automatic transmission.

The under-bonnet presentation of this XJS underscores the care and attention it seems to have received with everything here looking clean and fresh with no leaks in evidence. The engine bay’s inner panels appear robust and undamaged. The underside of the car looks to be in keeping with the age and mileage of the car. Almost inevitably, there are some scuffs and scratches on the plastic painted parts where they have previously grounded.

The current V5 in the name of the owner is present as is the current MoT in hard copy. This is an advisory free item (like all its predecessors) and is valid until May 2026. Very many of the earlier MoT hard copies are also on hand. The Jaguar’s book pack is present. This contains the original service booklet which holds a full 17 service stamps as well as others for PDI and corrosion inspections. 

Other paperwork includes numerous invoices for parts procured and work undertaken across the entire history of the car. Two original Jaguar keys are also present.

In many ways the XJS was ahead of its time. Like many of its British Leyland brethren the production methods and workforce of the mid 1970’s and early 1980’s just didn’t do it justice. One of the benefits of its long production life was that the developments kept coming and, under Ford, the production methodologies and development budgets finally caught up. For many the 4L coupe represents the most complete and satisfying exemplar of the breed offering a very pleasing performance to economy to running costs quotient. The run out Celebration cars represent the apogee of the vastly improved, Ford stewarded models.

This is a very fine XJS. It presents in an appealing colourway and is highly original in every respect. Its sensible original mileage and, clearly, light use results in an example which requires nothing attending to by the next owner. Combine this with the most diligent of service and upkeep regimes and its status as a desirable Celebration model and you have something special indeed.

Our estimate for this car is £10,000 - £15,000.

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