1997 Jaguar XJ12 (X305)

One of just 234 right-hand-drive cars ever built – and one of only eleven finished in Moroccan Red Metallic, ‘P835 XWS’ is an early V12 having been built in September 1994. 

Believed to be one of only around 50 surviving examples, it is also thought to have been a showroom car until its purchase in 1997.

It stayed in the same family for the vast majority of its life, passing from the grandfather who bought it new to his wife when he died and then his grandson.

The seller bought it from the grandson in 2022 when it still had just 88,000 miles on the odometer. He’d owned a V12 Daimler before and was keen to get another to run around in after he and his family returned to the UK after living abroad for many years.

He ran it for a while, covering several 200-mile journeys – “I got 22mpg on a run” – and it’s only for sale now because he’s got a sensible diesel-powered car to get through the winter and with three cars and only two parking spaces, there’s nowhere for the XJ12 to live…

The Jaguar’s flanks are very straight being free of ripples, dinks and other signs of careless owners. Mind you, given its one-family-from-new status until only very recently – and the fact the grandfather kept it garaged the whole time he owned it – that’s not too much of a surprise, is it?

The short-wheelbase also gives it a sporty, slightly rakish look the long-wheelbase cars lack; this, along with the V12 engine, make it a very quick and surprisingly wieldy tool in the right hands… (If you’re thinking of Terry-Thomas too, then we’re on the same page.)

And that Moroccan Red Metallic hue is a great choice, isn’t it? Appearing almost black at times, it reveals itself in changing light with a great shine and sparkle to the finish.

The window glass, windscreen, badges, and lamp lenses are all good bar one small stonechip in one of the inner driving lamps.

The 16-inch alloy wheels have been refurbished recently, so are in fine fettle and they’re fitted with Pirelli tyres on the front and Michelin on the rear.

As for faults, while the chromework is generally very good, the rear numberplate plinth rather lets the side down.

Other flaws include a scuff to the nearside door mirror casing, some marks to the offside front of the bonnet, and some chips on the edge of the driver’s door.

There are also some scratches to the offside sill, the nearside corner of the front bumper, and the nearside and offside corners of the rear bumper.

The Oatmeal hide interior is glorious in both scope and condition. Beautifully preserved, the two-tone hue lifts the cabin and lightens it nicely, which is even more important given the absence of a sunroof to let the sunshine in.

The electrically adjustable front seats are in a great condition with only light creasing to their leather covers, creasing that could be safely ignored and may even be minimised with continued cleaning and feeding of the leather.

We understand the rear seats were hardly used for the first couple of decades, something we have no trouble in believing given how good they are and how few marks there are on them.

There’s lashings of walnut veneer trim too, plus a good deal of chrome used for the controls, door handles, and ashtrays (remember them?).

The headlining has been sorted so it is, as you can see, taut and firm once more. Oh, and as we mentioned, there’s no sunroof, which gives the occupants more headroom while simultaneously ensuring you’ll never have a damp and ruined headlining thanks to dodgy seals.

The carpets are in great shape too, and they’re protected by proper Jaguar overmats.

A JVC headunit has been fitted.

The boot is clean and very well presented. It still has the warning triangle in the boot lid in addition to the tool kit and space-saver spare wheel – and lifting everything out shows only solid metal underneath. 

A CTEK battery charger and conditioner is included, as is a useful plastic, deep-sided boot liner.

Work to do is minimal and probably limited to repairing or replacing the digital clock. The seller tells us that it displays the correct time occasionally, but most of the time the display has degraded and the time becomes partially or fully obscured.

As for the cosmetic condition, the gear knob and handbrake handle are both slightly worn, as is the button for the driver’s electric window. However, this wear is entirely consistent with the car’s age and mileage and probably wouldn’t be an issue for most of us.

There is some yellowing of the rear centre armrest if it is in the down position and the driver's seat belt could benefit from cleaning to bring it to the same standard as the other belts.

The Jaguar’s service history is as fulsome as you could hope for:

• 15.01.1997 – pre-delivery inspection by Riders Jaguar of Falmouth
• 13.02.1998 and 8,743 miles – service by Riders Jaguar of Falmouth
• 19.03.1999 and 15,987 miles – service by Riders Jaguar of Falmouth
• 24.01.2000 and 23,651 miles – service by Hartwell Jaguar of Bristol
• 18.01.2001 and 27,633 miles – service by Hartwell Jaguar of Bristol
• 29.01.2002 and 31,510 miles – service by Hartwell Jaguar of Bristol
• 03.12.2002 and 34,448 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 27.01.2004 and 37,929 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 19.01.2005 and 40,721 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 27.09.2005 and 42,489 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 26.10.2007 and 51,833 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 27.08.2008 and 57,205 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 03.11.2009 and 64,040 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 13.12.2010 and 67,148 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 22.11.2011 and 71,115 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 30.10.2012 and 74,388 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 28.11.2013 and 78,222 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 25.11.2014 and 81,502 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 25.11.2015 and 83,222 miles – service by Bridge Garage
• 25.11.2016 and 85,956 miles – service by Bridge Garage including fresh transmission oil and anti-roll bar bushes 
• 21.11.2017 and 87,053 miles – service by Milton Auto Services including new sparkplugs
• 14.11.2018 and 87,501 miles – service by Milton Auto Services

In addition to the routine servicing we’ve listed, there are plenty of other invoices for work undertaken on the Jaguar over the years, which means it won’t come as too much of a surprise to hear that we are told that the XJ12 “drives perfectly and everything operates as it should” with the exception of the cruise control (“a vacuum leak on the pump, I think”), a slight weep of oil from power steering pump, and a possible loose wire on the wipers because they only work when the steering wheel is at a certain angle.

As the video demonstrates, the V12 engine starts well, idles as it should and revs well – and it does it all with a healthy charge to the battery and no annoying warning lights.

And, while the engine note is as subdued as you’d expect, the exhaust the sort of snarl to it you’d expect of a bounder’s car like this. 

The engine bay is nicely presented, albeit a little grubby. But, to balance that out, it’s in such an original condition that the dipstick still has the Castrol GTX Magnatec label attached, which is great to see; we love little details like this.

As for the underside, the last MoT identified some corrosion on the front floorpan, and this will need investigating and dealing with before it becomes more serious.

Less urgent is an oil leak to sort out.

The XJ12’s MoT certificate is valid until November 2024, the recent Vehicle History Check is clear and the history file is so comprehensive it even includes the original owner’s introduction video on VHS in addition to a wealth of old invoices and bills, a Jaguar Heritage Trust Production Trace Certificate, the original purchase invoice, two keys and fobs, and the book pack. 

The seller has loved his second time with a Jaguar V12 in his life but now finds himself with nowhere to keep it. 

So, it’s with a heavy heart that he’s offering it for sale with an estimate of between £6,000 and £10,000 – and as the last of the Jaguar/Daimler V12 models, that’s not a lot, is it?

Plus, he’s a pragmatic man, which means he’s happy to offer it with no reserve, something that instantly elevates an already ultra-desirable car into the realms of the ‘must have a cheeky bid’, surely?

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at the Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.