While these early 90s Jaguar sedans never really caught my eye, the seller of this Canadian-market car claims it’s one of 123 made that year with the big V12 motor. Truth be told, Jaguar rolled out the V12 mill right as the XJ40 sedans were winding down, so it’s entirely possible not many customers opted for the 12 over the bread-and-butter AJ6 motors. Find this nicely preserved XJ12 here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of just over $7.5K U.S.
While decidedly conservative, I always found the squared-off profile quite handsome and a pleasing evolution over the long-standing Series 3 XJs. This example wears maroon paint that almost looks black, and the signature smoked tail lamps blend right into the body work. The limited chrome shines nicely, and the turbine-style wheels and OEM mudflaps look good here.
The seller notes mileage is just over 80,000, though it is recorded in kilometers due to being a Canadian market car. The interior is in excellent condition, aside from what looks like light soiling around the armrest and driver’s side bolster. Wood trim is generous and looks quite tidy, from the dash to the writing tables that extend from the front seatbacks.
Perhaps the most appealing aspects of the listing is the assertion of high levels of maintenance and no winter driving. Both qualities should make investing in a car like this at least more worthwhile, even if keeping that V12 humming isn’t the most rational investment you can make. These Jaguars hail from an era of big, stately cruisers that didn’t pay much mind to fuel economy, and if you can withstand the annual maintenance obligations, this is a ton of car for the money.
I’d say the more rare car is what looks like a Nissan Figaro in the garage behind the Jag with no grill in it’s standard green color.
I would never buy an XJ40 (code name for XJ6/XJ12 from1989 to 1994 US, other countries from 1986 to 1994). They had way too many problems, mostly electrical. Ford Motor didn’t buy Jaguar till 1990 and really didn’t make a difference in the quality till the X300. I was working for Ford and Bill Ford Jr. was my division’s general manager. I asked him about his XJS, he said that it had the typical electrical problems. Now you know that Jaguar went over that car with a fine tooth comb before he received it and it still had problems.
I remember when Edsel Ford II was getting a new villager, every department head and resident engineer at the assembly plant had to sign-off on their system before the vehicle was shipped to WHQ for delivery to Edsel Ford II.
I always thought that the higher up in the company should have to take a 1/2 day and go to a randomly picked dealer and pick their cars out of inventory, just like the customer. There should be any advance warning to the dealer of So & So coming to pick out a vehicle either.
While the XJ81 is rare, it is just not quite that rare. According to Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, Of the some two-hundred-thousand XJ40 series cars built, just 4,133 were v12s. All 94MY in North America. 1565 LHD North American exports, 1325 RHD home market. 141 long wheel base cars. 1102 Daimler cars.
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I had one of the 1102 Daimler models (standard wheel base) here in EU. Once I bought the car and that it stopped going to the dealer and I was the one taking care of it, it became reliable…the guy befor me spent 13000 € in 2 yers maintainance for 25000 km…Sold the car and 10 years later, was still in the same guys hands and going great and strong. After 92/92, these cars became very reliable but it takes knowing and caring people to acheive that. Not a dealer sloppy (and expensive) work.
So the V12 in this car is not related to the V12 found in the earlier E Type?
Remember that these later V12s, though basically the same engine had a new longer stroke crankshaft with another 8.5mm of stroke, giving 78.5 mm of stroke. This with the same bore of 90 mm gave 5994cc up from the original’s 5344cc.(366 c.i. up from 326 c.i.)
So 6.0 litres not 5.3 litres. Some people have said they aren’t as smooth as the 5.3s but I never really detected any difference.
The extra power is noticeable as is the torque..
Now 318 bhp, up from around 285 bhp and torque up markedly, from 295 lb/ft up 20+% to 365lb/ft.
The six litre was the standard engine after the end of Series Three XJ12 production up to the end of V12 production in 1997 and was also fitted to the later V12 XJS.
Lister developed 7.0 litre and 7.4 litre versions of the V12 with eye watering output of over 700 bhp and huge torque of nearly 600lb/ft. These are rare and expensive.
That’s a nice ride. But there are so many of these XJ40’s clapped out in used car lots, backyards, and craigslist no one – including myself, a Jag lover – would give this a second glance.
I love Canadian. classic cars. In Canada, cars are either driven year round, quickly becoming rust buckets, or owners baby them and never expose them to the elements. I own Jag XK150S OTS and a Mark IX, both from Canada with all original sheet metal and no rust.
Annual maintenance obligations !?
Whiners don’t own Xj12s they just whine about them. I Have a 94 xj12 and Wow what a ride. Its a Luxury Sports Tank that will do well over 155 mph safely . And you can take that to the bank.
The electrical problems often stemmed from the brittle wiring. It just couldn’t stand up to the temperatures under the hood. First task to the buyer should be to replace that wiring.
Larry about how much would that cost, do you know?
I was given a black ’90 VDP with the 4L. When & if any real motor issues crop up-LSX swap time! It’s not like I’m defiling a rare, collectible beast and as long as it isn’t “Hillbilly Hotrodded” most folks won’t know the difference, it won’t be in the junkyard, and it’ll still be out flying the “Jag Flag.”
The little grey car outside the barn is a Peugeot 206! You got those in the US???
Peugeot 206, like all modern era Peugeot stopped being imported to the USA in 1992. I am not sure exactly when Peugeot stopped Canadian imports but they’ve not been in that market for at least 15 years. However lots of Peugeot’s get imported to Canada from Japan with some finding their way south.
Peugeot still sells cars and SUV’s in Mexico so its common to see them in southern border states.
Production figures on XJ12s in 1994 are much higher than 123 so not sure where one of 123 comes from. Also seems to have a bit more rust and corrosion visible under hood to have never been driven in winter. Nice but I would go for later 90’s Jags.
Ah, another plumbers nightmare lurking under an elegant hood. I am a sucker for Jaguar but perhaps, my favourite is the Daimler V8 250.