Manual V12! The stuff of dreams

I think this might just be my favourite car ever.

I own a 1989 XJS V12 DHC. Bought it sight unseen from a good dealer (Clarkes Jaguar). Delivered on a Wednesday and on the following Sunday I set off on a trip through 10 countries, 5 Alpine passes 2000 miles over 7 days. 21.5 MPG pure brilliance. And all for £12,500 in 2016. Perhaps a little more now!

I love everything about that car. Colour is beautiful and it’s a manual

Wide angle lenses distort the image and you can't observe the car properly. Wide angle lenses are for estate agents. This is a magnificent car and it would be great to see its lovely lines better.

Amazing how this car, shunned as it followed the magnificent E Type, is today loved the way it is. That styling has finally come into its own.

Just beautiful looking modern classic vehicle - Takes me back to my youth, the first time I ever spotted one of these cars on the road ,I dreamed of one day owning one ,. But ended up buying a classic Bentley instead. Maybe time to buy one now ?. Thanks for showing.

in 1978 when i was 20 my boss had a new XJS and i was allowed to drive it and i feel in love with jag i made a few bob in life and I am lucky i have owned 5 XKs which i have loved today i have one of the last XK convetables built in the uk and i am 65 and i will be keeping this one for the rest of my life But my Love affair started with the XJS Thank you jaguar

What you can't explain to viewers: *the delicious smells!* Nothing smells like an '80s Jag. Those carpets, that leather, the trim pieces, all mixed together with a scent that could be a cologne. So good you could eat it. Even mixed with the typical fainter scents of gasoline, burning oil, occasional burning-plastic (haha), there is NOTHING like the smell of a Jag inside!

I owned a 69 auto for sixteen years , drove it all over Europe, superb, never let me down ever, regularly maintained by Jaguar approved

The XJ-S was designed from the outset to elevate Jaguar's position in the market place. That the E-Type disappeared before it was released is no coincidence but it was never a direct replacement sportscar. Jaguar were aware that they could pitch a luxury GT at a much higher price point. The XJ-C was canned because internal competition with the XJ-S was inevitable and there is only so much more than an XJ you can charge for an XJ with 2 fewer doors. By contrast the XJ-S could be priced significantly higher than the XJ (and therefore the XJ-C) so it was obvious that the XJ-S would be the luxury coupe which Jaguar backed.

HAVE 87 XJSC 12CYL. IN FL. HAD 86 XJS WITH CHEVY 350 SMOKING HOT...BEST LOOKING RIDES ON ROAD

Beautiful car 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

So much better with the manual gearbox rather than the lacklustre 3 speed auto. A shame Jaguar stopped offering a manual option early in the life of the XJS.

Always liked the XJS Jag U ars V12 and if your lucky a manual "Yes Please" its on my hit list One Day may be sooner than I think.

Beautiful Jaguar!! Great colors on this XJ-S. Exterior and interior compliment one another. Red roof is a very nice touch. I have always loved Jaguars, and I purchased one last September. I bought an X-Type 3.0 V6, with all wheel drive. Simply stated, I love my Jaguar!! Such a refined Gentleman's car, with just enough wood to say it is a Jaguar, and NOT a Ford Mondeo. Yes, My Jaguar has the Leaper hood ornament.

Beautifully executed video of a beautiful XJS!

i have 87 v12 cabriolet here in new zealand. wonderful experience

I would love one …..like the original 911, this also is a unique shape ….love it

Thanks so much for your great passionate video. Regards from Austria

Any manual XJS is a good car.

The 1994 film 'Speed' introduced me to the XJS. Keanu Reeves commandeered one to catch the bombed rigged Santa Monica bus on the LA Freeway.

Almost the Ultimate car, but not quite. I've had a 1989 XJS Coupe 3.6 Auto for the last 19 years. It is my only car. The V12's return 12 to 20 miles per gallon of fuel at best. Mine gives me 35 miles to the gallon as soon as it's warm!!! The computer controlled fuel injection gives You Pace AND Economy In full Auto mode it is about 3 mph slower than the V12's, but if You want to drive it a bit sporty, then with the 4 speed Auto gearbox You can hold it down in second and third by using it manually to use the top end of the acceleration. Nothing, in 19 years, has blown me off from a standing start. All XJS cars are inherently beautiful cars. Mine came with a full stainless steel exhaust system which is still sound after 19 years. While odd people have raced an XJS, they were never intended to replace the E Type.

1 word > Gorgeous 😍

My 86 XJS V12 was absolutely silent starting her the only way to see she was running was to look at the tach

I love the retro style, and from side on view - It actually looks like the cat jaguar 🐆 I would definitely love a convertible xjs regardless of engine configuration, because 2023 now, with so many engine conversions available 👌 I would definitely pump and roll all 4 guards out to give it a unique race car look 💯%

Now that is a unicorn!

having had a Volvo C70 (hardtop convertible) for 100,000 miles I would say a convertible works best when the sun isn't shining too brightly. That suggests some UK summer days and continental evenings. During the day, with bright sunshine, you need to wear a baseball hat to shield your eyes to be able to see properly and also protect your face from skin cancer. On motorways, you want a coupe'. In really hot weather you want the coupe with air con working. For sporty driving, a hard top gives you a chance of surviving a roll over. When travelling in towns, a coupe does not attract morons to try to through rubbish in, or get in at traffic lights. I am glad I bought the coupe now, even though during the 90s I did long for a convertible XJS.

I love those US spec quad round headlights

This big boot.... we're not going to show you. What's that about?

This Jag XJS design is more beautiful than Merc R109 SL

How much better was an Aston Martin compared to the 10x cheaper Jag?

Great review! Who completed the manual conversion and who supplied the conversion kit? Looking to do a conversion myself.

Not so into the soft top thing, although this one does look lovely, but the manual box, yes, yes, yes. :)

XJS looks better then E type

Searching for a 1988 Jaguar XJS convertible front windshield. In Connecticut, will travel.

Not a fan of softops but the softop looks better

I love it

The old ' cliches ' are long forgotten. I hate the twin lights. They look like an afterthought. We don't say 'windshield' in this country.

Its growing on me

Cette voiture est un joyau de la couronne britannique.

I like this guy. Buttresses on the coupé - proper marmite!

Someone would be able to say where the builder's plate of this model is placed? Thanks a lot

Bit of an antique grandfather clock. The best of these are the face lift models from 1992- 1996, fully galvanised bodies and with the AJ6 4.0 engine almost the performance of the V12 with much more reasonable fuel consumption.

I love the ides of owning one of these cars but I am pretty sure the reality of owning one would be totally different.

The manual gearbox is making a howl it needs new bearings

This one. Convertible, Manual V12.

Id rather get a basket case model. I have some modifications I need to do.

"If this were at all visible, you would see the chin spoiler..."

Beautiful motor You say it’s no e type but for me that’s a good thing and looks far better than the e type a car I can’t understand the fuss for

The XJ-S was NEVER considered a "replacement for the E Type" by Jaguar, completely different brief, completely different concepts and consequently completely different cars. Anyone who claims otherwise is simply incorrectly informed.

Jeans. White trainers. A used car salesman.

“One slippery banana”, “Tom Wilkenshaw”, who signs this scrip off? I’ve tried to stick with the channel it the hope it improved but so many inaccuracies/naff presenting. All the best.

Beautiful car with an overcomplicated engine that is hard to fix.

Don't shut the door like that ..

An XJS is the perfect weekend car...if your idea of a perfect weekend is standing in a lay-by while an AA man tries to work out which electronic part has failed and rendered the thing immovable 😂

NAT BAD .I GAT 1 AND I LOVE IT IS SO CUTEI. Is a big boy..bad my in I to fast.

Nur Ärger mit den Kisten

Nice motor. Irritating man. Still prefer the auto.

They should build an electric version of this.

A very strange video. Is this presenter really a car person? Within a minute or two of he start he has become quite excited about the "tiny opening" (grille) between bumper and bonnet. He then (!!!) mentions the intakes beneath bumper lever, which he calls "quite a clever piece of design". He is impressed, too, by the twin exhausts. "No need for anything more". What was he expecting? A lovely car, but I'm stopping watching after a few minutes. Bizarre.

Stunning design but that engine is a whole bunch of a big disaster.

This is just a british thing. Outside of your country, nobody cares about these models. No hate, just facts

A manual V12 XJS is a dreadful idea. The car is a wafter not a sports car. You don't need to wring every once of power out of it or be setting lap times. You won't be power sliding around bends. A relaxing Grand Tourer which is what the XJS is, should always have an automatic gearbox.

bad car.......1000 problems!!!

This plonker thinks he's american. Windshield?!