Why This Car Is Special

The 1991 Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible is one of the most complete expressions of what the XJS was always meant to be. Introduced in 1975 as a grand tourer powered by the legendary Jaguar 5.3-liter V12, the XJS spent its first decade in coupe form only. A proper factory convertible did not arrive until 1988, when Jaguar finally answered years of demand with a full open-top version built by Karmann in Germany before final assembly at Browns Lane in Coventry, England. By 1991, the XJS convertible had matured into a well-sorted car that combined the comfort and refinement buyers expected of Jaguar with the open-air experience the coupe could never offer.

This particular car carries the Classic Collection designation, which was a factory trim level Jaguar offered in the early 1990s specifically for the North American market. The Classic Collection package bundled a curated set of interior and exterior appointments that elevated the standard XJS specification, including the distinctive red leather piping on the tan seats — a period-correct detail that ties the interior color scheme directly to the exterior red paint. It is the kind of deliberate coordination that separates a factory specification from an afterthought.

The VIN decodes to a 1991 model year car built at Jaguar's Browns Lane plant in Coventry, England, confirming its authenticity as a British-built vehicle — a detail that matters to serious XJS collectors, particularly as production wound down toward the model's eventual end in 1996.

Features List

• 5.3L Jaguar V12 engine with fuel injection
• GM Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic transmission
• Classic Collection trim package
• Power convertible top with black fabric
• Heated rear window
• Tan leather interior with red piping on seats
• Power seats, driver and passenger
• Burled walnut dash and door trim
• Factory tachometer
• AM/FM cassette stereo
• Cruise control
• Tilt steering column
• Driver airbag
• Power steering and power brakes
• Four-wheel disc brakes
• Independent rear suspension
• Dual exhaust
• Lace honeycomb alloy wheels
• Power windows, door locks, and mirrors
• Air conditioning
• Chrome bumpers and chrome fender flares
• Gold hood growler badge
• High-mount third brake light
• Chrome luggage retention rail
• Made in England

Mechanical

The heart of this 1991 Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible is the 5.3-liter SOHC V12, an engine with a lineage that traces back to the early 1970s. Jaguar developed this engine with motorsport ambitions in mind, and it powered the XJS through the model's entire production life with various refinements along the way. By 1991, the V12 was fitted with Lucas fuel injection, which improved cold-start behavior, drivability, and emissions compliance compared to the earlier Zenith-Stromberg carbureted setup. Twelve cylinders of displacement produce a power delivery that is exceptionally smooth — there is virtually no vibration at idle and no perceptible torque pulse at any road speed. It is a fundamentally different driving experience from a V8.

Backing the V12 is the GM Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic transmission, a collaboration between Jaguar and General Motors that replaced the earlier Borg-Warner unit. The GM unit proved more durable in practice and its pan is still clearly stamped "Hydra-Matic Div of GMC" — visible in the underside photos of this car. Jaguar's use of a GM transmission was a practical engineering decision, not a compromise: the unit was robust, well-supported, and appropriate for the torque characteristics of the V12.

The chassis underneath is solid and consistent with the car's Florida or southern-state history — the undercarriage photos show the expected surface oxidation on the exhaust components but no structural rust, no rot, and a floor pan that is intact and coated. The independent rear suspension that Jaguar carried over from the E-Type uses a subframe-mounted configuration with inboard rear disc brakes, coil springs, and radius arms — an arrangement that delivers a composed, level ride and handling that holds up well on the highway. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard, and the dual exhaust exits cleanly from beneath the rear bumper.

Interior

The Classic Collection interior on this 1991 Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible is finished in tan leather with red piping running along the seat bolsters and headrests — a combination that reads as intentional and period-correct against the red exterior. The seats show the expected leather crazing that develops over three decades on even well-kept cars, but the color remains consistent and the structure of both front seats is intact. Power seat adjusters are present on both sides.

The dashboard is a wide, sweeping expanse of burled walnut veneer that runs the full width of the car, broken up by the instrument nacelle on the driver's side and the center stack running down to the console. The factory tachometer is positioned to the right of the speedometer in the instrument cluster, calibrated specifically for a 12-cylinder engine as noted on the face. The burled walnut trim extends into the door panels as well, where a horizontal strip of veneer sits above a chrome trim rail — one of the more distinctive interior details on any British car of this era.

The center console houses the Turbo-Hydramatic shifter topped with a wood-tone knob, flanked by the cruise control switches and the power top controls. The AM/FM cassette stereo is factory-spec, mounted in the lower console area below the walnut face. The tilt steering column carries a Jaguar-badged airbag steering wheel — the driver airbag was standard equipment on US-market XJS models by this point in production. The convertible top folds down into the rear compartment behind the rear seats, retained neatly by the black straps visible in the photos, and the chrome luggage retention rail across the rear deck is intact.

Exterior

The 1991 Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible wears its red paint in solid, consistent color across all panels. The long hood, the low roofline in top-down configuration, and the sweeping rear haunches are all hallmarks of Malcolm Sayer's original design work from the early 1970s — a shape that remained in production with only incremental revisions for over two decades. That the basic silhouette held up this long is a testament to how far ahead of its time the original design was.

Chrome bumpers front and rear are present and intact, retaining their finish without significant pitting. The chrome fender flares are a detail specific to US-specification cars, added to accommodate the wider track required under American regulations. The gold growler badge on the hood center is the factory-correct color for this era of XJS production, distinguishing it from the silver badges used in other periods. The lace honeycomb alloy wheels are the correct pattern for this model year, and the Firestone tires mounted on them are period-appropriate in size.

The black power convertible top is operational, and the heated rear window is built into the top's rear section — a practical feature that was not universal on convertibles of this period. The high-mount third brake light is mounted at the top of the rear bodywork, above the trunk line, per the federal requirement that became mandatory in the late 1980s.

Conclusion

The 1991 Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible is a car that occupies a specific and increasingly well-regarded place in the collector market. The XJS spent years being undervalued largely because it was so common a sight in the 1980s and 1990s, but clean, honest examples with the V12 and the factory convertible body are now genuinely scarce. This Classic Collection example brings together the correct engine, a proper open top, factory-correct red-piped tan interior, and the gold badge details that identify it as a top-specification North American model. It is a driver-quality car with the correct options, built in England, and wearing its age honestly rather than hiding it under fresh paint.

If you would like to learn more about this 1991 Jaguar XJS V12 Convertible, call Skyway Classics in Sarasota, Florida at 941-254-6608.

Disclaimer

Information found on the website is presented as given to us by the owner of the car, whether on consignment or from the owner we bought it from. Some Photos, materials for videos, descriptions and other information are provided by the consignor/seller and is deemed reliable, but Skyway Classics does not warranty or guarantee this information. Skyway Classics is not responsible for information that may incorrect or a publishing error. The decision to purchase should be based solely on the buyers personal inspection of the vehicle or by a professional inspection service prior to offer or purchase being made.