1991 Jaguar XJ-S V12 Convertible Classic Collection Edition, Red over Tan Why This Car Is Special The 1991 Jaguar XJ-S V12 Convertible is one of the more specific and desirable configurations the XJ-S was ever offered in. This example is a Classic Collection edition, which was a factory trim package Jaguar introduced in the early 1990s to distinguish the XJ-S with enhanced standard equipment and a more deliberate presentation. The Classic Collection name was not a marketing label applied after the fact it was a distinct factory designation, and cars so equipped were delivered with a specific combination of interior appointments and exterior details intended to reinforce the car's character as a grand tourer rather than a sports car. This car wears that package correctly, with the red piping on tan leather seats, burled walnut trim throughout, and a gold hood growler badge that was part of the Classic Collection specification. The XJ-S itself has a history worth understanding. It entered production in 1975 as a replacement for the legendary E-Type, a car that had defined Jaguar's identity for fourteen years. The XJ-S was never meant to be a sports car in the same sense it was engineered as a high-speed grand tourer, and Jaguar's engineers gave it a suspension and chassis tuned for transatlantic cruising rather than canyon carving. The public needed time to accept that, and early sales were soft. By the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, the XJ-S had matured considerably. The convertible body style, introduced for the 1988 model year in the United States, gave the car a new audience and extended its commercial life significantly. The 1991 model year sits squarely in what many consider the best period of XJ-S production the body had been refined, the fuel injection had replaced the troublesome carburetor setup from the early cars, and build quality under Ford's ownership of Jaguar had measurably improved. This particular car was built in England, as all XJ-S models were, at Jaguar's Browns Lane facility in Coventry. Features List - 5.3L fuel-injected V12 engine - GM Turbo-Hydramatic 3-speed automatic transmission - Classic Collection trim package - Power convertible top with black cloth hood - Heated rear window - Tan leather interior with red piping on all seats - Power seats, driver and passenger - Burled walnut dash and door trim - Factory tachometer (12-cylinder specific) - AM/FM cassette stereo - Cruise control - Tilt steering column - Driver airbag - Power steering - Power brakes - 4-wheel disc brakes - Independent rear suspension - Dual exhaust - Lace honeycomb alloy wheels - Power windows, door locks, and mirrors - Air conditioning - Chrome bumpers - Chrome fender flares - Gold hood growler badge (Classic Collection) - High-mount third brake light - Chrome luggage retention rail - Made in England Mechanical The engine in this 1991 Jaguar XJ-S V12 Convertible is the 5.3-liter single-overhead-cam V12 that Jaguar had been developing and refining since the engine's introduction in the 1971 XJ12 sedan. By 1991, this engine had been in continuous production for two decades, and Jaguar had ironed out nearly every issue that plagued earlier versions. The fuel injection system on this car replaced the problematic Zenith-Stromberg carburetors used on XJ-S models through the mid-1980s, and the result is a more reliable, more consistent powerplant that starts easily and pulls smoothly across the entire rpm range. The V12 is not a high-revving screamer it makes its power in a wide, flat band, and the character of the engine is defined by torque delivered without drama. It is the kind of engine that makes highway driving feel almost effortless. The transmission is the GM Turbo-Hydramatic, a detail visible on the underside of the car where the transmission pan is clearly marked 'Hydra-Matic, Div. of GMC.' Jaguar's use of this unit is well-documented it was selected because it was one of the few automatics robus
