There’s a saying in the hobby, “You have to be a good sport, to own a sports car” and while not a sports car, the Jaguar XJ Coupés, produced between 1975 and 1978 can certainly be case-in-point. The build quality left much to be desired (doors patched together to create a longer coupé door, for example), the 5.3 litre V12 was anemic and inefficient, the pre-GM transmission might as well have been made from pudding. And yet… it was—and is—so alluring. With less than 2,000 cars made over its four-year run, it wasn’t a car one would see every day. It was handsomely appointed with burled walnut and Connoly leather. And that shape: one of the most well-proportioned, seductive, classic designs in automotive history. Altogether, it evoked personal luxury in a way that few cars have been able to, or at least not on middle-class wages. Thirty-some years later, the XJ12C remains exclusive as they don’t often come on the market. Furthermore, the problems that were inherent in them to begin with only exacerbate over time: engines and transmissions may have been swapped for a GM 350/Turbo Hydramatic drivetrain; rust has built up in the undercarriage, wheel arches, doors or beneath the vinyl roofs (standard on XJ12Cs); and electronics have gone haywire. This gorgeous example, with less than 29,000 miles on the clock, simply hasn’t had enough use for those issues to arise and with continued excellent care, there’s a good bet that they may not in the future. Being a Northwest car, there appears to be no rust with an excellent finish and no bubbling beneath the roof. Interior is fresh, original and meticulously clean. The motor and drivetrain will probably need careful monitoring from its sparse use, and it is after all an old Jag. But then, you have to be a good sport… Find it here on Craigslist in Sherwood OR—for about half a comparable Rolls-Royce Corniche—at $24,000.
