Harry Metcalfe having driven this, actually his own 1980 XJS 5.3 V12 Coupe, used just two simple words, 'grace & pace', to describe his exciting 1000 miles journey down through France to the Cote d'Azur back in 2015! Pleasingly you can see his video of the drive down by searching for 'Jaguar XJS V12 drive to Monaco review' on YouTube.

This superb XJS was delivered new by Lex Motors of Hudderfield to its first owner, Mr Carruthers in September 1980, who chose the solid exterior finish colour of Cotswold yellow together with a contrasting black hide. Pretty much everything was standard on an XJS at this time other than cruise control, that said, there is an invoice on file for fittment of mud flaps and its first 1000 mile service a month later.

The enormous history file covers virtually his entire ownership, including mots and services until 2005 when its second keeper, again another Yorkshireman took over the reins. As before, servicing invoices and mots are all present with the odometer reading at this stage, just 26,190 miles. A third keeper appears in 2010 when the mileage had increased by just 2000 miles. Yet again, services invoices and mots are all present and correct for his duration of ownership.

Harry Metcalfe took title, being just the fourth keeper in April 2014, when the mileage had risen gently to just under 29,000 miles but he began to use the car quite extensively, something one can see from the mots on file. As previously mentioned, by June 2015 he had famously used the Jaguar to undertake a journey down to Monaco. The subsequent editorial and photos of the trip appeared in the September issue (number 147) of Octane magazine, happily this is in the history file too plus one can see on line 'Harry's Garage' YouTube video clip which was launched a little earlier in July.

Post the French trip, Octane's Deputy Editor, Mark Dixon deemed it the perfect example for them to use once again for his forthcoming interview/exposé with Sir John Egan about his time at the helm at Jaguar. Oddly, the first thing Sir John noticed about this Jaguar was the early painted door handles, something in production he was later change to black chrome! Upon its return from this journalistic jaunt, the mileage stood a little over 33,000 miles

Acting as go between, Harry delivered the XJS to me in August 2016 and then immediately onward to the new owner who has used it very sparingly. Recently mot'd, it sailed through without any advisories, the Jaguar continues to drive beautifully, looks great on its perfect GKN Kent alloys and is in super original condition.

The accompanying history file features almost every mot which clearly authenticates the exceptionally low mileage, plus dozens of services invoices and pleasingly original correspondence from Jaguar, Lex and BL's warranty arm at the time, Supercover!

A fabulous example with the added advantage of great provenance, in a super period colour that absolutely exudes 'grace and pace'!

It would be a pleasure to answer any further questions you might have. This fabulous Jaguar can be inspected at my Guildford showroom - please call me on 07788 865700.