Comprehensive restored ‘wide body’ XJ-S in excellent condition having covered just 3,000 miles covered since
Professionally installed Lister cosmetic enhancements create a very distinctive car in the style of the Lister ‘wide body’ behemoths
Rare manual gearbox car that plays to the sporting nature of those Lister features
Mechanical upgrades to suspension, brakes and Big Bore stainless exhaust system mean this car also delivers on the visual promise
Very distinctive and rare car that offers something a little different for the Jaguar enthusiast
Mechanical enhancements delivering up to 30% power increase according to vendor
The Appeal
Jaguar’s XJ-S leaned into the firm’s reputation for cosseting, effortless motoring, but its fundamentals offered much more than the factory offered. Step forward Lister, which in the late 1980s began extracting more power and sharper handling from the XJ-S with its jaw-dropping ‘wide body’ models.
Very few Lister factory wide body cars were built but Jaguar owners could buy the cosmetic kits, and some of the mechanical enhancements, to retro-fit to their cars. This 1989 convertible is such a car, its distinctive ‘wide body’ lines and clever Lister detailing having been comprehensively restored around eight years ago. There are mechanical improvements like big bore intakes and a free flow exhaust to match the looks, resulting in what the vendor, a former Jaguar Race Team owner, claims is up to 30% more power than a standard XJS V12.
It has covered few miles since, leaving the high quality work looking very presentable. It has a desirable manual conversion and some useful upgrades to the suspension and brakes that help it deliver on the performance suggested by those striking visuals. Few classic convertibles offer the drama of this Lister-badged car and it will surely be a wonderful talking point wherever it goes.
Excellent wood veneers with no visible deterioration
Grey leather seats piped blue in good condition, rear seats in excellent condition
New blue carpets piped grey in good condition throughout with factory over mats
Aftermarket JVC stereo fitted
Fitting of new old stock JaguarSport boot spoiler and new Momo steering wheel are all supported by 2022 invoices
During the 1980s Jaguar progressively improved the quality and luxury of the XJ-S and this 1989 model reflects those changes, its blend of chrome, wood and leather making it a particularly pleasing place to be. The grey leather seats, piped in contrasting blue, are in good condition, just some light wear on the driver’s seat bolster to note, while the rear seats are in excellent, almost new condition. There is a matching JaguarSport grey leather Momo four spoke steering wheel fitted.
We understand that the carpets in the cabin and boot have been replaced. They are in very good condition with no visible wear. Elsewhere the car’s extensive veneers are very good, with no signs of delamination or cracking.
Aside from the obvious addition of a manual gear lever, the interior of this XJ-S is standard, just an aftermarket JVC stereo and red ignition switch being the other changes however the red switch isn't connected.
Comprehensively restored by a specialist Jaguar workshop around eight years ago
Fitted with Lister’s distinctive wide body kit, including welded steel wide arches, fared in front and rear bumpers, NACA ducts to rear arches and bonnet and Lister wing mirror covers
White bodywork in very good condition with no obvious marks or deterioration, likely reflecting its very limited use since the restoration
New convertible roof and headlining, both in very good condition
American specification quad headlamp conversion with dark blue grille and surrounds
Lister badging and decals
JaguarSport boot spoiler
OZ Racing 17inch alloy wheels newly refurbished
The arrival of the road-going Lister wide body XJ-S’ coincided with the track-bound TWR race cars and conspired to change perceptions of the long and lithe XJ-S. Its abilities as a sports car, rather than a purely GT car, began to shine through.
This car certainly plays to that idea, its Lister bodykit giving the car a very purposeful stance. The Lister enhancements are not simple stick-on addenda: the steel arches are carefully welded to the body and the front and rear bumpers similarly blended into the bodywork. Working NACA ducts are cut into the rear arches to cool the rear brakes and differential and the same in the bonnet for the engine.
To complete the Lister-themed picture this car has Lister badging and a dark blue grille and surrounds to the USA-specification quad headlamps. A JaguarSport boot spoiler completes the picture.
It creates an arresting sight, particularly in this car’s immaculate white finish. We understand that the car was restored around eight years ago by a specialist Jaguar workshop at a cost of around £10,000. The vendor states that it has covered around 3,000 miles since and MOT records indicate it has been virtually unused since 2015, instead being regularly MOT’d and carefully dry stored. This likely explains the fresh appearance of the paintwork.
The purposeful appearance is completed by 17inch OZ Racing alloys that nicely fill the arches. We are told that they have recently been refurbished and they are shod with quality Bridgestone rubber.
Factory specification V12 5.3litre Jaguar engine developing around 285bhp with big bore intakes and free flow exhaust
Vendor states that the mechanical improvements plus the advantages of the manual gearbox deliver up to 30% more power than a standard XJS
Manual Gearbox is Getrag 5-speed conversion that helps release the car’s sporting credentials
New vented, grooved and drilled front and rear discs fitted in October 2022 along with new front and rear 4 pot calipers
Recently recommissioned after long term storage but we had no details immediately to hand regarding recent servicing
Spax adjustable shock absorbers
Performance upgrades such as a big bore stainless steel steel air intakes with K&N type cone filters
The V12 Jaguar engine is arguably one of the firm’s greatest achievements, one that is allegedly so smooth that coins can be balanced on its top while it is running.
We understand that this car’s engine is largely factory standard, only big bore stainless steel air intakes and a K&N style cone air filter varying from Jaguar specification. The car has been fitted with a 5spd manual gearbox, which is likely to be a later modification, and one that arguably releases the potential of that 285bhp motor. The car has been little used over the last decade and at the time of writing we did not have access to the recent service history.
The general opinion of those in the know is that the increased bhp achieved from the big bore intakes/free flow filters, plus the big bore, free flow exhaust system is around 8 to 10% or 25 to 28 bhp. Add to this the increase of around 30% of the available power, at the rear wheels, with the manual transmission replacing the auto box/torque converter and you have a very potent machine. There is also the 317 ft lbs (400+nm) of torque produced by the standard 5.3 litre V12 at just 3000 rpm.
More air/fuel in and faster, increased exhaust gases out equals more power. The loss of power through an auto box is a well known fact, especially in older style transmissions and the original bhp and torque figures are factory quotes. As a one time Jaguar Race Team owner/driver, the vendor does state that the motorcar is an extremely quick specimen with a fabulous soundtrack.
To match the looks there are big bore intakes and a free flow exhaust plus adjustable Spax shock absorbers and recently fitted vented, grooved and drilled front and rear disc brakes. The rear calipers are also new. The vendor states that the mechanical improvements plus the advantages of the manual gearbox deliver up to 30% more power.
Jaguar’s XJ-S remained in production and eventually sold so well because it delivered the sort of effortless GT experience that buyers struggled to find elsewhere. But for some buyers there was always the nagging sense that it was capable of much more.
For those people there was Lister. This car exploits the sporting potential of the XJ-S with a distinctive body kit and some useful upgrades to the running gear, including that desirable manual gearbox. Then there is the tantalising prospect of up to 30% more power according to the vendor. Freshly recommissioned after long term storage it looks in excellent condition and surely a very unusual addition to any enthusiast’s collection.
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Vehicle specification
Year1989
MakeJaguar
ModelXJS
ColourWhite
Odometer127,721 Miles
Engine size5343
Auction Details
Seller TypePrivate
Town
Hythe
LocationHampshire
CountryUnited Kingdom
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1989 Jaguar XJ-S V12 Wide Body Convertible
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