1987 Jaguar XJ-SC Convertible (TWR Enhanced)

Currently on Ebay USA, this 1987 XJ-S claims to be an original TWR enhanced car, of which only a few hundred are believed to have been produced (prior to the 1988 TWR JaguarSport merger cars). We're quite sceptical of the car being a genuine TWR item, as the wheels are not correct and no additional evidence (outside of the bodykit images) has been provided by the seller.

As we've discussed in our XJ-S TWR information guide, the difficulty with these cars is that TWR customers could opt for as many or as few TWR enhancements as their budget allowed. Therefore, cars with as little as the TWR body-kit and wheel package may indeed be genuine TWR enhanced cars, but many standard cars over the years have been retro-fitted with the TWR kit. From a buyer's perspective, you'd seriously question whether much value is added from a single enhancement like the body-kit. True value from a TWR car would arguably derive from the more advanced mechanical changes, which can also serve as a means of identification in the absence of documentation (such as spotting the TWR ECU, inlet trumpets, stainless-steel high flow exhaust system and the TWR suspension kit). Without original order receipts or other documentation, it can be very difficult to confirm with certainty whether the car is a genuine TWR enhanced item, so there is some level of risk in paying big money for an undocumented car.

This example has been in storage for some time and needs a good clean-up, but the seller notes that it runs well. If it is a genuine TWR convertible, it's a very rare car, as the majority of TWR enhanced vehicles are believed to have been based on the coupe. The seller doesn't elaborate on many details about the car, and it's certainly worth inspecting closer for those who've been looking for an early TWR Jag - particularly to confirm the existence of any documentation, and to see what other TWR modifications were made.

If you have a TWR enhanced XJ-S (whether pre- or post-JaguarSport merger), sign up and add your car to Classic Register so we can learn more about these rare cars. Follow us on Facebook for more interesting cars found for sale from around the world.