Jaguar XJS Monaco

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A most unusual model, the wide-body Monaco edition XJS was built under license from Jaguar by Paul Bailey Design in the early '90s and was about as exclusive as you could get if the standard XJS was too common for your tastes. So rare in fact, that the Sultan of Brunei purchased two of the 11 cars completed.

Produced at great expense by PB Design, the bodywork shows hints of the Aston Martin DB7 i6 and Jaguar XK8/R although this car came well before both of those – it also featured familiar XKR bonnet vents.

Wide and imposing, with a whiff of TVR from the front ¾ angle, there’s no doubting its road presence and stance. The rear sits wide and low sporting huge 335 section rear tyres shod over massive deep dish split-rim alloy wheels. Add side scoops and curvaceous lines galore and top them off with a solid silver Jaguar badge on the bonnet.

The running gear features the 3.6 straight-six mated to automatic transmission and is understood to have an uprated head which emits a lovely sound through its sports exhaust. The uprated interior sports seats trimmed in the softest of leather piped blue with carbon fibre wrap to dash trim, alloy gear selector surround and lever, Jaguar starter button along with the usual Jaguar equipment including trip computer and electric windows.

It has recently had a £10,000 restoration by our enthusiast vendor which has included a new roof lining, dashboard fascia, leather and paintwork refresh and new tyres along with a mechanical tune-up. No two Monaco cars were exactly the same and we understand this car’s alloy wheels are unique to this example, as is the Starmist Silver colour scheme.

It was sold originally in November 1990 and is an early face-lift 3.6 XJS automatic with model year 1991 features such as the face-lift rear lights among other bits. The V5 shows the engine size as 4.0, however we are reliably informed that it is indeed the 3.6 as stated on historic invoices and Jaguar’s own database.

The history file contains nine old MOTs, invoices and the original book pack with warranty card from the supplying dealer, Mann Egerton of Jaguar House, Norwich and a stamped service book to warrant the 93,200 miles indicated. The current MOT runs to April 2020 with one advisory recorded.

Take a close look at many of the interesting design elements in the car that have spawned more modern design cues and appeared on later Jaguars and Aston Martins. This is a unique car that will draw lots of attention on the show circuit where it belongs.