Lot 362: Jaguar Sovereign V12 Series III Four Door Saloon

Launched to much acclaim in 1968, the XJ6 refined concepts embodied in previous Jaguar saloons to create a car to rival the best offered by Mercedes-Benz. It had always been Jaguar's intention that its flagship saloon would accommodate the new all-alloy V12 engine which had debuted in the E-Type, and the XJ12 duly appeared in July 1972. With a top speed of over 135mph, the newcomer combined high performance with a level of luxury unmatched by many a less-accommodating grand tourer costing several times as much. Built on the longer wheelbase of the Series II, but subtly re-styled by Pininfarina, the Series III debuted in 1979, becoming known as the Sovereign V12 between 1983 and 1989. This high specification example features automatic transmission, cruise control and electric sun roof and is finished in Silver Birch livery with Desert Sand leather interior. The car was bought by its fastidious owner at Bonhams sale at Beaulieu in July 1998 and since that time has covered minimal mileage. The mileage at the time of sale will be approximately 43,000 miles. This classic Jaguar has been carefully maintained in a small private collection and is offered with original tool kit, handbook, current MoT and a Swansea registration document.