In our second instalment in the guest blog series, we ask classic car enthusiast, Rhett Redelings why he chose the Jaguar XJ-S over other available models. Here’s what he had to say:

“Honestly, it feels more like the Jaguar XJ-S chose me, rather than the other way around.”

I was the only child of a single parent. My mother worked in the classic car business, which exposed me to many high-end collectable cars, Jaguars among them. And Jags were always a favourite in our household. But as the only child of a single parent, I was somewhat in need of a male role model and, rightly or wrongly, I looked to film and television to show me the options.

In the summer vacation of 1982, between my first and second year of high school, while most of my friends were away for the summer, one of the local stations began running Return of the Saint

As part of a new series of blog posts, we will be inviting a number of XJS owners and Jaguar enthusiasts to contribute to our blog, telling us exactly why they love the XJS. This week, we’ve gone across the pond and asked California-based, Rhett Redelings what makes the car so special to him.

About Rhett Location: San Francisco Bay area, California, U.S.A. Occupation: IT Manager, City of Sausalito

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• 1988 Jaguar XJ-S coupe in Glacier White with a Mulberry interior, an HE V12 e [...]
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Here are a few news highlights from the classic car industry from the last couple of months…

 

Top five up-and-coming classic cars to buy now (Yahoo Autos)

Out of only five potential classic cars worth investing in, the Jaguar XJS has made a rather select list. Here’s what Yahoo Autos have to say about the classic:

“The XJS now ranks as one of the most popular cars among members of the Jaguar Club…and it seems like it’s finally emerging from the shadow of the E-Type. More of a grand tourer than a sports car, the styling of the XJS is aging like a fine French red, and it comes both in convertible and coupe form with lots of chrome, wood and leather to compliment what is in actuality an understated design with roots in the late 1960s, the golden era of GTs. XJS also has the cachet of V-12 power (although it was available as a

It’s important you consult a reputable broker who specialises in classic car insurance, in order to get the best possible cover for your classic car. We would recommend researching the following insurance companies, but there are, of course, other reputable brokers available:

 

• Peter James
• Lancaster
• Peter Best
• Adrian Flux

 

We would highly recommend going for ‘Replacement Value’ insurance cover, in case of unexpected damage, such as a collision or accident as you drive your freshly-restored classic away from KWE! This helps to overcome issues relating to the ‘book’ value that insurers sometimes offer, which might be a tenth of what you’ve just spent.

The above insurers provide specialist advice, and really know their stuff when it comes to classic cars. While they might offer only a limited mileage policy (typically 6,000 miles per year), they should be fine with insuring the car for a more accurate replacement value. KWE can confirm

As the Jaguar XJS turned 40 on 10th September this year, we held a celebratory event at our showroom on 12th September. The event was a great success – and saw Jaguar and classic car enthusiasts from across the country coming together to commemorate this car’s great history.

If you’re not on Facebook, you may not have seen the photos taken at the event. If you couldn’t make it to the party, this is your chance to see what you missed. We think you’ll agree, visitors were treated to a true motoring spectacle!

To view the album in full, please click here.

For more information about the open day, please read our recent blog post, or article featured in the Newbury Weekly News. 

Alternatively, if you want to find out more about the Jaguar XJS, or would like to enlist

We recently completed work on a 1983 Jaguar XJ12 Series 3 Saloon. Prior to its full-scale makeover, this classic had been sitting in the sidelines at KWE for several years, awaiting a client to commission its restoration.

 

Last year, one of our existing customers enlisted our expertise to restore the model back to its former glory. The customer – a true XJ enthusiast – is already the proud owner of a KWE-restored 1991 XJS, featured on James May and Oz Clark’s BBC series, Oz and James’s Big Wine Adventure.

The body has been completely stripped and repainted in gloss black, with ‘biscuit’ Connolly hide throughout, full interior makeover, and new KWE suspension, making this classic a real head-turner.

To view the full extent of our work, and for a look inside our workshop, visit our build gallery.

 

Restore your classic Jaguar to ‘better-than-new’

If you have a restoration project you’d like to enlist

This low mileage (57000 miles) convertible is finished in Jaguar Gunmetal metallic paint with a black folding roof (electric). The interior is Jaguar Doeskin leather in good condition. This is the full facelift model with rear seats and wrap-around bumpers. The wheels are now fully refurbished. The car has had 4 owners including the current one, on behalf of whom we are selling the car. Other features include full service history, air conditioning, space-saver spare wheel, CD player, alarm/immobiliser and airbags. The body condition is a good, low-rust example having been cavity wax injected by KWE a few years ago. The car is normally kept under cover. The engine and mechanics are all in very good order. One could drive it away today and enjoy many miles and years of reliable service, but we can offer some restoration works packages to bring it up fully to our standards.

A big thank you to everyone who visited our workshop this weekend for our open day, celebrating 40 years of the Jaguar XJS. The event was a great success, and we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

We were delighted to welcome customers old and new to our showroom to join in the birthday celebrations, many bringing along their prized XJS cars.

Classic car and Jaguar enthusiasts from across the country were treated to a motoring spectacle, as Greenham Business Park was awash with an array of stunning Jaguar XJS models.

 

Some notable cars on site included:

• The very last XJS Eventer ever built – 6.0 litre TWR version
• An XJS currently being upgraded with an Omex Digital Engine Management system
• Six Series XJs and an extensively refurbished X300
• The day before the event a unique car had been collected from us by its owner. This was a test mule

70% of classic cars are underinsured (Classic Cars For Sale)

Classic insurers say owners have unwittingly kept their cars’ agreed values at the same levels for years, despite recent price surges, particularly for 1970s and ’80s models.

Marcus Atkinson, marketing director at classic car insurer Hagerty, said the majority of classic cars are under-insured simply because owners are unaware of how much their cars have increased in value after recent price rises.

Top Gear presenter Chris Evans auctioning £11 million worth of classic cars (The Mirror)

New Top Gear presenter, Chris Evans, is selling off £11million worth of classic cars at auction next month. Evans, who is replacing Jeremy Clarkson as the new presenter for the BBC show, has consigned 13 cars to the Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The items include the rare right-hand drive 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy, with an estimate of £2.6-2.9m, the 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 ‘Daytona’ Spider,