Michael Satterfield
This Banham XJSS rebody popped up on eBay, an interesting car since it was so similar to the XK8 that would replace the XJ in 1996. It was designed by Banham Conversions as a way to give your aging XJ a face lift.
The Jaguar XJS was pure 1970’s and that was really cool in 1975 when it launched with its square masculine styling departing from the more graceful looking Jaguar sports cars of the past. But that styling did not age well and nearly 20 years later it was looking a little tired. In its last year of production, it was up against cars like the RX7 FD and 300ZX from Japan… and an XJR would set you back 70 grand in 1995 dollars, around $108,000 today. Tokyo had come a long way since 1975 and so had the rest of the competition.
The XJ was designed to be a grand touring car, not a sports car and it really showed, so it was not surprising that the aftermarket stepped in and attempted to improve the breed. Now some of you might look at this XKSS and say swing and miss… but when compared to the XK8 the car that replaced the XJ you would have to say that it almost looks like a pre-production prototype (yes… one that was built in a shed… but the DNA is there). It also picked up some cues from the contemporary Aston Martin DB7 which also debuted a new style in 1994 and similarly also borrowed tail lamps from the parts bin.
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| Standard XJ interior that needs a little love. |
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| Wheels look like they came from a late 80’s Mini Truck from Los Angeles |
Originally the only way you could get an XJSS would be to ship your car to Banham so they could carry out a factory conversion, but later on, you could order it in kit form for the DIY car guy. The listing does not say if it is a factory conversion or a home job, but the door handles appear to be unique to this car, so I am going to go with home built, but a pretty decent one.
The listing on eBay Germany says this car is based on a 1987 XJ with a factory V12 and comes with just about the ugliest wheels ever made. It also includes a hardtop and some spare parts. It’s opening bid would be just over $11,000 USD. Check out more on eBay
Source: eBay
Update: XJSS vs XK8 you have to admit they are similar, the XJSS is not nearly as refined, but many of the same elements are there.
