Jaguar XJ-SC V12 Cabriolet
The Jaguar XJ-S (later called XJS) is a luxury grand tourer manufactured and marketed by British car manufacturer Jaguar Cars from 1975 to 1996, in coupé, fixed-profile and full convertible bodystyles. There were three distinct iterations, with a final production total of 115,413 units over 20 years and seven months.
In 1983, the new 3.6-litre Jaguar AJ6 straight-six engine was introduced along with a new convertible model called the XJ-SC. The coupé’s rather small rear seats were removed in order to make space for the removable soft top, making it a 2-seat car. The XJ-SC was not a full convertible but was a fixed profile variant with a non-removable centre targa-type structure, fixed cant rails above the doors, and fixed rear quarter windows. The six-cylinder cars can be identified by a raised bonnet center section.
Between 1983 and 1987, the six-cylinder-engined cars were only available with a five-speed manual transmission (Getrag 265), with a four-speed automatic (ZF 4HP22) offered from 1987 onwards (along with improved fuel injection as used on the XJ40). The earlier, manual models were not imported by Jaguar into the United States, which had to wait until the facelift manual 4-litre XJS coupé and convertible became available. A V12 powered XJ-SC was introduced in 1985.
XJ-SC
The first XJ-SC was produced on June 28, 1982, the last January 26, 1988. In all 5013 XJ-SC Cabriolets were built. These cars were different in that they had a Targa/Convertible body style with removable Targa panels over the two seater passenger compartment, similar to T-tops, plus a fabric rear section including the rear window; there was an optional hard top for the rear section. Approximately 1598 Right Hand Drive and 3416 Left Hand Drive cars built.
Some cars were converted by the factory to from RHD to LHD and LHD to RHD for factory experimental use and ultimately to be shipped to the target country and some were dismantled. Whilst there are a small number of the XJ-SC cars with the rear seat conversion. Jaguar Cars only ever produced one such car which was specially built for Princess Diana. The rear roof section on this car was fully secured in place and could not be removed. This conversion was later carried out by several aftermarket companies on owners cars, not with the approval of the works. There were several specials built as there were for other XJS cars, the Princess Diana Cabriolet and there is a very rare Guy Salmon Jubilee Celebration car, only 3 believed to be built a Burberry Special Edition also believed to be only 3 produced.
