A member of our club has a really nice 95 XJS V12 convertible. The car had come to him with "V12" badges on the lower front side panels below the leaper badge and behind the front wheels. There are not very many 95 V12s out there since they were special order, but I had never seen this badging before, so I advised the member that they might be non authentic. I think he recieved a deduction for them at our show in September, although I was not exterior judge on the car.

I have since seen online 3 95 V12s with these badges, 2 without them, which is confusing, does anyone know definitively if the 95s were supposed to have these badges or not and can cite references?

Thanks!

Submitted by SE21-33540J on Mon, 01/24/2011 - 11:55

This goes back to an original 2009 thread. Since then I have been trying to get a handle on just what was factory and what was not on the 1995 XJS V12. It seems in my opinion, that the confusion stems from the fact that the EURO version of the 1995 models were different in trim than the US versions. In the US the 4.0 six was trimmed with chrome mirror caps, chrome headlamp surrounds, black grill and no airfoil on the deck lid. The wheels were satin finish 5 spoke, chrome finish optional. The 6.0 V12 had body color mirror caps, headlamp surrounds and grill and a trunk mounted airfoil with integrated stop lamp. Wheels were 20 spoke diamond polished with 5 spoke chrome optional. The V12 also had a standard gold hood growler.

In Europe the trim items were the exact oppposite except the Euro versions did not have a trunk mounted airfoil on any model. The wheel options were the same for both US and Euro models.

Now to address the V12 emblem on the front quarter panels or wings as they say in England. My research took me to a Jaguar Master Parts specialist in Charlotte at Scott Jaguar who has was there when the XJS was in it's heyday, (if it had one). I called to get the part number for the V12 fender mounted emblem to see if it was the same as the V12 trunk emblem. He told me the V12 emblem had a different part number and that it was a Euro model item not standard on the US model. He did say though that some of the few customers who ordered a V12 XJS in 1995 also ordered the emblem because if they were paying the $10K or $12K premium they wanted everybody to know it was a V12. Apparently you could also order the V12 with the Euro trim package which gave the chrome mirrors, headlamp surrounds and black grill. It turns out that front fog lamps were standard in Europe and an option on both the 4.0 and the 6.0 on the US models.

One day I am going to write a Judging Guide for the facelift XJS since one does not exist that I know of now. In one concours this year I was questioned about the originality of my round walnut shifter knob. Another 1995 V12 only item that was then standard on all 1996 final production model.

This is the result of asking people who know things I don't and by no means is gospel. But in a concours judging situation, I believe that the addition or lack of the V12 fender emblem on a 1995 V12 car should not cause a point deduction either way. It is just like the fog lamp option.

I have attached a photo of the Euro V12 coupe with V12 emblem, Chrome trim and no fender mounted leaper profile, because they had side maker lamps instead. Also note no airfoil. It does thought have the 20 spoke diamond polished wheels. This came from a Euro brochure. A partial shot is also in the photo of the 4.0 model, note the body color mirror caps.

Submitted by halldjt@earthl… on Mon, 11/16/2009 - 10:35

I have a 95 V12 that I purchased from the original owner. As he was a lawyre I dont think he would be inclined to replace the original badges. Mine has the fender Jaguar badge with V12 under it, The hood has the gold badge insignia, & the XJS V12 badge on the deck lid. It came with the 12 spoke aluninum wheels that I have changed to the crome 5 spoke, Other than the wheels that I changed it is as purchased. If I can be of any help let me know. What is the valur of this car as I see that there was only a few made. Mine was special ordered from a dealership Houston Tex.

Submitted by arsenaultd@ear… on Mon, 11/16/2009 - 00:34

I double checked the 95 brochure and sure enough it is in there. I don't know how I missed it. I don't have a copy of the 94 brochure, but I did not find any 94s with the badges.

The brochure is definitely adequate evidence to provide authenticity for a concours, so my conclusion is that they were correct for only one year, 1995, which is probably why we got it wrong, and that over time some owners removed them or they fell off, getting more abuse on the rocker panels than the trunklid badges, hence some cars having them, and some not.

Brett Wright, if you are watching or come across this thread, after researching this, I think you can safely leave your badges on. I can't remember if the exterior judge took off for the badges at all your shows this year, but you could also file protests to have these points returned.

Submitted by SE21-33540J on Sun, 11/15/2009 - 19:53

Daniel,

I am in the market for one of these cars and found in Brian Longs book, "Jaguar XJ-S" he states on page 170 that in 1994 the new 6 litre XJS featured new alloy wheels, and other detail changes of note include "V12" badges on the front wings and a gold color growler. On page 171 he shows a page from the 1995 sales brochure that has the V12 badge on the front wings of the 6 litre model and nothing on the 4 litre model.

I have to agree it looks like an after market add on, but apparently was a factory item.