Not being the first owner I am curious how this car should have looked when delivered new. Its BRG paint with the coffee interior. It is not a two tone interior. The steering wheel is a regular tan with wood and a growler emblem. And there are burl dash panels and dark wood console and door cappings.

Clearly two different woods is not correct. I am assuming the dash burl is wrong. How about the steering wheel?

 

I won't say my findings are definitive, but see the following thread that details the standard features, options and color combinations for US 95-97 cars.

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ckages-115236/


According to the brochures for 97 you should have:

British Racing Green

• Coffee
• Burl Walnut

Your light colored steering wheel with the "growler" also is what would be expected with the BRG exterior, versus the black "XJR" wheel that came with other colors.

Interestingly, even the black "XJR" steering wheels have a slightly lighter/redder almost rosewood colored wheel as compared to the near black maple of the rest of the wood in a dark trimmed XJR.


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I am not sure about the XJR but I also don't think any of these has burl dash panels, at least never seen one in Europe.

About the steering wheel, normally it should read XJR in the centre where the airbag is and no growler logo. So here I am very sure it is not an XJR steering wheel. I am guessing since it has a tan airbag and the growler on it, it comes from a Sovereign.

But then again, European specs probably are not the same as the American specifications.

It should normally look like this.

 

My apologies, al_roethlisberger is right. Guess we posted at the same time.

I know virtually nothing about the US market, seems even the outside trim was different in the US compared to Europe(no chrome trim on XJR, no Vanden Plas versions).

 

Yep, is very interesting that a relatively low volume brand like Jaguar would have such wide variations in options, trim and color in different markets

.

 

Thanks Al! Im happy to know that. I actually like the burl better. From my Rover days I spent a fair amount of time studying the finish work of the british car makers. That being said... Dark maple center console, center ash tray, and all 4 door caps in perfect condition are now for sale. or trade for good burl replacements.