We’re huge fans of the Lynx Eventer here at Classic Driver. While these small-scale conversions can often be a little rough around the edges, Lynx clearly knew what they were doing; they extended the roof, moved the rear seats further back, repositioned the fuel tank, and even added a tailgate to produce the highly-practical and uber-stylish Eventer. As you can probably tell, this 1987 Jaguar XJ-S V12 Lynx Eventer by Paolo Gucci wasn’t the product of an afternoon spent with some fibreglass and a can-do attitude. It’s perhaps the most desirable XJ-S ever built, and it could be yours as it goes under the hammer at Bonhams’ Goodwood Festival of Speed auction on June 24th. 

Yes, you read that right, this Lynx Eventer was styled by none other than the House of Gucci’s ex-design director and product coordinator: capitalising on the Gucci name without a second thought given to legal ramifications. Restraint clearly wasn’t a word in Paolo’s vocabulary, especially when it came to the interior. 

Inside you’ll find a sea of hand-dyed Italian calfskin upholstery with crocodile effect armrests, blue stained ash door handles, Alcantara suede headlining, blue lacquered burr elm woodwork with inlaid chevron cross banding, even semi-precious lapis lazuli was used to adorn the steering wheel and gear knob. To complete his creation, Paolo added the perfect final touch: a specially-woven Jaguar motif in the carpeted boot. 

The limited-edition XJ-S was first unveiled at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show, right as Gucci’s lawyers caught wind Paolo’s exploits. On the second day of the show, Paolo was forced to remove all mention of the Gucci name and the stand was re-branded as Lynx. In the end, only one of these Jags in drag were ever made. Paintstakingly restored to its former glory in the last decade by the industry’s best craftsmen, this Lynx Eventer is now ready to hit the catwalk once more.