The iconic Jaguar car driven by dashing secret agent John Steed in the cult 1970s show The New Avengers has emerged for sale for £12,000 after it was discovered languishing in a barn.
The 1976 racing green Jaguar XJ12 was one of the stars of the show alongside Patrick Macnee who played Steed, Joanna Lumley as Purdey and Gareth Hunt as Gambit, a team of plucky crime-fighting Brits.
The beefed-up motor was among the best known cars on television in its time and was snapped up by a collector once the series ended in 1977.
However it disappeared from public view in the mid-1990s and was considered ‘lost’ until it emerged recently having spent the last 20 years rotting in a lock-up.
The once-great car now looks like its seen one too many car chases – the bodywork is flaking, the seats are ripped, the dials are smashed and the huge 5.3-litre engine doesn’t start.
But experts say it is still worth £12,000 because of its place in TV history.
The motor, which has been confirmed as the same one from The New Avengers, is being sold in need of restoration by HH Classics in Warrington, Cheshire.
James McWilliam, from the auction house, said: “This iconic motor started off life as an experimental car for Jaguar, and was the eighth XJ-C 12 they made.
“It was decommissioned by Jaguar and sent to Broadspeed to be fitted with a special beefed-up body kit in preparation for its use in The New Avengers.
“The show was a real 70s hit and in its time this Jaguar was instantly recognisable as the car of John Steed, the suave secret agent who led The New Avengers.
“After the show came to an end in 1977 the car was sold off and passed through the hands of several collectors.
“About 20 years ago it went missing – no-one knew where it was. Unbeknownst to the majority of people it had been stored in a lock-up and left.
“During that time it looks like kids broke into it and smashed a few windows and dials.
“The car recently came out of storage and had now been listed for sale. There are a few body tags that confirm it’s the one used in the show, and the heritage certificate from Jaguar backs that up.
“It’s in a slightly sorry state and would need a bit of love and attention to get it back to its former glory.
“But it’s a really exciting find and it will really appeal to those who fondly remember The New Avengers.”
Damian Jones, sales director at HH, added: “Who of us who remember the series did not at one time or another fancy ourselves at the wheel of this car?
“Now there is a chance to make that fantasy a reality for a very nominal amount, and maybe the chance to find a modern-day Purdey in the passenger seat.”
The New Avengers was launched in 1976 as a sequel to 60s hit show The Avengers, which Macnee had starred in alongside Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg.
Twenty six episodes were screened over two series. Although a third series was planned it was never made and the show ended in 1977.
Joanna Lumley is the only main actor surviving from the show – Gareth Hunt died from cancer aged 65 in 2007 and Patrick Macnee passed away in June this year aged 93.
The sale will take place on October 14 at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridge.
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