Interesting topic. May I ask Laurence whether you have factual information that you base this conclusion – that none left the factory with rear seats fitted?
Just that over last twenty years I have failed to find a definitive answer!

My own 1987 Cab has rear seats fitted and previous owners believe they were fitted from new – that could well have been the Dealership though.

TWR certainly did rear seat conversions on the cabriolet but question is whether that was an aftermarket conversion or under factory authority.
Would have been a very expensive conversion via Dealership unless there was a ‘factory price’ as rear seat cushions would have been incredibly costly via the parts dept plus labour, fitting seat belts etc

Obviously Tickford did the early coach work modifications but whether they carried out any rear seat mods as part of production I do not know.

I know a fellow JEC member who has a cab that was part of a cancelled export batch of LHD cabriolets that were converted to RHD a year later by the factory with rear seats and then sold as new in UK market in 1985. (Again cannot say factory actually did rear seat conversion)

I don’t suppose Bleasie has any definitive insight on this during his many hours factory record research?

Be really interested to know as there are actually quite a few XJS-C’s with rear seats, originally I thought mine was unusual!

Regards, Robin