The magnificent e-Type that Jaguar first produced back in 1961 took the motoring world by storm, but by the mid -1970's it was showing its age and a successor was badly needed.
That car was the Jaguar XJS which had all the necessary credentials to make it perhaps the best car in the world; ... Read review
Advantages: A great British classic. Disadvantages: Not in the same league as the e-Type it replaced.
The magnificent e-Type that Jaguar first produced back in 1961 took the motoring world by storm, but by the mid -1970's it was showing its age and a successor was badly needed.
That car was the Jaguar XJS which had all the necessary credentials to make it perhaps the best car in the world; a glorious V-12 engine, a suspension system that was second to none, and all the prestige of the Jaguar badge.
But somehow the XJS ... ...that it was unnecessary for Jaguar to come up with a totally new drive system, suspension, and brakes. The standard transmission was a Borg Warner three-speed automatic, and although Jaguar offered a choice of manual gearbox (shift change) only 352 customers ever took them up on the offer!
You couldn't fault the car's performance for a large 4-seater saloon. The acceleration was electric, and the car would go on to a top speed of nearly ... more
The magnificent e-Type that Jaguar first produced back in 1961 took the motoring world by storm, but by the mid -1970's it was showing its age and a successor was badly needed.
That car was the Jaguar XJS which had all the necessary credentials to make it perhaps the best car in the world; a glorious V-12 engine, a suspension system that was second to none, and all the prestige of the Jaguar badge.
But somehow the XJS failed to recreate the magic that had made the e-Type so special. The styling seemed to grate on people's nerves, traditionalists be moaned the slab flanks, strange headlights, and non-chrome black bumpers, and hankered after Jaguar's traditional and distinctive grille and walnut veneer dashboard. Spots car drivers didn't like the styling or the cramped interior.
I suppose the main difference between the XJS and the e-Type which it replaced was that while the e-Type had been designed by one very talented person, the XJS was styled by consensus, and as a result ended up being somewhat of a mixture of different designer's ideas of what constituted a great sports car.
The XJS was built on a shortened chassis of the existing XJ12 sedan, so that it was unnecessary for Jaguar to come up with a totally new drive system, suspension, and brakes. The standard transmission was a Borg Warner three-speed automatic, and although Jaguar offered a choice of manual gearbox (shift change) only 352 customers ever took them up on the offer!
You couldn't fault the car's performance for a large 4-seater saloon. The acceleration was electric, and the car would go on to a top speed of nearly 160 mph. But while there was acres of space in the front two seats, the two in the rear were really only suitable for kids. (Or very small adults!) The interior design was lifted straight from the XJ series.
Jaguar upgraded the car in 1981, adding a larger 5.3 litre V-12 engine which gave it better fuel economy and far more power, and rechristened the car the XJS - HE. (High Efficiency) A cabriolet version with a rigid fold back roof was added in 1983 which was strictly a two-seater model, and this was produced up until 1988, when it was replaced by a top-of -the -range full convertible model with a electric folding roof. At the same time a TWR version was introduced which developed an awesome 333 bhp.
In 1991 Jaguar invested over £50 million in totally revamping the car in an attempt to prolong its shelf life. The rear end was redesigned and a completely new interior added, and a brand new AJ6 four-litre engine was introduced. Within 4 years this was upgraded to AJ16 specification (an extra 15 bhp), while the old V-12 engine was expanded to six litres.
The last XJS rolled off the production line in September 1996, which made it the longest lasting Jaguar model ever produced with over 21 years service. In this time around 112,000 cars were manufactured. A measure of its success was that the car that eventually replaced it, the XK8, was actually based on the XJS floor pan.
I've personally driven two or three different XJS Jaguars, albeit not since the early 1990's. It's always been an aspiration of mine to own one of these lovely cars, and I'll likely buy a restored model when I retire in 7 or 8 years time, and will only be doing a smallish annual mileage. (They're *VERY* heavy on petrol, especially the 5 and 6 litre versions.)
There are still a lot of these cars around, and they can now be purchased for very reasonable money. A mere £5,000 to around £15,000 will get you a car in good to excellent condition. Lots of companies specialise in their restoration.
Advantages: Silkey smooth giant engine with the body of a footballer's wife Disadvantages: Sucks fuel like there's no tomorrow !..... loves credit cards !!
I'm now going to tell you a bit of a story....... you know me !.........( well , if you've read any of my previous reviews on things )....... because this beautiful car deserves the best a man can give it........ generally driven and insured by blokes over 40......I recon, cos the insurance and running costs would kill any sane person in their right mind, ( my Biz ' insurance covers anything I drive , so I'm ok in the insurance dept' only )
Not ... ...BM's Audi TT's, Golf GTI's, MX 5's, Punto's, and if kids are involved...... MPV's & 4 X 4's .......off road being ..... up the kurb and onto the grass verge !!, safety , economy , and keeping up with the Jones's being major factors in the purchase of the sensible car of today .
Sometimes being sensible can get very boring indeed at times. I know we all have to live within our means, but after all, we only have one go at life , and it's nice once ...
cashman44 07.10.2004 (05.11.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Jaguar XJS 5.3
Advantages: Exotic, Ferrari beating performance, luxury, stunningly beautiful Disadvantages: none
...owning an exotic car, the Jaguar XJS will be the most pleasant and rewarding ownership experience, and with excellent examples going for around $18,000, one of the least expensive as well. I personally recommend the convertible as opposed to the coupe, due to it's better looks and more exciting driving experience. I prefer my XJS to my previous car a 1985 Ferrari 308. The Jaguar is smoother, more luxurious, faster, better looking, and has a lower ...
Jagman91 12.06.2007 (23.05.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Jaguar XJS 5.3
Advantages: Cheap to buy, superlative performance, oozes class Disadvantages: gobbles jungle juice, electrical gremlins
I bought my jag for less than a grand through loal classifieds. It is a 1980 5.3 V12 which is fitted with the pre HE engine (ie the engine from the Type, High compression).
For that kind of money one cannot expect much, especially in a car that when built was Ferrari prices but I was pleasantly surprised.
Here is a list of good and bads which may help potential buyers.......
Bodywork
I was lucky !
The attached picture is my cat
The bodywork ... ...on any old jag because the do rust and it is not cheap to repair. Mine is in white just like Simn Templars in return of the Saint and it looks fantastic. These cars tend to rust around the tops of front wings, wheel arches, rear butress and undeneath. Also the boot lid is prone and always check suspension mounts.
Engine/Gearbox
Wow what a beast lurks under the bonnet 300+ Bhp and 300+ Torque, all effortlessly transmitted through a Borg Warner 3 ...
scabies 15.09.2004 (16.09.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Jaguar XJS 5.3
Advantages: Superlative ride and handling Disadvantages: Engine is suprisingly fragile
...a lower diff ratio, but can still achieve high overall gearing, for proper relaxed crusing (29mph/1000 revs). So sadly, I would not recommend the jaguar V12, although I do very much recommend the XJS - but in 6 cylinder form. The V12 smoothness comes with too many strings attached. ...
robgee1964 12.12.2009
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Jaguar XJS 5.3
...be purchased through the Jaguar club for around £20 each.
With Jaguar releasing more and more models that are affordable to more people the prices of the older models are stating to fall. A 1990 V12 XJS can be brought for around £4k, money well spent in my opinion. ...
Slideways 24.04.2001 (23.04.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Jaguar XJS 5.3
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