Jaguar XJ at 55: Gone but not forgotten

Retro Motor team

October 12, 2023

The XJ Factor
© Jaguar
In early 2021, Jaguar announced it was axing the electric XJ, just months before the car’s proposed launch date, with all the design and engineering work already completed. It was the action of a company in crisis, and leaves the future of the XJ – and Jaguar itself – in real doubt. Let’s hope the XJ lives on, because it certainly has a glorious past. So, let’s go back to the beginning…
Jaguar E-type
© Jaguar
Our story starts with the E-type, arguably Jaguar’s most famous car. Launched in 1961, the E-type’s film-star good looks and race-car pace made Jaguar a household name, but it wasn’t enough to thrust the company into the automotive big league. By the middle of the 1960s, Jaguar was producing around 300,000 cars a year, making it a relatively small company in automotive terms.
Dated range
© Jaguar
Jaguar was also suffering from an ageing product range and in danger of falling behind Rover and Triumph in the battle for deluxe supremacy. The 240, 340 and 420 were pleasant enough, but based on a car as old as England’s mountain green, while the MkX (later the 420G) was as large as a dark satanic mill. American buyers loved the E-Type (called ‘XK-E’ across the pond), but were less fond of the saloons (sorry, sedans). What the company needed was a four-door, four-seat E-type.
Jaguar XJ6 Series 1
© Jaguar
Jaguar started working on a ‘stretched’ E-Type in 1961, but by 1963/64, Project XJ4 had evolved into something approaching a production XJ. Sir William Lyons decreed that the saloon should have the beauty and the handling characteristics of the E-type, along with an ability to challenge any rival car in the world. To this end, the company ploughed £6 million into its development.
Jaguar XJ6 Series 1
© Jaguar
It was a revelation. While the XK120 and E-Type might grab the populist headlines for their sporty and glamorous characteristics, the XJ was accomplished enough to claim the title of ‘best car in the world’. Low-profile tyres developed by Dunlop, face-level ventilation, rack-and-pinion steering, semi-bucket seats and advanced suspension are just some of the XJ’s key features. The huge demand – and production hit by industrial action – resulted in long waiting lists, forcing Jaguar to run double-page press ads thanking customers for their patience.
Jaguar XJ12 Series 1
© Jaguar
The XJ was a decade, maybe even 20 years, ahead of its time. Gone was the bonnet ‘leaper’, which felt like a defining moment in the history of the company, with older models axed to free up production space. But while the 2.8-litre and 4.2-litre versions were good, the V12 was in a different league. Introduced for the 1972 model year, the XJ12 was the world’s fastest four-door saloon and the only mass-produced V12 car.
Jaguar XJ Series 2
© Jaguar
The Series 1 was replaced by the Series 2 XJ in 1973, with the height of the bumper raised to meet US safety regulations. The new model also featured the first use of fibre-optic lighting for the dashboard, along with central locking and electric windows as standard. Like its predecessor, it suffered from the same British Leyland problems, but that doesn’t detract from being a significant improvement over the Series 1. The slow-selling 2.8-litre was dropped, so the range comprised the 3.4-litre and 4.2-litre XJ6 models, plus the XJ12.
Jaguar XJC
© Jaguar
Jaguar unveiled the XJC two-door coupe at the 1973 Frankfurt Motor Show, but there were no deliveries until 1975. Considered to be a personal favourite of Sir William Lyons, the XJC featured a standard-fit vinyl roof, designed to mask any paint cracks. Sadly, just 9,119 XJCs were built, including around 1,000 V12s, before production ceased in 1977.
Jaguar XJ-S
© Jaguar
The XJC’s enemy came from within, in the form of the Jaguar XJ-S. Launched in 1975 as a replacement for the ageing E-type, the XJ-S – later the XJS – rendered the achingly beautiful XJC redundant.
Jaguar XJ Series 3
© Jaguar
The Series 3 arrived in 1979, but not before Jaguar launched a five-speed manual gearbox on the quiet. Added to the range in 1978, the gearbox was shipped in from Rover; it was used on the 3500 and Triumph TR7, which upset Jaguar purists. The Series 3 was thus the first XJ to be offered with a five-speed gearbox from launch. Intended to be a stopgap while Jaguar worked on the XJ40, the Series 3 featured a Pininfarina makeover, ‘pepper pot’ wheels on the Sovereign models, new flush door handles and fuel injection for the 4.2-litre model.
Jaguar XJ40 Series 4
© Jaguar
The XJ40 (Series 4) was the last production car Sir William Lyons had any influence on and the first all-new XJ since the original in 1968. Unveiled in 1986, the XJ40’s development can be traced back as far as 1973, with boss John Egan insisting that all major components needed to last 100,000 miles before being signed off. Twenty percent fewer panels were used to improve quality, while the XJ40 also saw the introduction of the famous ‘J gate’ automatic four-speed transmission.
Daimler Double-Six
© Jaguar
The Jaguar XJ achieved the unthinkable at the beginning of the 1970s by effectively wiping out an entire range of vehicles. It also gained a new badge-engineered sibling in the form of the Daimler Sovereign, which was later joined by the V12-engined Double-Six in 1972. This is an XJ40-based Double-Six, sporting the controversial square headlights.
Jaguar XJR TWR 4.0
© Jaguar
Formed in 1986, JaguarSport was a joint venture between Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR). The aim was to produce sporting versions of Jaguar’s regular saloons, with the cars completed at TWR’s facility in Kidlington. The majority of the XJ40-based XJRs were powered by a 3.6-litre engine, before the 4.0-litre version arrived in 1989.
Jaguar XJ X300
© Jaguar
The XJ40 was destined to be replaced by the XJ90, but when new owner Ford baulked at the cost, some £35 million of investment was ploughed into updating the XJ. Jaguar purists breathed a huge sigh of relief when the X300 was unveiled at the 1994 Paris Motor Show, with a restyling job serving to return some character to the flagship saloon. It represented a huge leap forward, with more equipment, improved quality and an enhanced interior. It was also more expensive, but Jaguar deserves great credit for using an ageing platform to such great effect. The X300 helped bring the XJ back from the brink of oblivion.
Jaguar XJR X300
© Jaguar
The X300 also heralded the introduction of the original factory XJR – Jaguar’s first supercharged production car. The Eaton M90 supercharger helped propel the XJR to 60mph in just 5.5 seconds, with the 4.0-litre straight-six producing 326hp and 378lb ft of torque. This XJR is often referred to as the XJR-6 or X306 to distinguish it from the later V8-engined X308 XJR of 1997.
Jaguar XJ X308
© Jaguar
The X300 was on sale for just three years before making way for the X308 in 1997. Evolved from its predecessor, the X308 removed all traces of the XJ40, with a comprehensive interior makeover and the adoption of a V8 engine. The engine weighed just 200kg and was required to take on Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus, who all offered a V8 powertrain.
Jaguar XJR 100
© Jaguar
Built to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Sir William Lyons, the XJR 100 arrived in 2001. Just 500 cars were made, with only 82 allocated to the UK and the majority sent to America. Each one was finished in metallic Anthracite with a charcoal leather interior. Although it was a tribute to the company founder, the XJR 100 also felt like a last hurrah for the old-school XJ, with an all-new model waiting in the wings.
Jaguar XJ X350
© Jaguar
The sixth-generation X350 made its debut at the 1992 Paris Motor Show, and although it looked similar to the X308, it represented a radical change for the XJ. The aluminium monocoque, bonded and riveted in aerospace-style, meant that it was 40 percent lighter and 60 percent stiffer than its predecessor, while it also saw the arrival of the first diesel XJ (a 2.7-litre V6).
Jaguar XJ X351
© Jaguar
Although the X351 of 2009 shared its underpinnings with the X350, the styling represented a monumental shift for the brand, with Jaguar hoping to woo younger buyers away from the German marques. Sir Ian Callum’s design language was a chance for the company to push into new territories, with the XJ feeling more bespoke and more luxurious than ever before.
Jaguar XJ50
© Jaguar
In 2018, Jaguar marked the 50th anniversary of the XJ with the launch of the XJ50 special edition. “Spanning half a century, the Jaguar XJ remains true to its heritage with a wonderful balance of beautiful design, intelligent performance and indulgent luxury that ensures it stands out from the crowd,” said Jaguar design director Sir Ian Callum.
Future for the XJ
© Jaguar
Production of the X351 came to an end in 2019, then its electric successor was canned two years later. Is this the end of the line? Who knows what the future holds, but we certainly hope not. After all, few cars would suit an electric drivetrain better than the legendary XJ. Come on, Jaguar: make it happen.