Understated Elegance, Was Jaguar Ever Bettered ?
Discussion
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266586594674?itmmeta=01...
A long time Jaguar Enthusiast owning numerous Models but alas never an XJS . I think this was rooted in my disappointment back in the Seventies when the XJS replaced the E Type . Like many I made the mistake of failing to understand that this was a completely different type of Jaguar and then of course there was those flying buttresses .
Moving on almost 50 years I have to admit that I am beginning to have a grudging admiration for a well turned out XJS . Ignoring the variations available its got to be a V12 and I also find they can be very colour sensitive .
I think the Car above is a lovely looking thing , I accept its not as it left the factory but for some reason when its as well done as this , that aspect fails to bother me . Its a wonderful job encapsulating that beautiful understated elegance that Jaguar used to be famed for . The only thing comparable to my thinking would be a Bristol and that's inevitably more money and not a V12 .
A long time Jaguar Enthusiast owning numerous Models but alas never an XJS . I think this was rooted in my disappointment back in the Seventies when the XJS replaced the E Type . Like many I made the mistake of failing to understand that this was a completely different type of Jaguar and then of course there was those flying buttresses .
Moving on almost 50 years I have to admit that I am beginning to have a grudging admiration for a well turned out XJS . Ignoring the variations available its got to be a V12 and I also find they can be very colour sensitive .
I think the Car above is a lovely looking thing , I accept its not as it left the factory but for some reason when its as well done as this , that aspect fails to bother me . Its a wonderful job encapsulating that beautiful understated elegance that Jaguar used to be famed for . The only thing comparable to my thinking would be a Bristol and that's inevitably more money and not a V12 .
reddiesel said:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266586594674?itmmeta=01...
A long time Jaguar Enthusiast owning numerous Models but alas never an XJS . I think this was rooted in my disappointment back in the Seventies when the XJS replaced the E Type . Like many I made the mistake of failing to understand that this was a completely different type of Jaguar and then of course there was those flying buttresses .
Moving on almost 50 years I have to admit that I am beginning to have a grudging admiration for a well turned out XJS . Ignoring the variations available its got to be a V12 and I also find they can be very colour sensitive .
I think the Car above is a lovely looking thing , I accept its not as it left the factory but for some reason when its as well done as this , that aspect fails to bother me . Its a wonderful job encapsulating that beautiful understated elegance that Jaguar used to be famed for . The only thing comparable to my thinking would be a Bristol and that's inevitably more money and not a V12 .
Like you, I've come to admire the XJS in recent years. While my use case is that of a third car for leisure, and therefore limited mileage, I still can't get my head around how much fuel I'd be pouring into it when a 3.6 or 4 litre six would do 90% of the same job, and give me much more chance of finding a manual.A long time Jaguar Enthusiast owning numerous Models but alas never an XJS . I think this was rooted in my disappointment back in the Seventies when the XJS replaced the E Type . Like many I made the mistake of failing to understand that this was a completely different type of Jaguar and then of course there was those flying buttresses .
Moving on almost 50 years I have to admit that I am beginning to have a grudging admiration for a well turned out XJS . Ignoring the variations available its got to be a V12 and I also find they can be very colour sensitive .
I think the Car above is a lovely looking thing , I accept its not as it left the factory but for some reason when its as well done as this , that aspect fails to bother me . Its a wonderful job encapsulating that beautiful understated elegance that Jaguar used to be famed for . The only thing comparable to my thinking would be a Bristol and that's inevitably more money and not a V12 .
The sad fact though is that neither would fit in my garage.
I had an XJS in this colour. Its dull to look at. So year, there are better Jags out there than this.
Lot of used car saleman speak there. Technically a "perfectionist XJ-S enthusiast" would want a car that was as it was when it left the factory in 1988. Is that £56k spent on one job, or over 17 years of ownership? The wheels look out of place.
Amazing the mileage is exactly 10,000.
Lot of used car saleman speak there. Technically a "perfectionist XJ-S enthusiast" would want a car that was as it was when it left the factory in 1988. Is that £56k spent on one job, or over 17 years of ownership? The wheels look out of place.
Amazing the mileage is exactly 10,000.
I don't think any Jaguar enthusiast is going to be falling for any Dealer spiel are they ? Its a specialised marketplace after all . I must admit being partial to the Colour and have owned several similar , in my experience it takes a good polish to get it at its best .
I take your point about the wheels which are the standard fare for the XJS fitted with that engine , personally I am delighted he hasn't fitted the rear spoiler and bodykit which in my humble opinion is a complete mess .
I take your point about the wheels which are the standard fare for the XJS fitted with that engine , personally I am delighted he hasn't fitted the rear spoiler and bodykit which in my humble opinion is a complete mess .
reddiesel said:
I don't think any Jaguar enthusiast is going to be falling for any Dealer spiel are they ? Its a specialised marketplace after all . I must admit being partial to the Colour and have owned several similar , in my experience it takes a good polish to get it at its best .
I take your point about the wheels which are the standard fare for the XJS fitted with that engine , personally I am delighted he hasn't fitted the rear spoiler and bodykit which in my humble opinion is a complete mess .
Ah, you've actually been to see the car, rather than relying on photos on Ebay and a description.I take your point about the wheels which are the standard fare for the XJS fitted with that engine , personally I am delighted he hasn't fitted the rear spoiler and bodykit which in my humble opinion is a complete mess .
I don't believe the odometer reading.
This car never left the factory with a 6.0 liter engine. Its a later addition.
So wrong engine, wrong wheels, suspect mileage but its still the best ever Jag? Correct?
Risonax said:
Ah, you've actually been to see the car, rather than relying on photos on Ebay and a description.
I don't believe the odometer reading.
This car never left the factory with a 6.0 liter engine. Its a later addition.
So wrong engine, wrong wheels, suspect mileage but its still the best ever Jag? Correct?
What's having been to see the car got to do with anything ? I simply Posted the vehicle as a conversation piece for anyone interestedI don't believe the odometer reading.
This car never left the factory with a 6.0 liter engine. Its a later addition.
So wrong engine, wrong wheels, suspect mileage but its still the best ever Jag? Correct?
and freely stated it wasn't original in my initial post . I also didn't say it was the best ever Jaguar so I don't know where you get that from ?
What I did say was I thought it looked both understated and elegant which is something Jaguars were once noted for the Series 1 XJ being
a typical example . Perhaps you want to have a read at what's written .
As regards the mileage it doesn't to my knowledge say warranted so anyone interested I assume would make the necessary enquiries .
If it's been through KWE then it has been thoroughly sorted and will be a far better car than when it left Browns Lane.
I really like the idea of taking the XJR-S underpinnings and putting them in a standard body.
I would have kept the standard cross-spoke wheels too to make it a proper Q car.
Not its best colour, but you can have it repainted.
I really like the idea of taking the XJR-S underpinnings and putting them in a standard body.
I would have kept the standard cross-spoke wheels too to make it a proper Q car.
Not its best colour, but you can have it repainted.
Having worked on XJSs for a while at a Jag Indy, I can say that a KWE car will be a significantly better put together ownership proposition than a factory original. So it should be at that money. As said, be thankful it doesn't have the appalling tupperware bodykit that turns them into such a clumsy, out of proportion looking thing.
I've never liked them from an engineering perspective, the way they're put together is a bad joke, but there's no denying that a cared for example can drive well.
I've never liked them from an engineering perspective, the way they're put together is a bad joke, but there's no denying that a cared for example can drive well.
But to come back to the OPs first post, the XJ-S with time evolved into a quite attractive proposition, for me the peak were the H.E. years before the changed rear lights.
I even like the colour combination, and except for the wheels it gives the car a whiff of international mystery man.
I even like the colour combination, and except for the wheels it gives the car a whiff of international mystery man.
Heaveho said:
Having worked on XJSs for a while at a Jag Indy, I can say that a KWE car will be a significantly better put together ownership proposition than a factory original. So it should be at that money. As said, be thankful it doesn't have the appalling tupperware bodykit that turns them into such a clumsy, out of proportion looking thing.
I've never liked them from an engineering perspective, the way they're put together is a bad joke, but there's no denying that a cared for example can drive well.
I never used to like the XJS, however like others I feel they have aged well. Agreed the 'XJR-S' bodykits are horrible, and were the car linked in the first post of this thread a manual it would be 'right up my strada'... Granted it's not original, but it's the sort of thing I imagine i'd get much enjoyment from.I've never liked them from an engineering perspective, the way they're put together is a bad joke, but there's no denying that a cared for example can drive well.
Heaveho said:
I've never liked them from an engineering perspective, the way they're put together is a bad joke, but there's no denying that a cared for example can drive well.
When Egan and Randell took the reigns' the XJS and XJ's were as well built as anything, OK maybe not as well screwed together as a W123 or any mid 80's Merc, but Jaguar mechanical engineering was up there and during the mid 80's onwards Jaguars were as reliable as anything else on the road. The issue with Jaguars was always people buying an expensive car cheaply second hand and then scrimping on maintenance (usually at an Indy) when back then it cost nearly a grand to service the V12. Giving Jags especially the V12 with its poor engine bay packaging, to the uninitiated mechanic will always end in pain, hence people think they are badly engineered when the so called "engineers" working on them didn't really know what they were doing.
I wanted an XJ-S from the moment they were launched. The E Type was a dinosaur and a cheap one to buy at that. The XJ-S seemed so exotic in comparison even though it was not an E Type successor. I had the same feelings about the 850i when it 'replaced' the 6 Series in 1990.
I did end up with one ten years later, a white '76 model needing some body restoration. They are colour sensitive: white is the best colour as it shows the rather Italianate and patrician lines best. They are easy to ruin: crap wheels, USA headlights - the XJR-S does look good in bright red though. An early one still stops me in my tracks at a car show.
It's taken a long time but the XJ-S really is a classic now.
This apparently made nearly 30 grand despite the woeful panel fit. But it demonstrates what a sleek looking thing they can be.
I did end up with one ten years later, a white '76 model needing some body restoration. They are colour sensitive: white is the best colour as it shows the rather Italianate and patrician lines best. They are easy to ruin: crap wheels, USA headlights - the XJR-S does look good in bright red though. An early one still stops me in my tracks at a car show.
It's taken a long time but the XJ-S really is a classic now.
This apparently made nearly 30 grand despite the woeful panel fit. But it demonstrates what a sleek looking thing they can be.
Owning a 'Jag' should be a birthright. At least for a couple of years. Yes, nothing comes close for style and understated elegance.
Mine was a Series 3 XJ 4.2. Admittedly an Avon estate model, in Primrose Yellow too. I loved the eccentric rarity of it adding to the Jaguar virtues.
Bit of a money pit but I saw past that. I am so glad I owned a Jag!
Mine was a Series 3 XJ 4.2. Admittedly an Avon estate model, in Primrose Yellow too. I loved the eccentric rarity of it adding to the Jaguar virtues.
Bit of a money pit but I saw past that. I am so glad I owned a Jag!
I-am-the-reverend said:
I wanted an XJ-S from the moment they were launched. The E Type was a dinosaur and a cheap one to buy at that. The XJ-S seemed so exotic in comparison even though it was not an E Type successor. I had the same feelings about the 850i when it 'replaced' the 6 Series in 1990.
I did end up with one ten years later, a white '76 model needing some body restoration. They are colour sensitive: white is the best colour as it shows the rather Italianate and patrician lines best. They are easy to ruin: crap wheels, USA headlights - the XJR-S does look good in bright red though. An early one still stops me in my tracks at a car show.
It's taken a long time but the XJ-S really is a classic now.
This apparently made nearly 30 grand despite the woeful panel fit. But it demonstrates what a sleek looking thing they can be.
That looks fantastic!I did end up with one ten years later, a white '76 model needing some body restoration. They are colour sensitive: white is the best colour as it shows the rather Italianate and patrician lines best. They are easy to ruin: crap wheels, USA headlights - the XJR-S does look good in bright red though. An early one still stops me in my tracks at a car show.
It's taken a long time but the XJ-S really is a classic now.
This apparently made nearly 30 grand despite the woeful panel fit. But it demonstrates what a sleek looking thing they can be.
Actually saw one parked today
Like the reverend, the first time I saw one on paper I wanted one, especially the US market ones with their slim white walls and the sports mirrors, didn't mind the US lights.
That were the ads I was hooked on
What's not to like?
And it won the Cannonball run in record time, which makes it double cool. Driven by sensible looking guys. Triple cool.
That were the ads I was hooked on
What's not to like?
And it won the Cannonball run in record time, which makes it double cool. Driven by sensible looking guys. Triple cool.
And for starters, a nice little thread from a long time ago
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I was in my teens when the XJS went on sale and like many others I was gutted that is was no E-Type!
But it took me some time to understand it was never intended as an E-Type replacement (that didn't happen for decades until the F-Type appeared) but once I realised that I warmed to it. But I'd much rather have an XJ Coupe than an XJS - it actually had rear seats people with legs could use, and IMHO looked much better.
I'd still rather have an XK8 than an XJS.
But it took me some time to understand it was never intended as an E-Type replacement (that didn't happen for decades until the F-Type appeared) but once I realised that I warmed to it. But I'd much rather have an XJ Coupe than an XJS - it actually had rear seats people with legs could use, and IMHO looked much better.
I'd still rather have an XK8 than an XJS.
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