Jaguar XJS 1975–1996: history, versions and production numbers

The Jaguar XJ-S is the longest-produced model in the company's history: 21 years, three distinct stages and three body styles. If you are thinking of buying one, first establish which period the car comes from — that decides the engine, gearbox, equipment and what to look for during an inspection. Weak points and the choice of version are covered separately in the Jaguar XJS buying guide, and the twelve-cylinder engine itself in the article on the XJS V12.

When was the Jaguar XJ-S launched, and did it replace the E-Type?

The XJ-S was unveiled on 10 September 1975 and formally took the E-Type's place, but it was a different kind of car: a large, comfortable four-seat GT coupé rather than a light sports car. The project, coded XJ27, was based on the floorpan of the XJ saloon. The early body shape was drawn by Malcolm Sayer, who had styled the E-Type, but he died in 1970 and the design was completed by Doug Thorpe's team. According to Practical Classics, it was the last model that Sir William Lyons still had a hand in.

At launch the car came only with the fuel-injected 5.3-litre V12, rated at 285 bhp. Most cars had an automatic gearbox; only a small number were built with a manual. As the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust notes, the XJ-S cost £8,900 in 1975, making it the most expensive production Jaguar to date, and its top speed was close to 150 mph (240 km/h). The same institution admits that the unconventional profile with its flying buttresses and the lack of wood veneer in the cabin caused some concern at first.

The timing was difficult: rising fuel prices and a weak economy did not favour a twelve-cylinder car. The Jaguar Land Rover archive describes 1980 as the low point, with just 667 XJ-S sold that year.

What did the XJ-S HE change in 1981?

The XJ-S HE of July 1981 received redesigned V12 cylinder heads that improved economy and raised output. The combustion chambers were based on an idea by Swiss engineer Michael May (hence the common "Fireball" name), and Jaguar's engineers spent five years developing them for production. According to the Jaguar archive, the compression ratio rose from 9.0:1 to 12.5:1, and the European-specification engine produced 299 bhp at 5,000 rpm. Jaguar quoted a top speed of 155 mph and out-of-town fuel consumption better than 20 mpg.

The change saved the model. Sales rose from 1,533 cars in 1981 to 3,458 in 1982. For the 1986 model year the "H.E." badge was replaced by a "V12" badge, and elm veneer gave way to walnut. The technical details of the HE heads are covered in the article on the V12 engine.

When did the six-cylinder XJ-S and the XJ-SC arrive?

The six-cylinder XJ-S arrived in 1983, together with the new XJ-SC body. The AJ6 3.6-litre straight-six had twin overhead camshafts and 24 valves, and until 1987 it was paired with a five-speed Getrag manual gearbox — later with a four-speed ZF automatic.

The XJ-SC was not a full convertible but a targa: removable panels above the front seats, a folding fabric section at the rear and a fixed frame between them. At first the roof was fitted by an outside company, so production was small and built to order. Once Jaguar brought this work in-house, it announced the XJ-S V12 Cabriolet in July 1985 — a two-seater without rear seats. The last V12 Cabriolet left the line in February 1988. Production tables give a total of 5,013 XJ-SCs with both engines.

The MB Classics archive includes a 1987 Jaguar XJ-SC with the V12 engine in European specification — its photos illustrate this article.

When did the XJ-S get a full convertible?

Jaguar showed the full convertible with a power-operated roof in Geneva in March 1988, and it went on sale in the UK on 27 April 1988. It had a heated glass rear window and, according to the Jaguar archive, weighed 1,900 kg in UK specification, 100 kg more than the V12 coupé. Karmann acted as a consultant on the project. Before that, US dealers sold convertibles converted by Hess & Eisenhardt; according to Ateupwithmotor, about 2,000 were built.

The convertible and the XJR-S prepared by JaguarSport (August 1988, the first 100 as a Le Mans Celebration edition) pushed sales to a record level. Jaguar built 10,361 XJ-S in 1988 and 11,213 in 1989, which was 23% of all Jaguar production that year.

What did the 1991 facelift change, and where does the XJS name come from?

In May 1991, by then under Ford ownership, Jaguar introduced the updated model and dropped the hyphen from its name — from then on it was the XJS. The new look was the work of Geoff Lawson. Changes included the grille, the sills and the tail lamps. According to Ateupwithmotor, the update cost about £50 million.

Under the bonnet the six-cylinder engine grew to 4.0 litres (3,980 cc, 223 hp DIN). A second wave of changes came in May 1993:

• 6.0-litre V12 in the standard XJS, 308 hp DIN and, for the first time, a four-speed automatic (GM 4L80E),
• 4.0 AJ16 replacing the AJ6, 241 hp DIN,
• for the 1994 model year — body-coloured bumpers, 16-inch wheels and a passenger airbag.

An example of this period is the European-specification 1993 Jaguar XJS 4.0 from the MB Classics archive, and the open version is represented by a 1995 Jaguar XJS 6.0 V12 convertible.

When did production end, and how many XJS were built?

Production ended in April 1996, ahead of the launch of its successor, the Jaguar XK8. The very last XJS built was a 6.0 V12 coupé, which together with the last 4.0 convertible went to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust collection. The list price of the V12 coupé was then £50,500. In total, 115,413 cars were built.

The split by stage comes from production tables quoted by Wikipedia; the total matches the figure given by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.

Was the Jaguar XJ-S successful in racing?

Yes — twice, on two continents. In the US, Bob Tullius's Group 44 team won the Trans-Am drivers' title with the XJ-S in 1977, and both the drivers' and manufacturers' titles in 1978. In Europe, Tom Walkinshaw's TWR entered the XJ-S in the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) from 1982. In 1984 Walkinshaw became European champion and, with Win Percy, won the Spa 24 Hours. In 1985 a TWR XJ-S won the Bathurst race in Australia.

For today's market this history matters mostly indirectly: JaguarSport and the XJR-S grew out of it.

Which XJS should you choose, given the model's history?

The history tells you what to look for, but the choice depends on how you want to drive. The key dividing lines are July 1981 (V12 HE), 1983 (3.6 engine and XJ-SC), April 1988 (full convertible), May 1991 (facelift and XJS without the hyphen) and May 1993 (6.0 and AJ16). The differences in running costs, corrosion and equipment are covered in the Jaguar XJS buying guide, and a comparison with the most common alternative in Jaguar XJS vs Mercedes SL.

More model guides are on the blog, and the cars I currently have for sale are in the MB Classics showroom.