Comments on: Unsung Heroes: Jaguar XJ40

By: Gary Lawless

Gary Lawless — Mon, 04 Apr 2016 22:29:10 +0000

I worked my way through a series of increasingly powerful Rover cars, culminating in an insanely powerful, heavily modified (engine and transmission mods, I mean. My car didn’t look like the General Lee or anything.) 820 Vitesse fastback, BRG. This car was dyno’ed as 244 bhp, and could go 153mph. I destroyed this car in September 2007 when I rolled it into a ditch. I bought another, 1998 Vitesse saloon (again in BRG) about a month later, and drove it for nigh on 70,000mls, with only the tiniest of mods (a SS exhaust and a K&N air filter) until 2014, when rust finally got the better of her, and another MOT was just beyond her.
I didn’t consciously decide “I’m sick of steel cars, and the constant welding they want, it’s time to buy an aluminium car”, but I did spot a Jaguar X350 for sale locally, for just under 4 grand. It was ten years old, full JSH, and 99k miles.
Now, I have always loved the Jaguar XJ. I grew up almost aspiring to this car, as my father had a job which provided him with company cars, always Leylands, but never further up the range than Austin 1800s, or Triumph 2500s, at a pinch. He was once loaned an XJ6, while his (admittedly attractive, in Oxford Blue with cream velour interior) Austin 1800 was being repaired, and for a week it felt like we were in a different world. The Jaguar XJ, whenever it was built, from 1968 onwards, has always been the car you want a lift in, the car you want a look under the bonnet of, the car you want to go to a wedding in, and the car you own when you feel you deserve it. Even with Jaguar’s massive heritage, and huge output of famous and recognisable cars, the XJ remains the car which leaps to mind when people think of “a Jaguar”.
The design of the XJ was the last offered by Sir William Lyons, and it is perfect. Like a shark, evolution was unnecessary, it’s tucked in tail, it’s broad haunches, it’s four lamps, it’s perfect line. Always better looking than the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, just as well appointed, half the weight, just as comfortable, miles and miles faster, and a fifth of the price.
As a youth, and an absolute petrolhead, I collected car brochures, and the absolute gem of my collection was the 1975 Jaguar XJ range. A boy in my class at school, his dad had a V12 Coupe. The Jaguar XJ12 was technically a ‘supercar’ (although, it still topped out at a little over 140mph. My 2004 XJ6, with it’s little Ford-built 3 litre V6, can do 145mph) and by the time the ‘XJ40′ arrived, you could have a 2.9 litre straight six with a manual gearbox, fabric seats and steel wheels, and a letter from the dealer saying “Best of luck selling that.”
I consider my car the last of the XJs, certainly the last of the XJ6, and the model which now bears the name (since 2009, the current XJ, which starts at just under £60,000 and goes to over £90,000) to be contrary to the ethic of Jaguar saloons, which traditionally were built to be affordable.
Unquestionably, the current XJ is a truly fantastic car (the XJ-R is a massive, luxurious, unbelievably fast, hugely equipped car. But for 90 grand, of course, it should be.) and I wonder if we’ll see them in scrapyards (sorry, Vehicle Recycling Centres) in the future, where we can salvage the ignition switch, or the thermostat housing, or the little light in the ashtray. Maybe not.
My Jaguar is made out of aluminium, so it’s body won’t rot, and it’s engine and gearbox are sound. I’ve spent the best part of 3 grand putting it’s suspension and brakes right. I think I might just have the Jaguar of the future!

By: Alan Martin

Alan Martin — Mon, 26 Jan 2015 01:23:03 +0000

I own a 1998 XJ Executive, very rare find as manufactured with the 4L power plant, I’ve owned some great cars over the years including a new Porsche Caman 3.2L S, good car but very tinny, also a BMW 335 twin turbo, absolute pain in the arse always going into safe mode and BMW love to charge you £500 to turn off, anyway my Jaguar is by far the best car I’ve ever owned, totally pleasurable to drive, plenty of power, had for 4 years and never had a single problem, I truly believe this is a classic not to be sniffed at.

By: David Caster

David Caster — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 08:47:16 +0000

I own a 1994 4.0S in Colchester Grey with beige interior, I love it it is by far the best car I have ever driven smooth nimble fine handling and luxurious, I want to keep it forever and will do all I can to make it so, I drive it every time I need to go out and she returns 23 to 28mpg

By: Tony Carr

Tony Carr — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:39:14 +0000

Agree 100% with your comments on the XJ40. As a much younger and more affluent single I had a Mk VII, then a Mk IX followed by a Mk.2. On my retirement I ditched my Nissan wagon in favour of a 1990 XJ40 Sovereign and have enjoyed my toy ever since. It does not do much mileage but when it does, it is a joy to drive and it completely ignores the post-earthquake Christchurch NZ, road damage that made the Nissan bounce wildly.
Cost me $2000NZ (about 1000GBP) and I have spent about half that again on maintenance to bring things up to spec. A luxury ride that still performs well when leadfooted.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:08:51 +0000

The XJ40 is a beautiful car – to look at, and to drive. What’s wrong with these people? I have a 1994 3.2S, cost me less than two grand two years ago, having done just 65,000 miles. I drive it every day. Keep your E-types and all that stuff. A car should be driven; not kept locked up in a garage and taken to some ponsy show a couple of times a year. Even if you only keep it for a year or two, you’ll never regret it.