Jaguar XJS

Lore & Background

The XJ-S was introduced on 10 September 1975. Design and development had begun in the late 1960s under the code name project XJ27, with an initial shape penned by Malcolm Sayer, but after his death in 1970 it was completed by the in-house Jaguar design team headed by Doug Thorpe. The design was radical for the time, with long overhangs and the 'flying buttresses' that swept down the rear of the roofline. A common misconception is that these were a leftover from a potential mid-engine layout; while a mid-engine layout was considered, it never made it past initial brainstorming. The buttresses were always meant to be merely a styling feature that improved aerodynamics.

Power came from the Jaguar V12 engine with a choice of a manual or an automatic transmission, but the manual was soon dropped as they were left over from V12 E Type production. The specifications of the XJ-S compared well with both Italian cars; it was able to accelerate to 60 mi/h in 7.6 seconds (automatic models) and had a top speed of 143 mi/h. Jaguar launched the XJ-S in the wake of a fuel crisis, when the market for a 5.3-litre V12 grand tourer was small. Sales remained stubbornly low, and production was halted for half of 1981 to allow unsold stock to be moved. Because of the slow sales, Leyland Cars had decided to discontinue the car but decided to give it another chance with a light facelift and engine revisions.

From July 1981, the XJ-S was renamed the XJ-S HE and received the new High-Efficiency V12 engine for much better fuel economy. In 1983, the new 3.6-litre Jaguar AJ6 straight-six engine was introduced along with a new convertible model called the XJ-SC. The XJ-SC was not a full convertible but a fixed profile variant with a non-removable centre targa-type structure. The two-seat XJ-SC targa-type model was replaced by a two-seat full convertible in 1988 which proved to be a great hit.

Reader's Guide

The Jaguar XJ-S spanned over two decades and three distinct iterations, making it Jaguar's longest-running model. Its significance lies in its evolution from a controversial, fuel-crisis-era V12 grand tourer to a refined, Ford-era luxury convertible. The car's early styling, partially by aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer, introduced advanced aerodynamic principles to production cars, though the design was completed after his death. The XJ-S was notable for being one of the few V12-powered production automobiles at a time when such engines were unusual outside Italian marques like Lamborghini and Ferrari. The introduction of the High-Efficiency V12 in 1981 improved fuel economy and power, while the later six-cylinder models broadened the range. The full convertible introduced in 1988 became a commercial success, contrasting with the earlier targa-type XJ-SC. The car's legacy includes its distinctive flying buttresses, which were often misunderstood as remnants of a mid-engine layout but were purely aerodynamic styling features. After Ford's acquisition, the final iteration from 1991 to 1996 dropped the hyphen, marketing the model simply as the XJS. The XJ-S also saw limited special variants, including a Hess & Eisenhardt convertible in the USA and a single XJ-SC built for Princess Diana.

Did You Know?

• The XJ-S was originally developed under the code name project XJ27.
• German authorities initially refused type approval due to concerns over rearward vision caused by the flying buttresses.
• A single XJ-SC was specially built for Princess Diana with a fixed rear roof section.
• The Hess & Eisenhardt convertible used two separate fuel tanks to allow the roof to fold deeper into the body.