RE: PH Heroes: Jaguar XJR-S

[johnxjsc1985]

It was supposed to be niave and simplistic as thats the way some people view the XJS but when the boot is on the other foot they dont like it.

[johnxjsc1985]

So you put a 82 car against a 99 car did you compare it to a 99 XKR which would have been a more reasonable comparison. What about an 82 Camero for instance.This is what th eXJS get all the time its not as good as this its not that..it dosen't have to be anything other than what it is a great Grand Tourer designed 40 years ago with some fantastic derivitives such as the TWR, XJRS and the stunning Lister.
I love the Camero and The Mustang and lots of other big bruising American cars but I dont get the obsession with comparing Cars which are not specifically designed to be competitors.
My problem is I can find good in all Cars even the good old Maxi which got some stick recently.

[LuS1fer]

johnxjsc1985 said:

It was supposed to be niave and simplistic as thats the way some people view the XJS but when the boot is on the other foot they dont like it.

In fairness, I have indicated that my gripe is only with the styling, not its capabilities. You are correct that its performance back in 1982 was excellent and that it was quicker than the auto Porsche 928S albeit at 15 compared to 18mpg overall. You would also be right that the 1982 Camaro was considerably slower but was equally saddled with emissions equipment the Jag never had any concept of (and was an nth of the price).

I can empathise with you because most people think the 4th gen Camaro is vile but I love it and even now the XKR is still a stunning piece of design and perhaps what the XJS should have been in 1976. The point I'm trying to make (badly I suppose) is that had the XJS looked more like the XK, Jaguar would have had a pretty impressive design lineage.

[johnxjsc1985]

I just looked at the performance and style of the 1982 Camaro it wasnt that impressive then was it in either style or performance. you cant compare cars with an age gap of 17 years its just not feasible. Styling is an issue that will always divide people.
Some people just dont get the XJS and why should they I dont get BMW's or GOLF's they leave me cold. All I like to point out is that comparisons need to be reasonable and like for like in era and cost/performance and even if the conclusion is that car A is better than Car B how many of us use guides to finally determine our choices.Older Cars are bought with the heart not the head.

[300bhp/ton]

johnxjsc1985 said:

So you put a 82 car against a 99 car did you compare it to a 99 XKR which would have been a more reasonable comparison.

1. Eh, I compared two cars I owned! I had both together for a short period of time. XJ-S from 99-05/6 and Camaro from 05/6 - present

2. This thread is about the XJ-S, as was your comment. An XK has no more to do with it than a friggin 911 does.

johnxjsc1985 said:

What about an 82 Camero for instance.

Sorry you still not getting this.... I didn't own one of them - hard concept this isn't it

johnxjsc1985 said:

This is what th eXJS get all the time its not as good as this its not that..it dosen't have to be anything other than what it is a great Grand Tourer designed 40 years ago with some fantastic derivitives such as the TWR, XJRS and the stunning Lister.
I love the Camero and The Mustang and lots of other big bruising American cars but I dont get the obsession with comparing Cars which are not specifically designed to be competitors.

They might not be 100% competitors, but the XJ-S was designed for the American market to appeal as a more up market alternative to a pony car.

XJ-S	Camaro
5.3	5.7
V12	V8
RWD	RWD
2+2	2+2
Front engine	Front engine
Rated @ 299bhp	Rated at 295HP (UK, 305hp US)
Auto 3 speed	Auto 3 speed with OD
LSD equipped	LSD equipped
1707kg	1576kg

They don't seem that dis-similar to me..... and fair to compare.

I loved my XJ-S it went really well and it on several occasions saw over 150mph. It also ran very well at Santa Pod on a Jaguar World magazine day there. And a number of memorably long distance jaunts.

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 7th June 06:09

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 7th June 08:25

[nikolarun]

I love both of mine to bits.

[carinaman]

Lord Flathead said:

Great car, great writeup Riggers

I think this one is by Brett Fraser, not Riggers.

Denorth said:

love XJS... one day... may be... Saw a shooting brake today in New Greenham Park, Newbury. That one was THE beauty.

It seems that there is some garage located there working with XJS only. Any time I am there, there is something new to see.

That'll be KWE as featured on the Top Gear XJS piece with James May:

http://www.kwecars.com/news-press-media/news/05_BB...


That Xantia lamped hatchbacked XJS was on eBay a while ago too. Year or two ago? Perhaps the Engineer that did it didn't know any bodywork people that could have done the paintwork? I'm not sure if it was two tone when I last saw it for sale.


Regarding rust, I did an evening class with someone that was there to learn the skills to repair the boot floor of his XJS. He cited heat and condensations from the exhausts.

[carinaman]

When the blue one of these was tested by LJKS in CAR didn't he mention 'Inhibitors of private zeal' when he spotted some white vehicle in the distance as he was making progress at a rate that would probably result in a ban today?

Unless you regularly use Autobahns, how often are you going to use the three figure speed waftiness?

I was in one of those nice Midlands towns in the last century with work, I think one of the famous Jaguar people lived there, and while waiting for someone at a nice parade of shops an attractive woman in her 30s in an XJS wafted past twice.

[KerryStagmer]

If you have a hankering for an XJS just come to the east coast of the US. They are littering the junkyards. Not really for any actual reason then Americans (of which I am one) are idiots and extremely wasteful.

We can buy 12v HE engines here for $175 usd if we remove them ourselves. Absolutely insane. Even the specialist arent saving them anymore.

I own a 68 E and thankfully no longer own an 80 Firebird Formula.

Running/driving XJS are around $5k usd here.

[manek]

I remember when it came out. I was in love with the graceful svelte lines of the XJ. Couldn't believe the same company produced this visual mess. Even though the reviews were positive about other aspects of the car, its appearance destroyed the car in my view. It almost broke my heart and ruined my opinion of Jaguar for years and years.

Didn't stop me buying and enjoying a DB7 for 6 years....

[bobfrance]

I had a 6L facelift XJR-S for about five years. IMHO it was the best car I ever owned. I used it every day and it never let me down even once.

I sold it and bought a Boxster - bad move!
I'd probably buy it back if I could. Has anyone seen it?

[Cooky]

Chicane-UK said:

If I knew someone with one, I'd be more than happy to. I do love a motor with a bit of torque and the sound of a grunty V12 is mighty appealing.. I just can't get over the looks!

Well if you're ever down Devon way, drop me a line and I'll let you take a spin in my old Convertible, it's currently having some resto work up in Derbyshire and should be back soon.
I love the old beast and have written a few tales of my glee whilst invading France with the roof down. Awesome lump, yet so refined.

[johnxjsc1985]

Is that being done by Derek Watson ?.

[johnxjsc1985]

300bhp/ton said:

They might not be 100% competitors, but the XJ-S was designed for the American market to appeal as a more up market alternative to a pony car.

XJ-S	Camaro
5.3	5.7
V12	V8
RWD	RWD
2+2	2+2
Front engine	Front engine
Rated @ 299bhp	Rated at 295HP (UK, 305hp US)
Auto 3 speed	Auto 3 speed with OD
LSD equipped	LSD equipped
1707kg	1576kg

They don't seem that dis-similar to me..... and fair to compare.

I loved my XJ-S it went really well and it on several occasions saw over 150mph. It also ran very well at Santa Pod on a Jaguar World magazine day there. And a number of memorably long distance jaunts.

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 7th June 06:09

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 7th June 08:25

Sorry but I think I didnt make my point clear enough. If you compared cars of comparible age it would be a fair comparison but comparing cars with 17 years between them isnt a fair comparison.

[Likes Fast Cars]

The XJ-S was the dog's b*110cks when I was a school boy.

And of course the TWR's also won at Bathurst!

[johnxjsc1985]

bobfrance said:

I had a 6L facelift XJR-S for about five years. IMHO it was the best car I ever owned. I used it every day and it never let me down even once.

I sold it and bought a Boxster - bad move!
I'd probably buy it back if I could. Has anyone seen it?

I maybe biased but I dont get why the car is so despised from a design point of view. What is wrong with the car in this picture its stunning.

[LuS1fer]

johnxjsc1985 said:

300bhp/ton said:

They might not be 100% competitors, but the XJ-S was designed for the American market to appeal as a more up market alternative to a pony car.

XJ-S	Camaro
5.3	5.7
V12	V8
RWD	RWD
2+2	2+2
Front engine	Front engine
Rated @ 299bhp	Rated at 295HP (UK, 305hp US)
Auto 3 speed	Auto 3 speed with OD
LSD equipped	LSD equipped
1707kg	1576kg

They don't seem that dis-similar to me..... and fair to compare.

I loved my XJ-S it went really well and it on several occasions saw over 150mph. It also ran very well at Santa Pod on a Jaguar World magazine day there. And a number of memorably long distance jaunts.

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 7th June 06:09

Edited by 300bhp/ton on Tuesday 7th June 08:25

Sorry but I think I didnt make my point clear enough. If you compared cars of comparible age it would be a fair comparison but comparing cars with 17 years between them isnt a fair comparison.

I agree with you John but equally the 1982 Camaro was a fraction of the price of the Jag so that's not fair either and you would expect a top-end marque to be employing higher standards to begin with that the lesser model would take longer to acvhieve for budgetary constraints. So even a 98 camaro vs an XKR isn't strictly fair even though the result is close.

[Gazzab]

My dad had one (standard XJS) brand new back in 1991 - 93 ish. I was in my mid 20s and would borrow it quite often. It was kinda cool to float around in, didnt feel at all fast and the handling was terrible. Boot it off a roundabout and it would just wallow. I used it at a wedding once, I was best man. when I came out of the reception someone had vandalised it!

[JohnBlackWatson]

300bhp/ton said:

There was a recall for the fuel rail due to under bonnet fires. Think it went from round to square or vice versa.

Mine hadn't been done and recalls don't ever expire. I contacted Jaguar who approved the recall and I contacted a dealer. They fobbed my off for 2 years saying they couldn't find the parts.....

To be fair I didn't hassle them enough or get the factory involved any further than approving the recall initially. I probably should have done though. This was in around 2000 on a 1982 XJ-S HE.

URQuattro suggested that the pictured fuel rail was standard - here's mine...



I wonder if the recall was HE cars only - will be interesting to try and get recall work done on a 32 year old car...

There is a write-up on Bernard Embden's site and it appears that KWE have a revised fuel rail as part of their V12 'deep' service.

Does anybody know if the HE rail would be a straight swap?

Thanks.

[vixen1700]

johnxjsc1985 said:

I maybe biased but I dont get why the car is so despised from a design point of view. What is wrong with the car in this picture its stunning.

I think it was mentioned earlier, it followed on from the E-Type, and people just didn't really get a big GT rather than a sports car.

Other than that, yeah it totally confuses me why it was despised, yet it went on for 20 years and people bought them.