An XJ40

[Simpo Two]

Just appeared for a forthcoming auction in Colchester: https://www.reemandansie.com/auction/lot/lot-20---...


But is reddiesel's garge big enough?

[reddiesel]

I will pass on that one Simpo . I am a bit ashamed to admit that after the X350 and the introduction of Aluminium Construction these Steel Jaguars lost much of their allure for me . Whats it worth , £5k ?

[Simpo Two]

£5K doesn't seem much for a good one. The XJ40 (4.0 Sovereign) was my first Jaguar, and the magic carpet ride and quietness is sorely missed. In short, they don't make them like that any more. That was when Jaguars were better than 'ordinary' cars.

[reddiesel]

I never had the pleasure of owning one I am afraid , probably my least favourite incarnation of Jaguars great XJ along with the X351 . As I have never ridden in either naturally I take any criticism squarely on the chin .

[dbdb]

You'd have thought they've have washed it, but it does look to be in good condition. They haven't photographed the areas of the body I would want to see though unfortunately.

It is a strange thing taste and how it differs between people, but the XJ40 is one of my favourite versions of the XJ. They have that Jaguar swagger and peculiarly undefinable 'specialness' which I find is missing in the X350. My brother bought one of the early X350 Super V8s, IIRC it would have been on about an 03 'plate. It was an undeniably excellent car and much more efficient than the old XJ40 in most ways, particularly the engine, but we both agreed that the characterfulness which had been so consistently present in the Jaguars our father had owned (and which is strongly present in the XJ40) - was missing in the X350.

It is where the emphasis is placed in the choice between outright efficiency or the value of character I guess.

[Simpo Two]

dbdb said:

It is a strange thing taste and how it differs between people, but the XJ40 is one of my favourite versions of the XJ. They have that Jaguar swagger and peculiarly undefinable 'specialness' which I find is missing in the X350.

What was the model after the XJ40? I sat in one once and it seemed small inside by comparison.

[dbdb]

Simpo Two said:

What was the model after the XJ40? I sat in one once and it seemed small inside by comparison.

IIRC it went XJ40 to X300 to X308 to X350 to X351

The X300 which was basically just a face-lifted and mildly re-engineered XJ40 and then the X308 which used the same basic bodyshell as the XJ40 but with a V8 engine and a considerable number of other changes. The X300's interior was similar to the XJ40 but the X308 introduced the swoopy plastics style used in the Ford-era Jaguars. The X350 followed that and was quite a bit larger inside with the concomitant loss of sleekness. It was a completely new body out of aluminium and these underpinnings were reused in the X351 which was much more modern looking.

[Simpo Two]

Ah thanks, I think it must have been an X308.

Going from an ex-company Ford Sapphire 1.8L to an XJ40 4.0 Sovereign was the biggest jump in my automotive career!

[reddiesel]

dbdb said:

You'd have thought they've have washed it, but it does look to be in good condition. They haven't photographed the areas of the body I would want to see though unfortunately.

It is a strange thing taste and how it differs between people, but the XJ40 is one of my favourite versions of the XJ. They have that Jaguar swagger and peculiarly undefinable 'specialness' which I find is missing in the X350. My brother bought one of the early X350 Super V8s, IIRC it would have been on about an 03 'plate. It was an undeniably excellent car and much more efficient than the old XJ40 in most ways, particularly the engine, but we both agreed that the characterfulness which had been so consistently present in the Jaguars our father had owned (and which is strongly present in the XJ40) - was missing in the X350.

It is where the emphasis is placed in the choice between outright efficiency or the value of character I guess.

One of the most interesting comments I have read on here about the X350 missing typical Jaguar character and its one I have heard before . Was it the switchgear I wonder and the absence of the Connolly Leather , just a different smell and ambience I suppose . I had a ride out last week in a friends Mk2 3.8 and I had the same feeling when later I stepped back into my SVR .