RE: Jaguar XJ-S
Discussion
I co-drove one of these (a 6.0 XJR-S)from lancashire to le mans via dover almost 10 years ago. It was my uncle's car.
We hit the M6 at J30 at 2.am, and rolled onto the ferry at 5.40! We stopped twice for fuel. The progress through france was a bit more sedate, but I fell in love with the car. My uncle still has it, and although they are both looking a bit old he still tanks along from lancashire to torquay a couple of times a year, overnight of course(very old-school).
Even my uncle would admit that the looks are an acquired taste, but as a long distance GT it still is up there with the best.He also swears it has never broken down.........it still gets a full service every 6k.
We hit the M6 at J30 at 2.am, and rolled onto the ferry at 5.40! We stopped twice for fuel. The progress through france was a bit more sedate, but I fell in love with the car. My uncle still has it, and although they are both looking a bit old he still tanks along from lancashire to torquay a couple of times a year, overnight of course(very old-school).
Even my uncle would admit that the looks are an acquired taste, but as a long distance GT it still is up there with the best.He also swears it has never broken down.........it still gets a full service every 6k.
cheburator said:
Love the Jag to bits - great shape and a glorious V12, but I cannot bring myself to part with the German bullet proof engineering of my two Porsche 928s... And what are the chances of finding a V12 with a 5spd box?
ifs its a lister very good they all had 5 or 6 speed and they look great, styling slightly diff but still unmistakable xjs
I had a facelift 4.0 XJS new in 1992. I thought that the changes to the rear butresses made the car much prettier.
It was lovely to drive, I had it for 2 years and did around 70,000 miles in it, mostly cruising up the A43 / M1 / A1 from Oxford to Newcastle. It was a lovely long distance tourer but not very well finished. The drivers door leaked and TWR changed the seal twice before I was finally able to convince them to re hang the door. They did lend me a black 6.0 XJRS to go to Newcastle in while they fixed it though.
That was nice, easily the fastest thing I'd driven back then.
I also agree with the comments about the S3 E-Type. Horribly bloated IMHO. I've had two S1 E-Types and I think every change thereafter was detrimental to the car.
It was lovely to drive, I had it for 2 years and did around 70,000 miles in it, mostly cruising up the A43 / M1 / A1 from Oxford to Newcastle. It was a lovely long distance tourer but not very well finished. The drivers door leaked and TWR changed the seal twice before I was finally able to convince them to re hang the door. They did lend me a black 6.0 XJRS to go to Newcastle in while they fixed it though.
That was nice, easily the fastest thing I'd driven back then. I also agree with the comments about the S3 E-Type. Horribly bloated IMHO. I've had two S1 E-Types and I think every change thereafter was detrimental to the car.
Yeah, count me in on that! Bought my XJS V12 convertible a couple of years back which was in need of some TLC but I swear it looks better with every day that passes.
Never been into the E-type probably becuase I was too young to remember it, but the XJS for me is simply stunning and certainly stands its ground even when parked next to modern machinery like this XKR100 of mine.
Never been into the E-type probably becuase I was too young to remember it, but the XJS for me is simply stunning and certainly stands its ground even when parked next to modern machinery like this XKR100 of mine.
Its great to hear all these positive XJS stories. I had a young bloke's dream job - selling sports & luxury cars from a multi-brand specialist - when I was 19 and the XJS was current.
I spent a lot of time in V12 jags (the first car I ever got sideways was an XJ12 saloon), and have always thought the 'S' is a great looking car and loved driving them. I've kept this quiet as I thought I must be some sort of freak, so its great to have the opportunity to come out of the closet.
If anything, though, I think I preferred the V12 two door XJC even more. Especially in race spec.
I spent a lot of time in V12 jags (the first car I ever got sideways was an XJ12 saloon), and have always thought the 'S' is a great looking car and loved driving them. I've kept this quiet as I thought I must be some sort of freak, so its great to have the opportunity to come out of the closet.
If anything, though, I think I preferred the V12 two door XJC even more. Especially in race spec.
My father is a Jaguar fanatic, he has had many different models over the years and he still insists the XJS was one of the best road cars he's driven. Like every model Jaguar has produced they have failed to see the product through to its true ability.
Bob Tullius, founder and racer with Group44 Inc in the United States did just that with the XJS. He won 2 Trans Am Championships with stock bodied versions and then built a Tube Frame Version for the 1981 Trans Am Chapionship. The car is blindingly fast with a 600hp V12, the car won three Trans Am races and finished 2nd in the Championship.
My Father and I have been Historic Racing a 1962 Jaguar XKE since 1985, we recently retired the car and purchased the Group 44 XJS this year. I raced the car at Watkins Glen in September with more modern Trans Am machinery, a broken rear axle ended our weekend prematurely. We are taking the long Canadian Winter as the opportunity to go through the car completely before the 2006 Season starts.
Bob Tullius, founder and racer with Group44 Inc in the United States did just that with the XJS. He won 2 Trans Am Championships with stock bodied versions and then built a Tube Frame Version for the 1981 Trans Am Chapionship. The car is blindingly fast with a 600hp V12, the car won three Trans Am races and finished 2nd in the Championship.
My Father and I have been Historic Racing a 1962 Jaguar XKE since 1985, we recently retired the car and purchased the Group 44 XJS this year. I raced the car at Watkins Glen in September with more modern Trans Am machinery, a broken rear axle ended our weekend prematurely. We are taking the long Canadian Winter as the opportunity to go through the car completely before the 2006 Season starts.
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