Jaguar XK News

Jaguar 'XE' 2 Seater Sports Car

2009-02-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

Jaguar has made it clear it wants to build a 2 seater full on sports car, which is supposedly being referred to as the 'XE'. This comes from reports at the Detroit motorshow where Jaguars MD Mike O'Driscoll announced he would love the company to build an outright sports car, which again follow comments directly from Ratan Tata saying he felt a 2 seater would be the way forwards for Jaguar.

What hasn't been made clear is if this would be a replacement for the Jaguar XK and Jaguar XKR - which is very unlikely, a smaller rival for the Porsche Boxster, or an out and out Ferrari rival to be a new flagship.

Autocar claims it will be made on a cut down Jaguar XJ chassis, suggesting front engined, while Auto Express say it's mid engined and have come up with a very creative image blending the old XJ220 with the Audi R8 to produce their own speculative rendering, and it's not a bad effort! take a look:

for more information and to see further pictures visit Auto express here: Link.

We do expect a new coupe to appear in the range before that, the Jaguar XF coupe, which should very closely resemble the C-XF concept car shown in Detroit in 2007, and this should be followed by a convertible version, both to take on the forthcoming Mercedes E-Class Coupe.

Jaguar XK Diesel Due in September.

2009-01-19T08:59:00.000-08:00

Jaguar XK Diesel Set For September Launch

Jaguar is quite rightly waiting for all the furore to die down regarding the new 5.0 petrol engines in the XK and Jaguar XKR, before it will reveal what may just be its biggest selling XK model - the diesel version.

Having revealed the new high performance 3.0 diesel in the XF - the new XF diesel S model, it won't be too long before we see this featuring strongly in the XK range, judging by the above spyshot from CAR magazine - sterling work as usual chaps.

It is assumed that the new engine will carry over unchanged with 275 horsepower but a staggering 600Nm of torque will mean that it carries just 25Nm less than the new 5.0 XKR, so expect rapid in gear acceleration times.

The big draw for the diesel engine will of course be fuel economy, and with the new motor producing a quoted 42 mpg on average in the Jaguar XF S and the all aluminium XK being lighter than the steel bodied XF we could be seeing Jaguars first proper performance diesel sports car that can give the XKR a run for its money and still give 45 mpg!

We can't wait for the launch, but when a Jaguar spokesman was questioned on the existence of the XK diesel at the recent Detroit show, all they would say was "An XK diesel... that sounds like a good idea..." I don't think you can get a more unofficial confirmation that its happening than that!

New 5.0 Litre XK Engine

2009-01-18T08:02:00.000-08:00

2010 Jaguar XK and XKR Launched

Jaguar has launched the new 2010 model Jaguar XK and XKR range at the Detroit motorshow. The big change is the all new engine range - the previous generation 4.2 motor that has seen such long service in the whole range is done away with completely, and replaced with the new 5.0 litre motor.

The new AJ V8 generation 3 engine is available both in normally aspirated form in the XK and also a supercharged version in the Jaguar XKR. The normally aspirated version has a mighty 380 horsepower, up from the 4.2's 300, and the supercharged version is up to a supercar baiting 504 horsepower.

Remarkably both the new engines have an increase in fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions due to advanced technology in the form of direct injection. UK Prices for the XK stay the same at £59,900 for the XK coupe and £65,900 for the convertible. The external changes to the cars are subtle, with the eagle eyed among you spotting the new front bumpers with air intakes replacing the front fog lights, a new range of colours, and the cool looking drive selector from the Jaguar XF making an appearance on the interior. The engines are also launched in the XF along with new diesels. We are waiting to see if the engines also make it into the Jaguar XJ.

We can't wait to try these beauties out!

450 Jobs To Go At Jaguar Land Rover

2009-01-17T07:38:00.000-08:00

Jaguar Land Rover has announced that 300 permanent management jobs and 150 salaried agency workers will go in the latest round of redundancies. This is an effort to reduce costs with the credit crunch in full swing and general car sales in decline.

This is despite latest SMMT figures showing an increase in Jaguar Cars annual sales for 2008, largely due to the introduction of the Jaguar XF. It is expected the majority of the losses will be on the Land Rover side due to the terrible 2008 Land Rover performance (30% down), and caused by its lack of variety in a model range featuring purely 4x4's that have lost popularity due to the large size and weight, poor economy and environmental impact.

Jaguars corporate director Don Hume was quoted as saying "Our employees understand that Jaguar Land Rover functions as one company and that this move will help both companies’ positioning as we move forward"

It seems like Jaguar is suffering from its ties to Land Rover, as individually Jaguar is expected to continue its strong sales, after announcing a range of new power plants in the Jaguar XJ, the XF and the Jaguar XK range - more on those in the next post.

More Shots of XK Diesel

2008-11-27T09:18:00.000-08:00

Jaguar Readying XK Diesel & 5.0 Litre

Some great spyshots today doing the rounds on the internet of the next gen XKR and Jaguar XK diesel due to be launched. This one's from CAR magazine - a very good article, well worth a read, saying the new models are due as soon as march 09, with the new 5.0 litre engine coming in to replace the current 4.2 in both supercharged XKR and normally aspirated forms.

It does beg the question if now is exactly the right time to be launching a 5.0 litre model to the world, as most other performance manufacturers are looking at smaller capacity engines with superchargers & turbo's but never mind, I'm sure its going to be wonderful anyway, and I cant wait to take it for a spin! Besides, the new engine should feature direct injection for the first time on a Jaguar petrol motor, so the fuel economy is probably going to better the current versions 25 mpg.

To counter the anti-zeitgeist 5.0 litre engine, Jaguar's also going to be coming out with another world first - the first XK Diesel. Whilst some may shudder at the idea, the success in Europe of the BMW 635D, combined with the fantastic refined nature of the 2.7 Twin Turbo engine available in the Jaguar XF and Jaguar XJ. Expanded to 3.0 litres, with a power output of around 250bhp and some great mid range torque figures should make the Diesel XK the car of the moment, perfect for the executive who wants to have his cake and eat it (the current diesels give close to 40 mpg) and one heck of a lot more fun (and better looking) than a Prius!

To read the full CAR Magazine article and see some more spyshots, Click Here.

Jaguar E2A Racer Sold At Auction

2008-10-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

Jaguar E2A Racer Sells for a 'Disappointing' $4.5 million!

Following from the earlier sale of one of the first D-Type racers, story here: Jaguar D-Type Auctioned, the prototype Jaguar XK racer known as E2A was sold recently by Bonhams Auctioneers as part of the Pebble Beach Concourse event in California. The car, seen as one of the most important surviving cars in Jaguars history as the source of the legendary E-Type, went for a $4,500,000 sum, but that figure was described as disappointing!

The E2A was a prototype racer, made in 1960 and is known as the missing link between the D-Type racer and E-Type production car. It was mainly used for development testing and brought about several features for the E-Type, notably its independent rear suspension system in place of the live-axle featured in both the C-Type and D-Type designs. Visually the new car’s contemporarily tail-finned rear end recalls the D-Type, while its frontal body gives clues to the lovely lines of the forthcoming E-Type.

The car was raced by several famous drivers of the time: Dan Gurney, Sir Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren and Walt Hansgen, and featured in the 1960 Le Mans 24 hrs.

As a prototype, the car was due to be scrapped - as is usual for most of these cars, as they are never declared fully road legal and free from the usual safety legislation, but this one was saved by Roger Woodley, who looked after Jaguars competition cars in 1966, who persuaded Lofty England, the then CEO of Jaguar, to allow him to save it and be kept in a private Jaguar collection rather than be crushed.

For more history of the car, including some fascinating reading about it's Le Mans Run, visit the Bonhams website: Jaguar E2A at Bonhams

E-Type Wins "Most Beautiful Car" Poll

2008-09-27T09:09:00.000-07:00

Daily Telegraph online readers have for the last 6 months been voting on what they considered to be the most beautiful looking cars of all time. The poll has been running on the telegraph website, and the results have finally been announced. (You may have guessed the winner already...) Unsurprisingly, the Jaguar E-Type took the gold medal, with more than four times as many votes as any other car!

This result follows similar polls in that have been run in newspapers, motoring magazines etc, where the E-Type prevailed over of some far more exotic machinery, especially considering how much other cars in the top 20 such as the rare Bugatti type 57 and the Ferraris would cost now, and it seems the results are similar worldwide, with the E-Type claiming first place in globally, not just as Great Britain, though the high turnout of English cars in the top 20 do tend to suggest a slight national bias in this particular survey!

Other Jaguar models also do rather well, with the Mark 2 in 12th position, the D-Type in 11th, and the XK120/140/150 (grouped together due to the similar looks) in a heady 3rd place.

The top twenty are listed below for you:

20th - Ferrari 288 GTO

19th - Bugatti Type 57 Atlantique

18th - Ferrari 250 GT SWB

17th - Austin Healey 3000

16th - AC Cobra

15th - Chevrolet Corvette

14th - Alfa Romeo P3 8C

13th - Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing

12th - Jaguar Mk2

11th - Jaguar D-type/XK-SS

10th - Ferrari 250 GTO

9th - Lotus Esprit

8th - Aston Martin DB9

7th - Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato

6th - Aston Martin DB4/5/6

5th - Lamborghini Miura

4th - Ferrari Dino 206/246 GT

3rd - Jaguar XK120/140/150

2nd - Citroën DS

1st - Jaguar E-Type (XKE)

To see the full top 100 results, follow this link: Telegraph Poll

Monty Panesar - Jaguar Ambassador

2008-09-24T01:12:00.000-07:00

More good PR by Jaguar UK today as England Cricketer Monty Panesar became a brand ambassador for Jaguar.

Monty, one of England's best bowlers, collected his new XKR from the Jaguar factory in Castle Bromwich was obviously delighted with the car (as I would be, given a new XKR!) and said "I’m really excited about working with Jaguar. I’ve always loved Jaguars because of their image and heritage, but I chose the Jaguar XK because, to me, it has everything. It’s the perfect sports car, it looks sexy and is amazing to drive."

This is the latest in a line of high profile sports tie-ups with England stars, as previous ambassadors have been England footballers Alan Shearer and Michael Owen, and is a coup for Jaguar as the England cricket team have mainly been featured with VW Touaregs in the press, on shows such as 5th Gear.

Jaguar's UK Marketing Director David Steele commented: "We are delighted to be associated with Monty - he has established himself as a great ambassador for British sport making him the perfect match for a British brand. I am sure he will thoroughly enjoy driving his new Jaguar XKR."

As part of the deal, Jaguar is working with Mr Panesar and his preferred Charity - the Cure Parkinsons fundraising trust known as 'Movers and Shakers' and is hosting a private dinner with the sports star, which will be auctioned off to help raise cash.

Monty initially rose to fame becoming the first Sikh to play for England, and established himself as a national hero following a series-winning display against Pakistan in 2006. All in all a bit of great publicity for Jaguar, and could be viewed as fitting in perfectly with the profile of new owners Tata.

Jaguar XK Reviews

2008-09-19T06:39:00.001-07:00

Jaguar XK - Press Reviews

Rather than just telling you what we think of the Jaguar XK (being a blog all about it we're bound to be a little biased!) Instead, we've brought together a selection of reviews on the Jaguar from a selection of all the major UK motoring magazines, together on one page for your convenience, so you don't have to hunt them down. We haven't reproduced the articles in full, but have a link to each one so you can read the original prose in all its glory as the writers intended...

Happy reading!

Jaguar XK - What Car? Review

Jaguar XK - CAR Magazine Review

Jaguar XK - Evo Magazine Review

Jaguar XK - Auto Express Review

Jaguar XK - Top Gear Review

Jaguar XK - Autocar Review

Jaguar XK Review - What Car?

2008-09-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

Jaguar XK - What Car? Review*

* In this section we bring you links to some of the highest quality reviews from the best British motoring magazines, brought together in one place for your easy viewing. We don't want to steal content or infringe copyright, so we've got a few snippets to give you an idea of content, and a link to the full What Car? article if you'd like to read the whole thing:

What Car? Says:

"Responds instantly to throttle inputs, and is effortlessly quick..."

"The Jaguar XK rides like a grand tourer, even on the optional 20 inch alloy wheels, but it changes direction and grips the road like a sports car..."

"You'll love the V8 gurgle and growl..."

"The XK's driving position is excellent and electric adjustment for the seat and steering wheel makes it easy to get comfy..."

For the full Review, read: What Car? Review

Jaguar XK Review - Evo

2008-09-19T05:57:00.000-07:00

Jaguar XK - Evo Review*

* In this section we bring you links to some of the highest quality reviews from the British motoring press, brought together in one place for your viewing pleasure. We don't want to steal content or infringe copyright, so we've got a few snippets to give you an idea of the road test, and a link to the full Evo article if you'd like to read the whole thing:

Evo Says:

"First impressions of the Jaguar XK were of a car with real substance, a feeling backed up by the weight of the driver’s door and the classy interior..."

"The ride is muscular, taut – perfect for a sporting Jaguar coupe..."

"Dynamically, then, the XK is an unqualified success, and I can report that... it never failed to engage me when I took to those back-roads..."

"Best of all was the gearbox. Regular automatic mode did the wafting bit to perfection. Slide the shifter across the gate into Sport, and it would hold the revs that bit longer while delivering delicious throttle-blips on downshifts..."

For the full XK review, visit: Evo Review

Jaguar XK Review - Auto Express

2008-09-19T05:46:00.000-07:00

Jaguar XK - Auto Express Review*

* In this section we've brought you links to some of the top quality road tests from the British motoring press, together in one place for easy viewing. We don't want to steal content or infringe copyright, so we've got a few snippets to give you an idea of the content, and a link to the full Auto Express article if you'd like to read the whole thing:

Auto Express Says:

"The growl emitted by the twin exhausts when you press the starter immediately makes you feel special..."

"The Jaguar XK looks stunning, and is an attractive leap forward over the previous model. It manages to look even better in the flesh than in pictures..."

"Materials feel expensive and build quality is excellent..."

"Jaguar has plenty to be proud of. The XK is great to look at, modern, desirable and bound to be a success..."

For the Full article, Visit: Auto Express review

Jaguar XK Review - Top Gear

2008-09-19T05:33:00.000-07:00

Jaguar XK - Top Gear Review*

* In this section we bring you links to some of the best quality reviews from the British motoring magazines, brought together in one place for your easy viewing. We don't want to steal content or infringe copyright, so we've got a few snippets to give you an idea of content, and a link to the full Top Gear article if you'd like to read the whole thing:

Top Gear Says:

"Is the new Jaguar XK the best looking car Jaguar has ever built? It is certainly the most enjoyable to drive..."

"The engine is very refined, almost too refined, and the power is delivered seamlessly and effortlessly..."

"The feel of the tyres through the seat of your pants and the palms of your hands is taut, alive and eager..."

"Unquestionably better than the BMW 6-series, compellingly different to a Porsche 911 and more classy than the rather vulgar Mercedes SL, there's nothing that can match it for ability..."

For the full verdict read on: Top Gear Review

Jaguar XK Review - Autocar

2008-09-19T05:19:00.001-07:00

Jaguar XK - Autocar Review*

* In this section we bring you links to some of the highest quality reviews from the British motoring press, brought together in one place for easy viewing. We don't want to steal content or infringe copyright, so we've got a few snippets to give you an idea of content, and a link to the full Autocar article if you'd like to read the whole thing:

Autocar Says:

"The new Jaguar XK has presence – from some angles it is strikingly handsome..."

"The Jaguar XK serves that languidly powerful progress that has long been a Jaguar trademark. It feels unstressed ... yet has the potency to lunge for spaces in the traffic..."

"The Jaguar XK’s interior is a world away from its predecessor’s, made from fine-quality materials... and furnished with a choice of woods or titanium finish that really broaden its appeal..."

"All things considered, the XK is easily the best Grand Touring all-rounder on sale..."

For the full article follow the link: Autocar Review

Jaguar D-Type

2008-08-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

Jaguar D-Type Racer (1954 - 1957)

The Jaguar D-Type was introduced in 1954 as a replacement for the earlier C-Type, and showcased some of the advanced technologies that were at the forefront of car racing at the time, and derived from aircraft principles. Whilst visually similar to the C-Type, the car featured a full monocoque chassis made from aluminium alloy fashioned around a central tub, rather than a steel spaceframe. A front aluminium subframe held the engine and steering, while the rear suspension and differential were mounted directly onto the tub itself. Fuel was carried in collapsible bags hidden in the chassis rather than in a conventional petrol tank. The D-Type still featured the 6 cylinder XK engine, now enlarged to 3.8 litres, and disc brakes.

D-Type was always designed with Le Mans in mind, and was easily recognisable with the large fin behind the driver, which was developed specifically for stability down the Mulsanne straight. In it's first competitive year racing at the 1954 Le Mans 24 hour, the D-Type finished a lap down on the winning Ferraris, despite having been diagnosed with sand in the fuel for most of the race.

The 1955 race saw the D-Type win Le Mans, although this was controversial due to a huge accident occuring when a Mercedes SLR span off into a hay bale, and erupted into a ball of flame an sent the burning mass into a large group of spectators, killing 80 people. following this the Mercedes team withdrew, leaving the Jaguars to take the win. 1956 saw the Jaguar works team flounder at Le Mans, but a Scottish privateer team Ecurie Ecosse took the win in a customer D-Type. Jaguar withdrew from motorsport after 1956, but private teams continued racing the D-types, and in 1957, D-Types took five of the top 6 placings with Ecurie Ecosse taking the number one and two spot.

Jaguar C-Type

2008-08-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

Jaguar C-Type Racer (1951 - 1953)

The 'XK120-C' or Jaguar C-Type as it's more commonly known (the C standing for 'Competition') was a racing car built by Jaguar between 1951 and 1953. It wa based on the original Jaguar XK120 that was made in limited numbers in its first production run as an aluminium body over an Ash wood chassis before switching to more traditional steel construction - see our Jaguar XK120 History for more information.

The C-Type switched back to aluminium body panels over a lightweight tubular steel spaceframe chassis. This, along with shedding all other road car luxuries allowed the C-Type to lose over 1000 lb (450kg) in wieght over the conventional steel road car.

The C-Type used Jaguars famous XK 3.4 litre inline 6 cylinder engine, but with horsepower upped from 160 bhp to 205 bhp. Later C-types added a high lift camshaft and weber carburettors to enhance power still further, and disc brakes were also added at a later stage.

Only 53 C-Types were made by Jaguar during the production run, and were sold to private race teams for around $6000 at the time. Due to the scarcity of these models, examples are now changing hands anywhere from £500,000 upwards to £2 million for famous race winning examples.

The C-Type was initially successful and won the 24hr Le Mans Race at its first attempt in 1951 driven by Peter Whitehead and Peter Walker. (Sir Stirling Moss was also running a C-Type in the same race but retired late on.) The car lost out in the 1952 Le Mans race due to overheating problems caused by aerodynamic changes, but won again in 1953, having been revised, made lighter and even more powerful. The Car entered the 1954 le mans race but finished 4th, and was replaced after this by the Jaguar D-Type.

Jaguar XK / XKR

2008-07-31T08:21:00.001-07:00

Jaguar XK & XKR (2006 - present)

Jaguar Replaced the ageing XK8 with an all new model XK in 2006 (the 8 was dropped from the name suggesting more than one size engine will be available in the cars lifetime). The new XK was previewed with the 'Advanced Lightweight Coupe' concept car shown in 2005, and the real thing appeared at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2005. Both coupe and convertible were available from launch in March 2006.

This latest XK was all aluminium and featured some very advanced construction methods learned with the aluminium XJ saloon car, but taken further as the car was designed as a convertible, and the coupe roof added later (the opposite to usual construction methods) which ensured optimum rigidity without having to resort to welding in extra strengthening bars, and the aluminium gave all the usual benefits of light weight - better acceleration, better fuel economy, better braking and handling, also no rusting and a better light dent resistance than steel.

The Jaguar XK had the same 4.2 litre V8 engine (300bhp) carried over from the previous generation XK8, but the performance has been greatly improved due to the lower weight. The car initially retailed at £59,995 for the Coupe and £65,995 for the convertible in the UK, and was considered something of a bargain against its vastly more expensive rivals such as the Mercedes SL and Aston Martin Vantage (£79,995). the standard specification on the Jaguar XK far exceeded its rivals too, with 18" alloys, touchscreen satellite navigation, bluetooth, 6CD in dash player, electric leather memory seats, cruise control, heated seats, dual zone climate control all as standard.

Jaguar released the more powerful XKR version a year later in 2007, and it featured the same formula that had made the previous Jaguar XKR a winner - bonnet vents, larger alloys, upgraded suspension, aluminium side vents, mesh grill and a unique aluminium interior dashboard treatment, along with the 4.2 litre supercharged V8 with 420bhp - a heady combination with such a light chassis.

Initially the car was priced at £67,495 for the coupe in the UK, but this was increased shortly afterwards to £69,995 along with the addition of extra specification - among other things the fantastic 20" 'Senta' alloys were made standard, and this provided a clear £10,000 price difference between the standard XK and the XKR, whilst still remaining value for money against its competitors.

2 special editions of the XKR have been released so far, in late 2007 the XKR Portfolio was released featuring a special Celestial Black colour and 20" Cremona alloys, and following this several Portfolio options were available including the bowers and Wilkins sound system - the first time the high end audio manufacturer had produced a package for a car installation, and also the Alcon Brakes which were a development from the race prepared XKR track cars that were available to drive at Jonathan Palmers Bedford Autodrome.

The second limited edition was the XKR-S model, only available as a coupe, and only 50 cars were made available for the UK market in September 2008 from a limited run of 500 worldwide (all sold before they reached the dealers). The car featured a specially designed aerodynamic bodykit to reduce lift, along with firmer suspension and upgraded brakes. Road test reviews were incredibly positive for the XKR-S model, as drivers praised its even sharper handling that seemed to have very little negative effect on the still comfortable ride.

Jaguar XK8 / XKR

2008-07-31T07:11:00.000-07:00

Jaguar XK8 & XKR (1996 - 2005)

After the criticism of the styling on the angular XJS, Jaguar decided to revert to the curvaceous lines of the E-Type for inspiration on the new Jaguar XK named the XK8 due to the new 4.0 V8 under the bonnet. Launched in 1996 at the Geneva motorshow as both coupe and convertible the XK8 used a much modified XJS platform as a base, (shared with the Aston Martin DB7) and fitted the fantastic 4.0 litre AJV8 engine developing 290bhp. The syling was an instant hit, winning rave reviews, and relatively good value against the competition at £49,995 in the UK for the coupe - a price that did not change throughout the cars entire production.

Both the coupe and convertible were a 2+2 in the Grand Tourer mould, and whilst the interior was beautifully appointed with walnut dash (grey stained birds eye maple veneer was the alternate 'sport' interior option) and leather electric seats, space was limited and the rear seats were incredibly tight, suitable only for small children. Handling couldn't quite match that of its main rival the Porsche 911 due to the larger weight, but due to the GT nature the car was more comfortable and easier to use on a daily basis, and easily outclassed the more expensive Mercedes SL.

In 1998 Jaguar released a more focused performance version known as the Jaguar XKR, which featured a 4.0 litre supercharged V8 engine developing 370 bhp, and to distinguish it from the lesser XK8 it had bonnet vents, larger alloy wheels (18"rather than the standard XK8's 17" wheels) a lip spoiler on the boot and an aggressive looking mesh grille filling the oval 'mouth' of the car. Both the XK8 and XKR were electronically limited to a top speed of 155 mph (250kph).

Jaguar launched a set of 'R Performance' options for the XK8/R in early 2001, taken from the 'Silverstone' special edition model, featuring amongst other items several designs of 20" BBS Alloy wheel - the largest available on any production car at the time. These were very popular and are still considered great looking to this day. Due to the inherent ride quality of the Jaguar brand in general and the way the suspension system was designed, the ride did not degrade significantly with these larger wheels fitted, unlike most of the cars rivals.

In late 2001 Jaguar carried out the first of the facelifts to the XK8, increasing the engine capacity to 4.2 litres, and fitting improved brakes and steering, along with some suspension tweaks and detail changes to the interior. The standard specification increased during the life of the car, and many of the original cost options that were available became standard fit over the years.

In 2005 the second facelift took place with the car receiving a deeper front bumper with a larger oval 'mouth', larger lower sideskirts and a deeper rear bumper and larger lip spoiler on the boot. A special edition 4.2 'S' model was released late in 2005 to sell the last remaining XK8's and featured some bespoke colours and interiors

Jaguar XJS

2008-07-31T04:39:00.000-07:00

Jaguar XJS (1975 - 1996)

Whilst not strictly an XK, the XJS bridged the gap in Jaguars sports car range between the E-Type (or XK-E) and the later XK8. The car was known originally as the XJ-S with the hyphen being dropped from the name much later in its life following the facelift in 1991.

The XJ-S was launched in 1975 and varied dramatically from the E-Type in many ways - the traditional Jaguar XK curvaceous sports car styling was controversially dropped in favour of a much more angular approach, fashionable in the 70's but still deemed nowhere near as pretty as previous Jaguars, with particular criticism aimed at the 'flying buttresses' - the deep C pillars on the car hiding an upright rear window recessed into them.

The XJ-S, as the name suggests, was based on the larger and heavier XJ saloon chassis rather than the E-Type's, and the added size and weight made the car more of a grand tourer than a lightweight sports car, as did the engine - the 5.3 litre V12 was the only choice at launch, either with a manual or automatic transmission, although buyers of the manual were rare.

Timing of the XJ-S launch wasn't good as the UK's 70's fuel crisis hit, and larger motors were not popular choices, and V12 engines were only available on either the Jaguar or certain exotica from Ferrari and Lamborghini. Responding to this, in 1981 Jaguar launched a High-Efficiency engine, with much better (for a V12!) fuel economy and power was increased to 295 bhp ,and at the same time a mild facelift happened with chrome inserts added to bumpers, and wood inlays on the dashboard and door tops.

In 1983, Jaguar launched a targa topped version, known as the XJ-SC, removing the rear seats, and was also available with a new 3.6 litre engine, and a new optional 5 speed manual gearbox. This targa model was replaced by a full convertible with a folding roof in 1988 (although a US company known as Hess & Eisenhardt made a convertible 'conversion' for the car under contract from Jaguar between 1986-1988).

1991 saw the car facelifted again, with the name change to XJS, with the V12 engine upped in capacity to 6 litres, and the smaller 3.6 six cylinder replaced by a 4 litre version. This model ran until 1996 when it was replaced by the XK8. A final special edition model was launched in '96 called the 'celebration'.

Jaguar E-Type

2008-07-30T05:53:00.001-07:00

Jaguar E-Type (1961 -1975)

The E-Type or XKE as it was known in the US was the replacement for the XK150 sports car launched in 1961 by Jaguar in Geneva. With stunning looks, described by even the great Enzo Ferrari as "The most beautiful car ever made" the E-Type was a phenomenal success. Looks were derived more from the previous D-Type racers rather than an evolution of the XK150, as previous models had been. The car was launched with technical innovations such as full independent rear suspension and disc brakes all round as standard, considered remarkable at the time, and at a very competitive price - undercutting rivals by Aton Martin and Ferrari by a huge amount. The car had a lengthy production run due to its success and can be split into 3 separate editions - Series 1,2 and 3.

Jaguar E-Type Series 1 (1961 -1966)

The Series 1 E-Type was launched in March 1961 with the 3.8 litre inline six Jaguar XK engine from the XK150 S model, and all series one cars can be identified by the glass covered headlights and smaller oval air intake at the front compared to later models. The signal and tail lights were positioned above the chrome bumpers, and the exhausts exit under the rear number plate. The engine was upgraded from 3.8 to 4.2 litres in 1964, and these later cars were given improved brakes and electrics, more comfortable seats than the original buckets, and an all synchromesh gearbox (earlier versions lacked the synchromesh for the first gear).

Cars were available as a OTS (Open Two Seater or roadster) and a grand tourer FHC (Fixed Head Coupe). Both cars originally had just 2 seats, but a 2+2 coupe with a lengthened body and more cabin space was added towards the end of the life of the Series 1, this also had optional Automatic transmission.

Jaguar E-Type Series 2 (1966 - 1971)

The engine was the same 4.2 inline six XK motor, although this was detuned slightly for the American market, whilst British cars continued with the same higher output version. Other changes enforced by changing safety legislation in America were the inclusion of flick switches rather than rocker units fitted to all cars. Power steering and air conditioning were also added to the Jaguars options list. The 3 different versions of the OTS, FHC and 2+2 FHC were still available.

Jaguar E-Type Series 3 (1971 - 1975)

The Series 3 E-type introduced in 1971 saw the car become bigger and heavier. Only 2 versions were available - the FHC standard body style was dropped, and the coupe only available in the 2+2 format. The Series 3 roadster was also based on the 2+2's longer wheelbase - giving more room and allowing the accommodation of the massive 5.3 litre V12 under the bonnet.

Visually the car was easily distinguished from the Series 2 by the flared wheel arches and the large chrome slatted front grille in place of the open oval 'mouth' of previous models, along with a V12 badge on the rear. A very limited number of series 3 cars with the older 4.2 straight 6 litre engine were made by Jaguar early in the Series 3 production run, and are now considered extremely rare and collectable.

Jaguar XK150

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Jaguar XK150 (1957 - 1961)

Jaguar replaced the XK140 in 1957 with the XK150, and whilst the looks were based on the previous model, the car was substantially changed, with the fixed one piece windscreen fitted, and the wing line did not lower as far as previously seen down the flanks of the car, giving much less of a pronounced 'boat tail' look than earlier models. The car was also larger and heavier, with a wider bonnet, and a bulkhead moved backwards to give more interior space, and a token set of rear seats were fitted in the coupe model.

When the XK150 was launched, the 3.4 litre straight six Jaguar XK engine was carried over, and available in 2 forms, the 180bhp version, or the more popular 210 BHP version available in the SE version, which had the modified cylinder heads from the earlier C-type racer. With the extra weight, these cars were seen as slower than the XK140 they replaced, and Jaguar quickly corrected this and increased the engine capacity in 1958 to 3.8 litres by boring it out, upping power dramatically to 220 bhp for the least powerful version and a whopping 265 bhp for the S version, giving a 0-60 time of around 7 seconds.

To reign in all this extra performance, Jaguar introduced world first disc brakes onto all four wheels of the car (though the original drums could still be ordered if desired) with the cars still available in the Basic OTS (Open Two Seater or Roadster) FHC (Fixed Head Coupe) and DHC (Drop Head Coupe) forms.

Jaguar XK140

2008-07-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

Jaguar XK140 (1954 - 1957)

The Jaguar XK 140 was released in 1954 as a replacement for the popular XK120 model. Designed to be faster, but also more luxurious, and aimed at the American market more than its predecessor. The car featured and Upgraded 3.4 litre straight six XK engine with the modifications that were fitted to the late model XK120 SE - giving 190bhp, and the option of the cylinder head from the Jaguar C-Type racer that produced 210 bhp.

Externally the car featured larger front and rear chrome bumpers, a larger cast one piece front grille and a chrome strip that runs the length of the bonnet with the Jaguar leaper on it. The steering was changed from a recirculating-ball set up to a more modern rack and pinion system, and Jaguar changed the suspension from the XK120's lever type shocks to telescopic shock absorbers, which improved the cars ride and handling characteristics, although the handling benefits were negated slightly by the need to move the engine further forwards over the front axle to give more space in the cabin, making it a little more nose heavy and prone to understeer.

As with the XK120, the XJ140 was available in 3 different body styles - the OTS (Open Two Seater) the FHC (Fixed Head Coupe) and DHC (Drop Head Coupe) The OTS or roadster had a more stripped out sparse feel to the car, with a leather only dash, lacking the wood veneer of the other two, a removable windscreen, and a basic canvas hood that folded back behind the seats, along with no side windows, the hood simply had clear plastic panels that folded down on top of the doors. The DHC and FHC both featured wind up windows, and the DHC had a more substantial padded roof that sat on top of the body of the car pram style.

Jaguar XK120

2008-07-29T07:37:00.000-07:00

Jaguar XK120 (1948 - 1954)

The Jaguar XK120 was the first sports car launched by the brand following the second world war, and following the company renaming from SS (Swallow Sidecars) due to the negative connotations following the war. The XK120 was first shown as a concept car at the London motor show and after a wonderful reception, founder William Lyons decided to put the vehicle into production.

The Earliest XK120's were hand built with Aluminium bodies bult over an ash frame (in much the same way as Morgans are still built today) but demand meant that Jaguar had to switch to a faster mass production method by the launch of the 1950 model, which had a steel pressed body with alloy doors, bonnet and bootlid.

The XK120 was powered by the famous 6 cylinder inline XK engine. This was 3.4 litre 160 bhp unit with an alloy cylinder head and twin side carburettors, and was considered very advanced for its day. This engine stayed with the Jaguar range and was seen in various capacities in Jaguar Cars all the way through to the late eighties.

The XK120 was named originally after its listed 120 mph top speed, and at time of launch was the worlds fastest production car. It was originally launched as an open top roadster knowns as OTS (Open Two Seater), and a coupe model was introduced in 1951 the FHC (fixed Head Coupe) and following this the DHC (Drop Head Coupe) made production in 1953.

The OTS had a removable windscreen - so that a smaller racing style aeroscreen could be installed, and a light canvas top that could barely be described as a hood. The DHC brought more creature comforts with a fully folding padded roof and roll up windows, along with a wood veneer dashboard, where the original roadster models had leather dashboards. All models had the rear wheels enclosed by spats to increase aerodynamic efficiency, although these had to be removed on some later models which had the wire wheels fitted as the hub spinners would not fit.

Jaguar XK Blog Useful Resources

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Welcome to the Jaguar XK Blog. This page is set up to provide useful links to sites for Jaguar XK owners, information on the XK and Jaguar in general. Please pay them a visit!

Jaguar Repairs and Restoration:

Auto Parts at RockAuto.com - Auto parts for American & Import Autos Built Since 1945.Rock Bottom Prices, Superior Selection. ALL THE PARTS YOUR CAR WILL EVER NEED.

SKJagtech - A great place for Jaguar spare parts, service kits and accessories.

Jaguar Parts - New and used OEM and aftermarket Jaguar parts and accessories with repair service manuals, technical repair information and a weekly specials mailing list from Jagbits.com.

Jaguar Automobilia & Book Sales:

Jaguar Automobilia Collector - A unique resource for the collector of Jaguar automobilia reaching back to the earliest days of the company as Swallow Sidecars in Blackpool. Our next auction catalogue will launch in the first week of September and sample lots are already available for viewing.

Autobookworld Sydney - Car Books, Workshop Manuals, Motoring Books.

Jaguar & Classic Car Sales:

Buxton Motorsports - Mallett Corette and Panoz sales and leasing. Nationwide highline sports and luxury auto sales, Locating and consignments.

Jaguar & Classic Car Organisations

British Automobile Touring Association of Nova Scotia - BATANS is a non-profit organization registered in Nova Scotia, Canada, whose mandate is to promote the enjoyment and preservation of British automobiles, and encourage fellowship amongst the owners and admirers.

British Invasion - A Four Day Celebration and Salutation to the Great British Motorcar and all manner of other things British, taking place annually in Stowe, Vermont.

Jaguar Enthusiasts Club - The largest Jaguar club in the world

The JEC are a lovely bunch of people, incredibly friendly, and will welcome anybody with a passion for Jaguars (Jaguar owner or not) into their organisation - just see which region is local to you.

Please follow the links for Individual regions websites and joining instructions:

JEC Dorset Region

JEC Kent South Region

Jaguar & Classic Car Directories

British Car Links Directory - The most extensive British car links page on the web.

Classic Cars For Sale - Free classified ads for classic, vintage and antique cars and trucks, used cars, old cars, hot rods, roadsters and muscle cars.

Rallying.com - Rallying and motorsport directory.

UK Motoring Directory - The home of British motoring.

Other Automotive Sites:

Montreal Limuosine Select - The Best Limousines in Motreal, Quebec, for airport journeys, weddings and proms.

ProtechCarCovers - Covers & accessories for cars, antique cars, limo's, trucks, vans, SUV's and station wagons as well as recreational covers for boats, skidoos, motorcycles, scooters, lawn tractors and ATV's.

Miscellaneous

Motivational Speakers - Three-time Olympian, award-winning speaker, and bestselling author Ruben Gonzalez uses his Olympic experience to help people become unstoppable. Don't miss the video of his incredible story:
Motivational Speakers - Video Link.

Exchange Links with Us

Would you link to see your own link here on this page?

Here at Jaguar XK News we are happy to exchange links with other good quality Jaguar / Automotive related websites.

Rather than a direct reciprocal link (which Google isn't too fond of and picks up easily) we prefer it if you exchange links with our sister site Orangewheels and we will give you a link back from this page. To Exchange links with us, first copy our link details from the html code below, and then paste it to a page on your own website that has a Google Pagerank of 1 or more:

Once the link is displayed on a PR1 or higher page on your website, email us at: twalton2000@gmail.com

Giving us the details of which page you have placed our link on, along with your own link details. We will then review your site and if it's of sufficiently high quality and relevance we will then give you a link back to it from this page.

We will only consider links to other good quality automotive or Jaguar themed websites that we feel can add benefit for our readers. If you can link to us from a particularly good quality high Google Pagerank automotive site we may be able to provide you with several links back to internal site pages and be of more benefit.

We do not accept: redirected links, nofollowed links, links blocked by robots.txt, pages with over 100 links on, links from link farms or websites set up by SEO companies just to provide reciprocal links - these are easily spotted, we receive plenty of these each day and these pointless requests will just be deleted without reply. We automatically check our backlinks and if we see our link has been removed we will remove your link instantly.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!