Jaguar XJ

The Jaguar XJ is a saloon produced by Jaguar, launched in 1968. It was the last Jaguar saloon to have had the input of Sir William Lyons, the company's founder.

Series I

At the time, the XJ6, using 2.8L (2790cc/170in³) and 4.2L (4235cc/258in³) versions of Jaguar's renowned XK engine, replaced most of Jaguar's saloons, which, in the 1960s, had expanded to four separate ranges. The upmarket version was marketed under the Daimler brand and called the Daimler Sovereign. The 'XJ' designation was from the car's code name during development, standing for Experimental Jaguar.

The car was introduced in September, 1968, in a series of television advertisements featuring Sir William. In these spots, he memorably referred to the car as "the finest Jaguar ever." The XJ12 version, with a 5.3 L V12 engine, was launched in 1972, with just 3,235 built.

Series II

The XJ line was refreshed for 1973 with the "Series II" cars. A 3.4L (3442cc/210in³) version of the XK engine was new in 1975.

The XJ12 version, with a 5.3 L V12 engine, was again part of the lineup along with long-wheelbase models and a coupé, now considered a collector's item due to its rarity. The top 12-cylinder Daimler was called the Double Six. The Series II launched in the 1974 model year in the United States.

These Series II models were known for their poor build quality while part of the British Leyland group as well as problems inherent in the design of certain Lucas-sourced components. On television, the Jaguar XJ Series II was immortalized in the TV show Minder.

Visually, apart from the longer wheelbase and available "XJ12" badge, the Series II cars are differentiated by a smaller grille. 91,227 were produced, just 14,226 of them with the V12 engine, when the series II ended in 1979.

XJ Coupe

A tiny 8,378-car run of 2-door XJ coupes with a pillarless hardtop body was built in 1976 and 1977. Both six and twelve-cylinder models were built, 6,505 of the former and 1,873 of the latter. These cars suffered from wind noise and, especially in the case of the V12, high fuel consumption.