The people of the ’70s can perhaps be forgiven for not immediately appreciating the Jaguar XJS when the car it was replacing was the E-Type. But as the years have gone on, there’s at least one Brit who has warmed to it.
The latest episode of Magnus Walker’s Hagerty show is asking whether or not the XJS can become the next big thing. Although it’s surprisingly affordable for a Jaguar grand tourer, it isn’t a cheap E-Type.
Like the XKE, the XJS was designed by the legendary Malcolm Sayer, but it seems it focused more on the luxury of grand touring than the performance. Walker describes it as a bit floaty, but if you go into it knowing that, it can still be a rewarding experience.
As Caroline, an XJS owner tells Walker, the car can be difficult. A Jag mechanic explains that the major problem is the electrics. The engine bay is a bit of a rat’s nest of electricals and that can be intimidating. Worse still, the heat of the engine means that the wires dry and crack easily leading to faults.
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But if you can sort that out, and you’re into the idea of a long, low, slinky grand tourer to stalk the streets at night with, it an exceptional design. The car was produced for more than 20 years and as a result, it doesn’t feel too deeply entrenched in any one period of design. There are certainly design cues that are from the ’70s and ’80s, but it doesn’t feel dated in the same way as, say, a Lincoln Continental. In fact, it has aged really well.
Although Walker and Caroline are convinced that prices are bound to go up, with more than 115,000 produced, it may never reach the delirious heights of E-Type prices. Still, it might be a nice car to drive as prices appreciate moderately.