What happens when classics reach rock bottom...

Having owned and run a beautiful Jaguar XJS for several years prior to the Datsun, those pictures will probably give me nightmares tonight.
 
SacCyclone said:
Can't hardly give away a XJS here in the states. Shame, they are a beautiful design even today.
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'beautiful' ? A bit subjective I feel.

A worthy successor to the E-Type (sorry, XKE) ?

People have slagged off the 280ZX, comparing it to the 240Z and yet the XJ-S, because it has a big engine, cat-badge and leather interior is ....'class' ?:unsure:
 
The XJS followed the E-type but was NEVER marketed as a successor to it or even a replacement for it. It was a very different car - a big gentlemen's GT. I drove one for three years as an every day car (pictures of it attached, showing what one of these cars SHOULD look like). It was beautifully put together, never let me down and was a joy to own. The inside was awash with leather and walnut and it purred along almost silently - but put your foot down and it really shifted. Mine was one of the last models - a 4.0 litre straight six. I only swapped it because I just felt too cosseted in it. It was an auto (they all were) and I wanted something that was less of a GT and more of a sports car. I think the XJS is now finally starting to get the classic recognition it deserves - at least over here.

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RIDDLER said:
The XJS followed the E-type but was NEVER marketed as a successor to it or even a replacement for it. It was a very different car - a big gentlemen's GT.
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Err right:rolleyes: - the fat-boy's E-Type stopped production in '75 and the XJ-S began in.....1975.

One stout gentleman's GT replaced by another.....whatever Jaguar's marketing dept would have you believe.;)
 
XJS is a great car, I've had many inc chassis 001 Lister with a 7.0 and manual. A properly sorted car in every respect.

Last of the Etypes had grown fat due to the ever important US market. The V12 was a cruiser against the straight 6's which you could grab by the scruff of the neck and drive hard.

 
Now that's a cool looking car!! Not a fan of the normal XJS' but something gets me when there's a wide body on one..
 
Ooooh - that looks like work to me....... bought the wife one, only good for cruising. Was the poverty spec 3.6, and further strangled by the auto. To be fair it was clearly only a cruiser, it would go round corners, but it wasn't really any sort of event to drive. BUT - it was a simpler car than the XK8 which she also had. That wasn't a cruiser, nor was it in any way a sportscar. Never did work that one out! Her 2000 S Class is more fun to drive than the XK8 ! Still - IMHO it looked good! The XJS was trashed by rust pretty much everywhere in the end, seemed a shame but back then it was worth nothing as it was, so it was crushed. Hate admitting it but there you go .......
 
I had an old p reg carb version v12
It was alright in straight lines , felt like a boat around bends
And you needed a fuel tanker following you,
It did about 10 to the gallon, the mates had to chip in a bit,
I suppose it was cool back in 1990 I was 20 yo
It was fun while it lasted until the water pump went and the garage I took it to said to change it you had either to drop the engine or take it out or something,
That was the end of that ,too costly, so sold it as it was.
 
Well I never had a moment's trouble with mine. The later 4.0-litre engine was only a whisker slower than the V12 yet returned 21mpg. In Classiccars Magazine in October 2008 they ran a 5-page feature on the exact model I had, pitching it head to head against an Aston Martin DB7, and in terms of performance and handling they gave their verdict to the XJS.
 
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