XJ Series 1 (1968)

Launched in September 1968, the XJ6 (for six cylinders), came with a choice of 2.8 litre or 4.2 litre XK engines.

The body of the XJ was new in every respect and was the pinnacle of the elegant Jaguar design which Sir William Lyons had refined over so many years. The new car was also notable for its suspension which chief engineer Bob Knight had developed to reach new standards of handling and road holding, coupled with remarkable passenger comfort.

Sir William Lyons had envisaged XJ as a saloon with the handling of an E-Type. Following its launch at the 1968 Paris Motor Show, the critics agreed – naming it ‘Car of the Year’.

The launch of the XJ6 on 26 September 1968 was very much a triumph for Jaguar and Sir William Lyons. He had worked long and hard on the model and it was very well-received by the press and public alike. The XJ6 was a typical Jaguar in offering value for money. At launch, the 4.2 litre car cost only £2,258, with a top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h).

The car was an instant success, and for a few years there were lengthy waiting lists. In its original Series 1 form, the XJ range was produced until 1973, and total production amounted to 98,527 cars of all models.

In 1972, the Series 1 XJ12 became the fastest sedan in the world with a top speed of 140mph (225km/h), thanks to the new 5.3-litre V12 engine with 198kW (265hp) of power. Further, the introduction of a long wheelbase option for Series 1 added more space for the rear passengers in the XJ range.

XJ Series 2 (1973)

The Series 2 model of the successful XJ6 and XJ12 range was introduced in 1973 and continued in production until early 1979. The revised range featured new bumpers and radiator grilles compared with the original Series 1 models. From 1974, Series 2 saloons were only built on the longer wheelbase, and the 2.8 litre engine was discontinued except for a small numbers of export cars.

XJ Series 2 Coupe (1975) – The XJC

The idea of making a two-door pillarless version of the XJ saloon had surfaced very early in the car’s development as Jaguar became aware of the growing American market for hardtop cars in the 1960s. Indeed, early XJ6 styling models were all two-door cars.

However, it took a long time for the idea to reach fruition, and two-door XJs were only revealed in 1973, as part of the revised Series 2 range and didn’t go on sale until 1975.

Built on the short wheelbase floorpan from the original Series 1 saloon, the distinguishing feature of the two-door coupé was the pillarless window style with no doorframe or B-post. The doors were four inches longer than the standard saloon front doors. Further changes included folding front seats to allow access to the rear. All production coupés featured a black vinyl roof covering, and the XJC badging on the boot lid.
Mechanically, the coupés were similar to their saloon sisters, offering a choice of either the 4.2 litre XK engine, or the 5.3 litre V12 engine. There were also Daimler versions of both cars, under the Sovereign and Double Six names.

In 1976-77, the V12 coupé was the basis for the short-lived Leyland Broadspeed effort in European Touring Car racing. Production of the XJC ceased on 8 November 1977.