Category: Jaguar (Page 4 of 4)

Perhaps one of the greatest testaments to any marque, any nameplate, is how long the car which represents it remains more or less unchanged; the Jeep C/Y/JK and Porsche 911, for example. Among sedan/saloon cars, the one that stands out is the Jaguar XJ. Since its introduction in 1968 to its modern day replacement (bearing the same name) in 2010, the XJ maintained its basic shape and much of the same characteristics as it did when it debuted. Timeless. To many, its zenith came in the Series III of the early- to mid-80s. With its Pininfarina styling queues, Bosch fuel injection and refinements like a sunroof as well as cruise control, the Series III became the quintessential Jag saloon. Despite the more sporting predecessors like the 3.8 MK2 or the more powerful Supercharged version that came after—not to mention the completely advanced new XJ—this is the car, along with the E Type, that comes to mind with the mention of a “Jag;” not unlike the 308 GTB/S will, for many years to come, be what comes to mind when mentioning “Ferrari,” despite the legacy before it or the major advances after. With that in mind, it would be very hard to come by a better representation of what a Jaguar saloon should be than the car presented today. Yes, it is a late-model Series III, but on top of that it is the crème-de-la-crème Vanden Plas, with its Connolly leather, tasteful brightwork, exotic wood trim and rear headrests. On top of that, it has less than 34,000 miles. All original and only one owner to boot. It looks to be amazingly well kept and especially nice in its Alpine green finish, which has held up very well. Find it here on Craigslist in Asheville NC for a relatively reasonable $8,500.

Jaguar has today unveiled two new additions to its R performance range, the XJR sedan and the XKR-S GT.

The 550PS XJR – Jaguar’s new flagship sports saloon – combines supercar performance and assertive looks with the high levels of luxury already associated with the XJ range. It is capable of sprinting from zero to 60mph in 4.4 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds) and on to an electronically limited top speed of 174mph (280km/h).

The XKR-S GT, developed by Jaguar’s ETO division, is the ultimate road-going but track-ready version of the XK coupe. The XKR-S GT features bespoke aerodynamic components and suspension developments to increase downforce and optimise high-speed cornering ability. It will reach 60mph in just 3.9-seconds, develops up to 145kg of downforce, and is the first production Jaguar to be fitted with carbon ceramic brakes. Initial production will be limited to just 30 units, making it the rarest ‘R’ model in the 25-year history of Jaguar’s R performance cars.

“The new XJR epitomises the three pillars of technology, performance and seductive design which the Jaguar brand stands for in the twenty-first century, while delivering new levels of dynamic ability in a luxury saloon.

“The XKR-S GT is the most extreme iteration of the Jaguar R Brand’s performance focus. Utilising race-car derived technology, all-aluminium construction and an uncompromised approach to aerodynamic efficiency, the result is a car as capable on the track as it is exhilarating on the road.”

1988-1990 Jaguar XJ-S
Typical asking prices*: $4,500-$8,000
Collector status: Buy and drive

The Jaguar XJ-S, which replaced the iconic XK-E, had a 21-year production run, from 1976 to 1996, that holds up today as one of most time-tested nameplates in automotive history. As such, three are plenty to choose from the 115,000 or so that were built in that time. The most plentiful of these were the XJ-S H.E. (High Efficiency) that rolled off between 1983 and 1990. About 10,000 units per year were made. That, in most people’s book, doesn’t qualify as collectible. Very well, but let’s take a look at its competitive set, that is, a 2+2 coupé harnessing a v-12: There’s the Ferrari 400i and… and… there’s the Ferrari 400i. That’s it. Now let’s compare the 400i—which is without question a bargain at current $35,000-$40,000 prices for a clean, well-documented and recently serviced one—to the XJ-S. A pristine example might fetch $8,000. It’s more common to find an excellent XJ-S, i.e., a well maintained, low mileage (under 80K), unmolested car for around $6,000. It’s really a question of what do you have to lose. True, Jaguars have a well-earned reputation for being unreliable or finicky at best. However if we apply one of car collecting’s guiding principles—buy the best car you can afford—to the XJ-S, the chances of finding one that’s been properly maintained, or even pampered, at a very affordable price is pretty good. The 1988-1990 Jaguar XJ-S is particularly attractive as it was offered in coupé or convertible if the flying buttresses aren’t your cup of tea. In addition, unlike the early cars, there are both 6-cylinder and high-efficiency v-12 models. Later cars, referred to as facelift (slightly modifying the model designation as XJS, dropping the hyphen), did feature larger engines with more power along with improvements in the transmission. The “facelift” however, especially the tail treatment, seems out of character for the car. A nice XJS can be bought for well under $10,000 as well, but the combination of styling, efficiency and choices of models make the 1988-1990 cars the most desirable long term.