JAGUAR XJ6 REVIEW

Classic Jaguar XJ6 Review

When Jaguar swept aside its entire range of saloons in the late-1960s and replaced them with just one model (the XJ6), not even the famously money-conscious marque could have envisaged that the basic design would endure for 41 years. The mould set under William Lyons in 1968 wouldn’t be broken until 2009, when the completely re-shaped XJ model came along. However, the Jaguar XJ6 didn’t make it through to middle age without a few nips and tucks along the way.
The original Series I cars were made until 1973, when the demands of safety, environmental issues and British Leyland penny-pinching dictated a metamorphosis into the Series II. It was, in many ways, something of a disappointment after some of the great Jaguars of the past, so when the time came for a further revamp, Jaguar decided not to take any chances and brought in a foreign designer for the first time in its history.
The Series III, launched in 1978, still kept the familiar handsome XJ6 shape, but the hand of Pininfarina was in the finer details. The roofline was raised, the glasshouse deepened, bumpers went from pure chrome to chrome-topped black rubber, the trim was improved and flush-mounted door handles were fitted. All these factors made the car look sleeker and even better proportioned than before. The exterior was matched by a re-worked interior that dispensed with the slightly cheap and tacky look of the SIIs.
At launch, there were three Jaguar variants (3.4- and 4.2-litre XJ6 and 5.3-litre XJ12), alongside four Daimlers (Sovereign 4.2, Double Six, Vanden Plas 4.2 and Vanden Plas 5.3. Prices ranged from £11,189 to £20,277, and that was before customers started ticking option boxes such as air conditioning (£988), or an electric sunroof (£461).
Pininfarina’s flourishes so revived interest in the XJ range that major modifications through the SIII’s life were confined largely to correcting teething troubles all the way to its end in 1992.

VITAL STATISTICS
Engine 4235cc/6-cyl/DOHC
Power 205bhp @ 5000rpm
Torque 236lb ft @ 3700rpm
Top Speed 127mph
0-60mph 10sec
Economy 16.8mpg
Gearbox 3-speed automatic

 
It takes a special kind of car design to actually suit ‘Portland Beige’ paint (actually a sort of pale yellow) and a vivid tan leather interior, but somehow this Jaguar XJ6 SIII manages to look terrific even with this combo.
It feels it, too – this car may have been manufactured during the latter BL years, but the doors still open and close with a bank vault ‘thud’, the walnut veneers glow and the leather smells heavenly. Rubber bumpers or not, this feels every inch a proper Jaguar.
It certainly goes like a proper Jaguar, but only if you have a little insider knowledge. In truth (and new Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection notwithstanding), performance can feel a little underwhelming if you simply leave the transmission in ‘D’; it might pack a 205bhp punch, but this is a 1760kg car after all. An abruptly heavy right boot will instigate kickdown, but even then, acceleration feels more relentless than startling.
The trick is to hold the car in first gear all the way to the redline and then drop it back into ‘D’; Autocar shaved nearly a second off the 0-60mph sprint and a whopping 1.6 seconds from rest to 110mph using this apparently Jaguar-recommended method during its 1979 road test of an early SIII.
In truth, though, unless you’re Edward Woodward’s 1980s TV hero, Robert McCall, chasing down another bad guy in The Equalizer (he drove a black XJ6 SIII), this seems like overkill. There’s plenty of power to make overtaking a breeze, but this is a relaxed high-speed cruiser, not a wham-bam sprinter.
That said, the SIII lost none of its predecessors’ appetite for blasting along challenging B-roads. Jaguar wound down the level of steering power-assistance for the new car, prompting Autocar to describe its combination of ride, handling and roadholding as ‘superb’. The same is true today. The car belies its considerable heft with a level of deftness in the bends that beggars belief, considering how effortlessly it smothers poorly-metalled road surfaces.

Expert’s view
"A good XJ6 will be a reliable and comfortable car, but like everything it has its weak points. Rust is the main culprit, so check around the front and rear windows, rear valance and boot floor, and the sills. Lift the carpet to check the floor for signs of rust. Front chassis legs and cross member can corrode and will be expensive to fix."
"Mechanicals are usually solid, but check for a leaky or noisy diff and a noisy cylinder head. Pulling under braking can be due to seized calipers. A full service at a decent garage should cost no more than £300, so not as expensive as you might think. An entry-level car with an MoT can be had for £1200, but a good car with full history will cost upwards of £5000. They are now becoming relatively scarce and are still proving to be a reasonably priced British classic."
- Thomas Barclay, Jaguar Specialist
Thomas Barclay has worked on Jaguars for many years and is also heavily involved in historic racing.

JAGUAR XJ6 SERIES III REVIEW

There's plenty of choice when it comes to the Series III, and here's how to pick the very best...

When introduced in 1979, the Jaguar XJ6 Series III was not immediately to everyone's liking. Despite an expensive redesign with its Pininfarina styled roof, and refreshed cabin, some Big Cat enthusiasts felt that it was taking liberties with the classic looks of one of their favourites. In fact, the Series III set out to rectify some of the deficiencies of the Series II, and was better equipped for everyday use, but you had to try one to find that out. In addition to new body panels, the new model had an increased amount of glass, and a much-needed additional 3in of headroom in the back - great if you're being chauffered! External differences included flush door handles, vertical grille bars, revised 'Gothic' rear lamp clusters, and impact bumpers with decorative chrone along their top edges. There were three engine options to choose from, 3.4- and 4.2-litre straight sixes and V12 5.3-litre. The 4.2 had the advantage of fuel injection, while the 3.4- and 4.2- litre cars both had the option of the LT77 five-speed manual gearbox.

VITAL STATISTICS

Engine: 4235cc/6-cyl/DOHC

Power: 205bhp@5000rpm

Torque: 236lb ft@3750rpm

Maximum speed: 130mph

0-60mph: 8.5sec

Fuel consumption: 16-20mpg

Transmission: RWD, five-speed manual/three-speed auto

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Rotten luck

While these cars are known for being well built, rot free they are not. One of the first areas where rust attacks the bodywork is beneath the rear valance where the exhausts emerge. Check the boot floor too. A really crucial area to inspect is where the rear suspension radius arms are mounted to the floorpan near the rear doors. Water can infiltrate the double-skinned rear valance and if the rubber is slack around the front and rear windscreens, it can get in and cause damage to the surrounding areas. If mudflaps are fitted, lift them to inspect the state of the wheelarches. Light corrosion shouldn't put you off, but extensive amounts of rust will inevitably result in big bills. Keep looking. 

Six of the best

Six-cylinder engines are tough and can rack up six-figure mileages easily with good maintenance. Head gaskets should be replaced at 100,000 miles so check if this has been done. While V12 engines are also generally robust, they are not cheap to fix so if you find a troublesome one, move on. They are less DIY-friendly than the 3.4- and 4.2-litre engines too. 

Cool running

If you are looking at a fuel injected car, make sure that you hear the engine running up from cold, building it up to correct temperature. If you arrive and the 'helpful' owner already has the engine running, ask him to turn it off and start again when it has cooled down.

Under pressure

Good oil pressure is essential and should be at least 40psi when you start up from cold and not fall below 20psi once it has warmed up. Gauges may not be reliable.

Top gear

Gearboxes - the Rover SD1-derived five-speed manual and a three-speed auto - can be troublesome. Other worthwhile checks are for worn brake discs, noisy timing chains and rear axles, plus fuel hoses on fuel injected cars. 

Heat treatment

Make sure the climate control equipment is working properly as this can be another area where you'd have to carefully evaluate the cost of work or replacement.

You wear it well

That 'gentleman's club' feel of the cab interior is wonderful and the leather seats and door trim generally wear well and respond to being looked after, which is good as they can be expensive to retrim. The cost of making a car like this look right can easily exceed that of mechanical considerations.

OUR VERDICT

After early doubts were allayed, the Series III established itself as one of the best Jaguars of all, with the injected 4.2-litre coming out as the pick of the crop. As the Series III was produced in large numbers, the survival rate has been good. If you are interested, don't leap at the first one you see but keep looking until you're sure you have the car you want. In its review of June 1980, Car and Driver magazine described the Series III sa being as 'slick as the inside of Faye Dunaway's dressing gown' - and you can't be fairer than that!

Jaguar XJ6

JAGUAR XJ6 SERIES 1 REVIEW

The XJ6 marked a new start for Jaguar and for years this landmark car has been in the doldrums. But word is now out; the earliest of the breed is a great car that’s becoming increasingly collectible.

Good enough to be crowned Car of the Year in 1969, the XJ6 marked the start of a new era for Jaguar when it arrived in October 1968 to replace the S-type, 420, 420G and 240/340. While this one-model policy could have decimated Jaguar’s sales, it did the opposite, the new car instantly making its predecessors look dated. While those previous cars from Jaguar were hardly lacking in luxury, refinement or comfort, this new model raised the bar to a level that most rivals never really matched.

Despite the XJ’s astonishing range and depth of talent, much was carried over from the old models, including the XK six-cylinder engines, rear suspension and transmissions. In 1969 a Daimler version was introduced, badged Sovereign and identical to the XJ6 in every way apart from the badging. The Series II replaced the Series I in 1974, after more than 98,000 examples had been produced.

Now, if you can find a good Series 1 you’ll be rewarded with one of the most relaxing driving experiences available anywhere. Nowhere is the old adage of Grace, Space and Pace more applicable than here; all three are offered in abundance. Prices have started to climb sharply for the few really good cars left, but it’s the usual story; digging deep for one of these (if you can find one) will invariably cost rather less in the long term than by buying a project and reviving it properly.

If buying a project the costs can quickly escalate; the bodywork is most costly to revive while the trim can also be alarmingly expensive to sort. But at least most minor mechanical maladies are relatively easy and cheap to fix, especially if you can do the work yourself. You’ll spend more restoring an XJ than an equivalent-condition E-Type, yet the finished item will be worth far less – which is one reason why most people take the E-Type route. Problem is, those aren’t much good for family motoring – whereas the XJ is more comfortable than anything else at just about any price.

VITAL STATISTICS

Jaguar XJ6 S1 (4.2-litre)

Engine           4235cc/6-cyl/DOHC

Power          173bhp@4750rpm

Torque          227lb ft@3000rpm

Top speed     124mph

0-50mph       8.8sec

Economy       15-19mpg

Gearbox         4-spd man/3-spd auto

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

Spot the rot

Rotten and bodged cars are the norm, so analyse all of the bodywork meticulously. Key rot areas include the bottoms of the A, B and C-posts along with the sills, rear wheelarches and valances. Also scrutinise the spare wheel well, door bottoms, rear radius arm mounts and the arms themselves, the screen surrounds and the bonnet hinge mounting points. The bonnet can also corrode, as can the boot lid, wings around the headlights plus the various jacking points; check all these areas very carefully for filler. The radiator support frame also dissolves; if left to fester, rust then eats into the front chassis structure. Front subframes also rot badly; expect to pay around £2000 for a specialist to supply and fit a used subframe.

Make sure it’s been serviced

Offered in 2.8 and 4.2-litre guises, the XK engine needs regular maintenance or its life will be much reduced. Look for a service history, make sure the engine doesn’t sound hollow or rattly and ensure the oil is clean; walk away if it’s like tar. The key is to budget for a rebuild as soon as the engine is showing signs of wear; delay things and the bills will quickly mount, especially if something ends up breaking. The XK engine has a cast-iron block and alloy cylinder head. Because of the latter, anti-freeze levels must be maintained or internal corrosion is guaranteed. Even a well-maintained engine will need a fresh radiator every 5-10 years depending on use, so you may need to budget for this at £220 plus fitting.

Beware the oily underside

Look at how much oil is on the car’s underside, as the rear crankshaft oil seal can fail. Once this has happened the engine needs a complete rebuild; a specialist will charge £4000 for the privilege or you could do the work yourself for upwards of £600 – but it’s an involved job.

Sniff out transmission woes

Some XJ6s have a manual transmission, others feature a Borg Warner unit which can suffer from jerky changes, even in good condition. Inspect the fluid for colour, level and condition. If it’s black and smells foul, a £1000 rebuild is on the cards. The manual gearbox is strong and most such transmissions were supplied with overdrive. If this seems slow to engage it’s probably because the oil needs changing or has fallen below the ideal level; wear is unusual. Differentials are tough, but can leak oil all over the in-board rear brake discs; repairs are at least £1200. The seal often leaks because the brakes have overheated, so you might need to rebuild the brakes as well.

Bush craft

Tired suspension and rear subframe bushes are common, so check they’ve not split; worn front tyres point to perished bushes in the front suspension, which knocks the geometry out. There are a lot of bushes throughout the car, and if they all need renewing, the bill could be massive. Also analyse the dampers for leaks; replacements cost from £30 apiece. The handbrake is frequently poorly maintained; it has its own callipers and pads, which can seize up. Make sure the car can be held on a hill, using just the handbrake, as fixing this can be a pain.

A dash of comfort

Much of the XJ’s appeal lies in its cabin, which is as luxurious an interior as you’ll find. A tatty interior costs big money to fix, especially if the carpets and wood trim are tired; the potential for expenditure into the thousands shouldn’t be underestimated.

OUR VERDICT

Years of low values have led to many Series 1s being neglected or broken for parts, which is why you’ll have your work cut out finding a good one. But with few classics offering the same level of luxury and arguably none able to match the XJ6 for comfort, it’s worth taking your time to find something really good.