The XJS was introduced in Sept. 1975 at a time when Jaguar had a reputation for poor reliability. The V12 engine was hit by the fuel crisis but the HE engine solved that problem and in 1981 finish and reliability were greatly improved making the post 1981 cars more desirable. The introduction of the 6-cylinder model in 1984 boosted its popularity, and sales in 1987 were nearly eight times those of 1981. Other models followed including cabriolets and convertibles. This is a book of contemporary road and comparison tests, technical and specification data, new model intro's, tuning, travel, driver's impressions, buying second hand and racing. Models covered include: Automatic, Tullius, convertible, HE, HE Automatic, Eventer, 3.6C, Cabriolet, TWR, XJ-SC.

A renowned Jaguar expert offers a comprehensive historical review of the highly collectable XJS series of coupes, cabriolets and convertibles with particular emphasis on quality evaluation, maintenance and upgrades. Jaguar XJS takes the reader through the 20-year history of a model series which, after a lukewarm reception in 1975 by Jaguar enthusiasts who expected a replacement for the famed E-Type, matured through many evolutions into some of the most stylish cars ever to wear the Jaguar badge, earning along the way an enviable reputation on the international motor racing scene.

Collection of articles published in various magazines between Sept. 1975 and Aug. 1988.

James Taylor remembers very well the disappointment among his petrol-head friends when the XJ-S was announced in 1975. It was not a replacement for the legendary E-type; its colours were uninspired; and its interior was drab. All credit, then, to those people at Jaguar who truly believed in the car and, over a period of nearly 20 years, turned the ugly duckling into a swan. From the moment the XJ-S HE arrived in 1981, there seemed to be renewed hope, and from then on, the car went from strength to strength to become the much-admired grand tourer it always should have been. The book contains a timeline of the key events in the history of the XJ-S and an overview of the evolution of the XJ-S from the XJ27 prototype. Packed with details it gives UK showroom prices through the year and sales in the US by year. Of great interest to all motoring and Jaguar enthusiasts, it is superbly illustrated with 192 colour and black & white photos. James Taylor has been writing professionally about road transport since the late 1970s, his primary interest is in those models that made the British motor industry great.