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I'm of the same opinion as what was said above. I love the car to death, I love working on it, and I love the looks of it. I love the feeling I get when driving it. That's all that matters. I have lots of car friends and they all appreciate it but none love it as much as I do, but again, that's not the point. It's what you think that matters!
Can anyone explain why my 2 of favorite classics are so badly received by other 'collectors' ?
The car that should have been a Merc beater ..... Triumph Stag. everyone loves the Tr's and MGs but the Stag........
And our very own XJS. This car should be out there with the E type. But.....
The key to your question is " 2 of my favorite classics ". We all have our favorites and sometimes they do not match up with the majority. What really drives the collector cars up in value is demand which can be real or anticipated.
The Stag had two things working against it IMO. First it just does not have the simple and pure sports car look that many of the early British sports cars had. Having the roll bar etc. detracts from the look of the car and to my eye just does not look that appealing. Second the Stag quickly built a reputation for quality issues.
The XJS suffered in many ways like the Stag did. The XJS when it came out did not capture the hearts and minds of the motoring public like the E-type did. What is often over looked in the comparison of the E-type to the XJS is that the series 3 E-type had already started losing the " simple and pure " appeal that the early E-types had. It is also fair to mention that the early XJS' suffered from many quality issues to the point that production was halted for a time to get the " HE " into production which IMO saved the XJS.
What the XJS has working in it's favor was that it survived long enough to improve on it's quality and allow it to become a true convertible. To my eyes the XJS design really shines in the convertible form. Imagine if the XJS production was halted in the mid 80's when the only factory XJS convertible produced was the XJ/SC. You would have had a XJS that ended up looking much like a Stag with the awkward roll bar and targa top design.
The XJS is a wonderful car. It is sexy and full of character and I would argue has aged very nicely over the years. What I like about the XJS is that it is a
" modern classic " that is very comfortable on today's modern highways. I own a XJS because I like it and it puts a smile on my face. If it continues to go up in monetary value that is great but truth be told it has already exceeded my expectations. I am sure that is what a Stag owner feels about their car also.
What I like about the XJS is that it is a
" modern classic " that is very comfortable on today's modern highways.
I think that is at the heart of the appeal of the XJS.
New cars are always cool, until they aren't (sometimes very quickly). Either the rapid monetary depreciation or the... let's call it esthetic depreciation. Either because a car sold so well that it starts to lack any uniqueness or the design itself that seemed so cutting-edge doesn't age well [cough]Audi![/cough].
The XJS looks better with each passing year, but can be had with all the important modern car engineering that makes cars so much less temperamental. I love driving classic cars, but nearly all the ones I'd want are pre-1972 when US regs started wrecking havoc on design and performance. Not many of that vintage and earlier car make suitable daily drivers. However, due to the longevity of the XJS, we get a car conceived in that pre-1972 design universe, with year after year engineering improvements. It is uniquely Modern and Classic.
Actually,
I was at a mini-mart Gas station right out side the neighborhood and two young ladies were admiring my XJS when I returned from inside the store to my car and they both expressed that they really liked it and one of them was quite explicit.... the other one drug her away... and a good thing too... I really did not know how to reply to her ah... reaction to the car...
even funnier the next day I took the family to the mall food court for lunch and she was there giving out samples at the hibachi place... (I said nothing) (just got my hair cut drastically, hope she did not recognize me)
The key to your question is " 2 of my favorite classics ". We all have our favorites and sometimes they do not match up with the majority. What really drives the collector cars up in value is demand which can be real or anticipated.
The Stag had two things working against it IMO. First it just does not have the simple and pure sports car look that many of the early British sports cars had. Having the roll bar etc. detracts from the look of the car and to my eye just does not look that appealing. Second the Stag quickly built a reputation for quality issues.
The XJS suffered in many ways like the Stag did. The XJS when it came out did not capture the hearts and minds of the motoring public like the E-type did. What is often over looked in the comparison of the E-type to the XJS is that the series 3 E-type had already started losing the " simple and pure " appeal that the early E-types had. It is also fair to mention that the early XJS' suffered from many quality issues to the point that production was halted for a time to get the " HE " into production which IMO saved the XJS.
What the XJS has working in it's favor was that it survived long enough to improve on it's quality and allow it to become a true convertible. To my eyes the XJS design really shines in the convertible form. Imagine if the XJS production was halted in the mid 80's when the only factory XJS convertible produced was the XJ/SC. You would have had a XJS that ended up looking much like a Stag with the awkward roll bar and targa top design.
The XJS is a wonderful car. It is sexy and full of character and I would argue has aged very nicely over the years. What I like about the XJS is that it is a
" modern classic " that is very comfortable on today's modern highways. I own a XJS because I like it and it puts a smile on my face. If it continues to go up in monetary value that is great but truth be told it has already exceeded my expectations. I am sure that is what a Stag owner feels about their car also.
As usual, you're right on the money, Todd. I could've copied, pasted and posted it, but somebody got in trouble doing that the other day in Cleveland...LOL
You just gave me an idea... Not that it is (was) possible, but just for the sake of "what if". Would you imagine how different the XJS introduction would've been if the first exhibited cars included:
A. A convertible model, so the E-Type's open 2-door concept had not been lost.
B. An AJ6 or AJ16 engine with a gas mileage that wouldn't have scared everybody away like the very thirsty earlier V12 did in those tough fuel times. And, since the V12 already existed, it could've been offered as an option.
C. A higher class dash presentation, not so brutally austere for a Jaguar, with some veneer, closer to the XJ6 of that year, or even like some Mercedes of the time already had.
D. Anything else that I'm missing?
Anyway, that E-Type/XJS transition would've been a much smoother one.
Your thoughts about "what could have been with the release of the XJS in 1975" is something I find fun to ponder.
Imagine if the XJS had been released as both a 4 seater coupe and a shorter and lighter 2 seat convertible from the beginning along with a 6 cylinder option at least for the vert. I have always contended that had this been the case the XJS would have had a much warmer reception.
It was hard enough for Jaguar to follow up the E-type with a larger and heavier GT coupe with flat sharp panels and on top of that doubled the price from the last E-type in 1974. Then consider in 1975 a loaded Corvette was aprox. $7500.00 when the first XJS was aprox. $ 19,000.00 it is simply amazing and also a real testament that the XJS survived for 21 model years.
Oh what could have been. We are all very fortunate that the XJS survived and we now have so many years to choose from.
Your thoughts about "what could have been with the release of the XJS in 1975" is something I find fun to ponder.
Imagine if the XJS had been released as both a 4 seater coupe and a shorter and lighter 2 seat convertible from the beginning along with a 6 cylinder option at least for the vert. I have always contended that had this been the case the XJS would have had a much warmer reception.
It was hard enough for Jaguar to follow up the E-type with a larger and heavier GT coupe with flat sharp panels and on top of that doubled the price from the last E-type in 1974. Then consider in 1975 a loaded Corvette was aprox. $7500.00 when the first XJS was aprox. $ 19,000.00 it is simply amazing and also a real testament that the XJS survived for 21 model years.
Oh what could have been. We are all very fortunate that the XJS survived and we now have so many years to choose from.
Wow! That, I didn't know. $7,500.00 vs. $19,000.00? Jeez, one could've bought almost 3ea. Corvette's for the price of one super gas-guzzler mid 70's XJS. As you said, we're lucky that some people still bought the car in spite, thus, contributing to its survival for us, later owners' sake.
i dont care what anyone else thinks. i took mine out a few weeks ago and i had so many admirers, if i werent happily married i could have had some serious
"followers". Screw what the classic car bores say about the xjs. mine looks great if you stand about 40 yards away and screw your eyes up so your sight is blurred and you cant see the bits falling off:
I can vouch for that, based on personal experience - and it's got to be the car, certainly not the driver!
Wow! That, I didn't know. $7,500.00 vs. $19,000.00? Jeez, one could've bought almost 3ea. Corvette's for the price of one super gas-guzzler mid 70's XJS. As you said, we're lucky that some people still bought the car in spite, thus, contributing to its survival for us, later owners' sake.
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good observation, what i ask what happened to the UK between 1976 and 1996(beside Ford takeover)??
OK by 1975 most R&D , manufacturing, machinery ,stamping presses,ETC, assembly lines ,painting lines, workers, employees, buildings, had been already setup and done! XJS were selling for $19,000. USD.
question why were the same Basic car selling for close to $79,000. USD, 21 years later ????????????????.
so ask what happened to the UK in that time period?
i'm told that its a great place to live UK, somehow it dont sound like it!
good observation, what i ask what happened to the UK between 1976 and 1996(beside Ford takeover)??
OK by 1975 most R&D , manufacturing, machinery ,stamping presses,ETC, assembly lines ,painting lines, workers, employees, buildings, had been already setup and done! XJS were selling for $19,000. USD.
question why were the same Basic car selling for close to $79,000. USD, 21 years later ????????????????.
so ask what happened to the UK in that time period?
i'm told that its a great place to live UK, somehow it dont sound like it!
Jaguar intended to go after a different segment of the market with the XJS. They wanted a share of the GT market which at the time and throughout XJS' production, Mercedes was one of the big players in that segment. Compared to the Mercedes SL the XJS was still a very good value all the way to the end of production. A 1996 Mercedes SL600 sold new for $122,000 USD.
The motoring public wanted a light 2 seater Jaguar sports car to follow in the footsteps of the E-type. In the early 1970's the US government was giving every indication that convertibles would be banned so with limited resources and with America being Jaguars primary market for sales, it makes perfect sense that Jaguar would go the direction they did with the XJS.
What is a real testament to the XJS is that it survived and continued to sell for 21 model years. That is no small feat and simply put we are very lucky to have so many years to choose from as a XJS enthusiast. As was stated earlier by Mac Allen the XJS is unique in that it was conceived and designed in the early 1970's yet was still being tweaked on and produced in 1996. On top of that you had a big influx of desperately needed cash come into Jaguar with their purchase by Ford which allowed the XJS to become a modern machine in the 1990's while still retaining it's 1970's charm.
i agree no matter where i park my 1978 XJS roadster ,people seem to stop and look it over, and ask questions.
mostly younger people men and woman, usually under 40 years, but closer to 25/35 years old!
and like already said , middle age woman really like it!
some have said it looks like a sexy male cat.
I find myself looking at the car in parking lot as I depart... It just look nice, beautiful lines...
On top of things - I love that 60-es song of getrag transmission as I depart :-)
(hope it is a normal sound, and not a sign of transmission falling apart).
Jaguar intended to go after a different segment of the market with the XJS. They wanted a share of the GT market which at the time and throughout XJS' production, Mercedes was one of the big players in that segment. Compared to the Mercedes SL the XJS was still a very good value all the way to the end of production. A 1996 Mercedes SL600 sold new for $122,000 USD.
The motoring public wanted a light 2 seater Jaguar sports car to follow in the footsteps of the E-type. In the early 1970's the US government was giving every indication that convertibles would be banned so with limited resources and with America being Jaguars primary market for sales, it makes perfect sense that Jaguar would go the direction they did with the XJS.
What is a real testament to the XJS is that it survived and continued to sell for 21 model years. That is no small feat and simply put we are very lucky to have so many years to choose from as a XJS enthusiast. As was stated earlier by Mac Allen the XJS is unique in that it was conceived and designed in the early 1970's yet was still being tweaked on and produced in 1996. On top of that you had a big influx of desperately needed cash come into Jaguar with their purchase by Ford which allowed the XJS to become a modern machine in the 1990's while still retaining it's 1970's charm.
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luvmyxjs, fair enough, but what i'm asking why did a $19,000. dollar car ,basicly the same, cost $79,000. 21 years later??
or is it simply money manipulation , governments saying INFLATION!
or is it how you operate a well organized slave society!! LOL.
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luvmyxjs, fair enough, but what i'm asking why did a $19,000. dollar car ,basicly the same, cost $79,000. 21 years later??
Ron
Between 1975 and 1985 there was about 150% inflation generally un the UK, and from 1985 to 1995 another 60% so that gets us to 60,000 USD, at least. Then you have selling prices that are based upon "what the market will bear" (AKA: what the suckers will pay) not on costs plus a given margin.
Throughout this period Jaguar was only profitable for a few years from the early 1980s to just about the Ford takeover, in 1987 or thereabouts. Thereafter it was a HUGE loss-maker and cash drain for Ford. So that spurred on pricing, too.
Greg
08-21-2016, 01:46 AM
