Been driving my XJ40 a lot since I picked it up, and being in SoCal, there are dozens of jelly bean cars covering the roads. I went to In n Out to grab a lunch and received 2 compliments within 15 minutes.One from a high school kid hanging out with friends and a mid 20s guy walking back to his car. Ive always thought of the XJ40 as an understatement and its really standing out these days. Makes me feel good to be in one. Hope you guys are feeling the same way!

 

Ages ago I didn't care for the XJ40 but my tastes gradually changed.

But....

The 'right' colors and wheel really make a huge difference on the XJ40, more so than most other cars, IMO.

Cheers
DD

 

I agree. When I was younger my dad had a 94, and it was a nice car but I never cared for the styling. I never liked the fish tanks and thought the quad headlamps just looked out of place.

But after owning one, I like the quad headlamps, and the fish tanks are growing on me...

 

^I agree with it all!

I've had my Diamond Blue '92 for 3.5 years now, and my Carnival Red '96 XJ12 (X300) for about 2.5 years. While the XJ12 is in better condition, rarer and better equipped (picnic tables, wood wheel, etc), my XJ40 Sovereign always seems to get more attention.

I, too, find myself more interested in nice '40s when I see them on the road. I guess it's because there seems to be so few that are on the roads, period, let alone in good condition. While there aren't a huge amount of X300s on the road either, the styling of the '40 just seems even more distinctive and striking compared.

I love walking out of the supermarket, for example, and instantly spotting the thin, dramatically sloped, almost wedge-shaped rear of my Sovereign. So distinctive when compared to modern cars which can look so generic.

And Doug, I completely agree about paint and wheels really making the difference. I turned down the chance to buy an inexpensive, non-running but visually mint '94 XJ6 in Diamond Blue with 15" lattice wheels. Just a stunning combination, IMO.

Nick

 

 

I did notice that good condition X300's with low miles are fetching high prices. I imagine it's the same with the 40's.

 

It's eighteen years since my XJ40 was written off by an idiot hurtling through a red light. Owned it for five years and covered 77K miles. Here it is at Lake Coniston in north west England:




I liked the XJ40 styling when it was a current model and I still like it now. You could remove all the badges and even those who don't know cars too well would still recognise it immediately as a Jaguar which is more than can be said about the current model range.

Graham

 

 

Well good news, as I often say to my family and friends who respectfully nod in agreement: "Everyone hates this car, even Jaguar people.... but that's good news for me!" Hopefully that will keep prices low

..... only my 14 year old daughter likes the XJ81

I think the styling was misunderstood, perhaps timed too late because more rounded shapes were coming into style again, or at the time didn't stand out well enough due to all the other "square" cars on the road... maybe all of the above.

But now that time has passed, I think the styling is very distinctive and well executed, and has begun to be my favorite post SIII design. I really find that it is very striking and seems to look smaller and more muscular/sporty than the later X300/X308, as mentioned in good colors, lighting, and wheels. I personally prefer the fishtank lights too, as that is so very "euro 80s" and suits the lines of the car.

I think the X300 is a refinement of the interior, but the XJ40 interior is pretty good. The only thing that really bugs me about the interiors is the airbag wheel on the later cars. A lot of people complain about the switch panels on either side of the steering wheel being blocked by the wheel on the XJ40 and X300, but the early non-airbag XJ40 steering wheels were designed such that blocking the switch view wasn't an issue. If airbag technology had been more advanced, a better style of wheel that used a smaller airbag to not block the switches could have been used which would have transformed the driver's view of the instruments and switches.

 

After 3 Series IIIs, an X300/XJR, and an XJS, I've half-heartedly been looking for an extra-nice, late XJ40. IMO, the 'right' color means more on these cars than some others. The 'right' wheels, too. I think I'd have to do a conversion to the four round headlights, though.

I say "half-heartedly' because, despite my love for Jags, I sorta have an itch for another MG or small car. Maybe even a Spitfire? Something that takes up less space in the garage. My current Series III V12 has turned out to be a great daily-driver so another project might be nice

Cheers
DD

 

I absolutely loved the XJ40 when it was current, an old Jag, and now just as much as a near classic. I can't remember the last time I saw one on the road, that's how rare they've become. The quad headlamps look more sporty/menancing while the rectangular ones are more elegant. Take your pick, both look great - just a matter of preference. Being these cars are pre-OBDII that's another plus if you live in a state that requires testing for '96 or newer models. I loved that any engine codes can be pulled up on the display. The in-dash glove box on all except the '94 was great.

 

Let's get something straight. With one exception, (the very early 87/88 models) North American cars were never fitted with "fish tanks".

"Fish tanks" were fitted to all other countries and were SINGLE reflector lamps produced by Valeo. I agree they were not the most attractive lamp and were really too short to complete the look of the front end, having to use a 1-1/2" wide chrome plastic spacer in order to butt up to the grille.

The trend for swapping them out and replacing them with quads was primarily UK based and many NA owners, eager to be britisher and more jaguary, foolishly followed the trend by removing possibly the most attractive and IMNSHO most suitable headlight for the 40's distinctive square face, the dual reflector HELLA unit.

I believe they performed the swap because they THOUGHT they had a car with the much regaled "fishtanks".

BTW I think the X300 dual headlight was a step in the wrong direction. - Who the heck wants a Jag that imitates a bloody BMW?

Ok, flame on!

Larry

 

I personally have never seen any 1988 or '89 models with the Valeo units in the US. Maybe it was a Canada thing?

 

Heh, looks like I woke up the XJ40 forum

 

Possibly, but I doubt it. I did say very early cars though and excluded 89's so not 89's for sure.

I parted an early one out and it had the Valeos and the FTA sticker - VIN 549970

Here she be next to my other 94 parts car



Larry

 

That is interesting. Have you seen '87 MY cars in the US? I never have, was always under the impression that '88 was the first year.

 

To be honest with you I only look at 94's

- this early one fell into my lap for free and until I looked at the sticker just now, thought it was an 87 but I see it's an 88 ..I knew it was an early vin though.

I don't know when they first came on the market, you are probably right.

Larry

 

Why can't something like that ever fall into my lap? :-) What was wrong with the car?

 

My pal has a tow-truck and was called to take it to the crusher.

Something had collapsed and the pass side rear wheel wasn't vertical any more. The wheel sat at about 20 degrees off plumb and up in the wheel well. Apparently the estimate had been too much for the owner and they abandoned it at the garage where it sat for about a year until the garage called us to take it away.

I went for a ride along and we took it to the yard instead, put some jumper cables on it and she fired straight up, smooth as silk.



Anyway, we couldn't store it for long and I grabbed what I could before it went over as scrap to return as a Kia or an I-phone

The trim was interesting.

I kept the leaper, Valeo headlights, bumpers and woodwork ....which was VDP level (boxwood stringing) - however this was a base spec car - so probably all cars at this time had the boxwood inlay.

Larry

 

That's awful that somebody would just abandon a nice well running car like that because it needed suspension work.