Just wanted to post a pic of the XJS along side its younger sibling. A few weeks back, I bought back my 07 XK from the guy whom I had sold it to a few years ago. Been driving them around in weekly intervals, and Im now ready to answer what everyone’s been dying to know. The XJS has more rear leg room than the XK. Which obviously makes the XJS the winner in this comparison.

 

What about drivers leg and headroom. Both marginal in XJS

 

BTW thats a cool shade of green!

 

Didn't think any car could have less rear leg room than an XJS!

 

Yeah, the XJS has a longer and flatter roofline, while the XK tapers and dips at the rear. Drivers leg room is superior in the XK. The front seats are roomy, and the leg room is far better. The color of the XK is Emerald Fire.

 

I dont mean to be disagreeable but.... The late DB7 Vantage V12 was based on the XJS chassis and had an even larger transmission tunnel and an additional bulge in the floor pan to make way for rather large exhaust pipes and the engine computers (there were two) were also on the floor forward of both front seats. That raised up the floor even closer to the pedals. The foot well was shockingly small, the one I had was a 6 speed and the three pedal arrangement was very cramped.

 

DB7, DB9, Porsche 911 996,. Mercedes SL...the list goes on!

The rear of an XJS is an armchair compared to many other 2+2s!

Paul

 

I gotta agree I’m 5’11 and there is absolutely no room behind me for anyone.

 

Good thing you’re monogamous. im 5’9” on my worst day, and I always seem to manage to get 3 people into the XJS without too much thought. I wouldnt consider it with the XK, I must say, if my guests are plump, they better get an Uber. Good day. Haha

 

I believe that no discussion of XJS legroom is valid unless the models concerned are specified:
V12 pre-Marelli ignition cars have excellent front passenger and driver legroom for those up to at least 6' 3" in height.
3.6 litre, 4 litre and Marelli V12 cars have considerably less front passenger legroom because in these cars, a large piece of wood blocks off the last few inches of the footwell, under which is a ECU.

Next the rear: ALL models were updated in about 1988 to "Recaro" style front seats. These have thicker backrests than the previous seats did. This substantially affects rear legroom. In my 1985 V12 I was able (at 5'11") to sit behind a 6'3" guy in the front passenger seat, with my legs facing forward and feet on the floor. The front passenger had to move his seat forward a bit, but not uncomfortably so and this for a 150 mile trip.
By contrast, in a 3.6 with the thicker seats I was quite unable to sit facing forward, whatever the front seat passenger did. Moral: the older versions of the car are the best!

 

The older cars do have a simplicity to them that outdoes the later heavier cars.