I have been toying with getting a late model XJS and was wondering when the straight six switch over occurred ..and they became standard? They never put the SC 6 from the XJR in any ..correct?

I had a 1995 VDP that I bought new and enjoyed the six -- also had an 88 XJS HE back in 1980 .. that I would rather forget. All V8 obviously since.

So I'm thinking a late convertible w/S6 .. but if I could the correct coupe. I'm looking for a near perfect example .... I have owned many Jag sedans over the years only two coups .. never a convertible.

Did they continue to make the coupe until 96 when the XK came out.


I'm thinking this is a good time to purchase as they are all about 20 years old -- sort of looking for a 95-96 XJR as a bit of a project .. but the XJS is a car I am going to keep -- so want a good example.

 

Others know the history a bit better, even Wikipedia, but I can tell you that the 4.0L inline 6 first appeared when the "facelift" XJS production started, May 1991. Convertibles were added sometime in 1992. The very last XJS built in (April?) 1996 was a coupe but with V12 so the coupe was there all along.

Your're in the NE. Honestly, Ontario is a good place to look for these. High concentration of the market, and often low-mileage because they're only on the road 5-6 months/yr. Most of the late cars are 6-cyl convertibles. The coupes are cheap, even the good ones. look on autotrader.ca and kijiji.ca

 

I have to do a bit more research. I just spoke to my brother -- and he had the HE mine was not an HE.

He also reminded me that my 1995 x308' S6 was an updated version -- so maybe I should be looking at 1994-96 models.


I'm not looking for a particular color combination -- although I Love Jags with ivory interiors .. and would rather not get a white or red one.

 

6-cylinder XJSs came out in 1983 with the 3.6, but there are hardly any at all of those in the US. Only some private imports plus a tiny number that were brought in by Jaguar management to test market reaction and which eventually filtered onto teh second-hand market. This engine is known as the AJ6 engine.

In March 1991, the facelift XJS was introduced and the AJ6 engine was stretched to 4 litres. In April 1994, the 4 litre AJ16 engine replaced the 4 litre AJ6 engine. The AJ16 engine is generally regarded as one of the best engines ever designed by Jaguar with many examples doing over 200,000 miles without rebuilds. The same engine was used in the 1994-1997 x300 saloon (the x308 is the V8 car introduced in 1997). The supercharged AJ16 engine was also available in the x300 but not the XJS. It is possible, but there are some challenges, to put a S/C AJ16 in an XJS. But I'm not sure it's possible in a LHD car because of the steering column etc.

The changeover VIN points are:

179737 - facelift XJS, 4.0 AJ6 engine available from here
194775 - AJ16 engine replaces AJ6 engine. Engine available until end of production April 1996.

Hope that helps

Paul

 

My 1995 X300 VDP had the AJ16 -- It did need a head gasket that Jaguar paid for - but I put well over 100k on that car before trading it for an early V8 x308 -- still have my 2002 X308 SC XJR.

I think I would rather have a later 6 then a 12.

 

everyone has an opinion,
for an every day driver car, the 6 makes logical sense., MPG , reliability,etc.

for a car to have as a classic or enthusiest , take out on rare days for your ego, talk to other car guys, lets face it, there is something magical saying (mine is a twelve cylinder), not very logical but with great pride.

(or mine is bigger than yours)!hehe

 

AJ6 223 HP, 278 LB-FT
AJ16 245 HP, 289 LB-FT with coil-on-plug ignition.
(both being 4.0L versions in NA).

 

So if the AJ16 engine came out in April of 94 -- not all the 94 XJS's had that engine?

So all of the 93's would have had plug wires?


In the USA the X300 came out early for the model year -- I think they may have been delivered in the spring of 94 ... they were all 95's. I think my 95 x300 was a July 1994 build. The VDP was not a long WB for 95 ... same shell as the standard vehicles.

Mine was Flamenco Red with a special order full ivory interior -- it was a stunning car .. The interior added around 8k on top of the 8-10k VDP upgrade. The interior was almost white with tan piping.

 

Correct, the 92, 93, and early-built 94s had the AJ6 (VIN cutoffs in ptjs1's post above). The AJ6 does have breakerless electronic ignition with a distributor but just the one coil. The biggest visual difference between the engines is the change in cam covers to magnesium and of course the hidden spark plug wires.

If you're interested in manual transmission, there 200+ sold in North America 92-94, all 4.0L AJ6 unless there have been some private imports. Another forum member, AllenG, got figures from an archivist at JLR not long ago:

1992 Coupe - 33 Canada only
1993 Coupe - 37 US and 4 Can
1993 Convertible - 62 US and 4 Can
1993 2+2 - 2 US and 4 Can
1994 Coupe - 19 US only
1994 2+2 - 56 US and 2 Can,

where "2+2" is the convertible with back "seats".