if you had the choice would you go for a manual with 6 cylinder or auto v12

 

Manual v12 every time, oh no, its not on the list.. Has to be a v12 ;-)

 

My initial hairbrain response was . . . if, like me, you can't afford the Jaguar 96valve H24, then a well sorted V12 every time. In fact, I had to look it up to verify that Jaguar even made 6cyl engines. Hahahahaha.

But then, practicality took over . . . unless you are prepared, equipped and ready to undertake full-on engine & drivetrain rebuild and ongoing maintenance yourself, full pro support on the V12 can be expensive and, now more important than ever, far beyond the expertise and/or interest of many shops.

While I have both 6s and V8s, we have always had room for at least one V12 and once having driven a well sorted example, you will know why I'm biassed . . . sorta like comparing finest Asian silk to scrubbed flannelette! Many reckon that owning classic Jaguars is not supposed to involve practicality . . . but, your partner may not be one of them!

That's generalities . . . now specifics. For an XJ-S, my preference would always be V12. In the end, it's your call mate.

Cheers,

Ken

 

The 12 cylinder car is an absolute wonder when right, and has, whatever the figures say, a ton more grunt than the 6, especially at 80 MPH plus. The 6 is a much easier engine to work on, and better fuel consumption, otherwise the cars are almost identical, year for year. Nice problem to have!

 

I'm very lucky to be in the position to own two V12's, one an auto and the other with a Getrag 5 speed conversion coupled with the 3:5:4 diff. Considering they are both the same engine (nearly) the driving styles are very different. Both offer a cracking experience though and I'd be happy with either.

 

Personally I'd go for the 6-cylinder manual.

Not that I have anything against the V12/auto combination, mind you. I'm on my second one and love it. But, I've been hankering to shift gears again

Cheers
DD

 

Yes.

 

6.0ltr V12 manual.

 

i have a 3.6 manual that i have just resurrected from under its cover after a few months. started first slash. i know some stuff but not a great deal but whenever i see a v12 my sphincter twitches at the sea of pipes and "stuff".
at least i can recognise most bits on mine, although mine seems more agricultural that the smooth twelves or even the late 4 litres, ive no ABS or much complication to deal with. i just top up the oily stuff and away i go. i wanted a manual because i drive slushboxes all day and needed some "involvement"
also i dont drive like a loony so any performance loss doesnt bother me too much

 

I suspect this is a similar question to children and dogs - your own are always the best regardless of faults and so all opinions are valid.


I have never driven a V12 (it is on the bucket list as it must be awesome) but like Leo when I looked under the lid of prospective purchases there was a definite twitch of the sphincter muscle so I salute all of you who keep these going.


When I bought my 3.6 manual two years ago I had driven several automatic XJSs beforehand but this was the first manual I had driven and I was smitten - much more fun to drive. I understand from contemporary road tests that a 3.6 manual is not much slower than a V12 auto but who cares as we are never going to red-line our pride and joys.


Cheers,
LeeP

 

I would think so as well.

It might be said that the 6-cylinder 5-speed XJS is fun to drive and the V12 automatic XJS is a pleasure to drive. If you get what I mean, and I'm sure you do



Or even faster in some speed ranges/circumstances




Speak for yourself


Cheers,
DD

 

Well Said Doug.


Although with 136,000 miles on my engine I try not to redline it too much!


LeeP

 

Probably a good idea. And on the vast majority of street-tuned engines there's little point in going right to the redline as there is seldom little, if any, more power to be found in the last 300-500 rpm or so.

Personally, however, I don't always follow my own advice...at least not with the V12

Cheers
DD

 

I have a 6.0 V12 auto, and a friend was shopping for a convertible I drove a 1994 manual 4.0 and auto 4.0 back to back. Identical cars, even down to the colour except for the transmission.

I'd take the auto every time, just because I think it suits the character of the car. It's not a stoplight dragster, it's a car about lazily wafting through broad sweeping curves quickly. I think of an XJS and I think effortless performance in the GT style, and to me an automatic matches that description best. I found the auto much easier to drive, even though I own other manual cars and drove manual only for years, I prefer an auto XJS.

It's not that the manual is a bad installation, it isn't. The clutch is light, the shifter easy, but it just felt wrong to me. The "waftability" was gone, however indefinable that concept is.

 

We're getting into automotive semantics

"Wafting", to me, connotes luxury and isolation.

A "GT" car, on the other hand....again, just my opinion, obviously....is a blend of comfort and performance attributes. I use the word comfort, versus luxury, intentionally.

I think of the earlier XJS as more of a "GT" car. In later forms it seemed more of a "personal luxury car".

I treated my XJS to a few minor mods to swing the compromise a bit more towards the performance side.

My XJR/6 was a good compromise. Comfort wasn't sacrificed...but there was a bit of 'edge', if you get what I mean. I never thought of it as a luxury car.

Cheers
DD

 

PERFORMANCE ,what is that?

V12 automatic.

 

maybe i can find the correct picture?

sorry wont take the file pic,Darn.

nice long tire burnout, smokey!

 

my 3.6 manual cabriolet is not really a "waft" car as the top down thing takes away a lot of the comfort thing. it is a more visceral experience so having a manual box makes it more so. the auto wafty thing i would see as a hardtop ride, but each to their own.

 

I hesitate to say it but . . .

If it were all just about gearboxes, I'd take the XK8/R any day. That ZF 6spd offers the very best of both auto and manual, with Sport mode thrown in for when the red mist descends. Even the big, strong 4.2L V8 has a great performance character. This is all about restrained RAGE.

On the other hand, the sheer silkiness which the V12 offers as it spins up effortlessly, is a joy to behold. Our pre HE XJ-S is yet to achieve that; its full resto is only now beginning. However, previously owned V12s, including the majestic gold Daimler Vanden Plas, have all had that beautiful silky smoothness. This is all about touring in the GRAND style.

Our now adult children still talk of their Mum's drives over our outback plains and their warning on one occasion - "Going a bit quick, Mum". Chris checked . . . shocked to note her speed edging to 200Kph.

Cheers,

Ken

 

, also.