A coworker commented on having quite a bit of problems with older Jaguar gauges and electrics from Smith and Lucas. The subject arose regarding the X150 XK & XKR's and if these are still used in any of the production parts. I did not have an answer and wondered if any were used in my 2008 XKR. Any one have any knowledge of this? I may poke around the car a bit to see if anything jumps out.

 

Don't think so. You'll find lots of Ford and Denso parts in these cars.

 

Visteon
Valeo
Denso
Bosch
FoMoCo
Waebco

No Smiths or Lucas in an X150...

The last JLR vehicle to have anything Lucas in it was the Discovery 2, there hasn't been a Lucas product in a Jag since the late 90's...

 

In a sense, it is not even an apples to apples comparison. Mechanical gauges in modern vehicles are computer controlled stepper motors, not the damped galvanometers of the past.

 

Lucas gave up automotive endeavors in the mid-90s, selling off that part of the organization to an outfit (Elko or something like that?) that makes and/or label-engineers Lucas automotive stuff under license.....but the quality dropped quite a bit, IMO. AFAIK it's all replacement parts; no new products or development.

The oft-derided Lucas wiring was actually manufactured by Rists Wire and Cable, a subsidiary of Lucas. Rists has been bought and sold a couple times in the last 2-3 decades. Not sure if it still exists in any form.

Smiths gauges are still being produced in Wales but AFAIK it's all replacement production....no new products or developments

Cheers
DD