From the July 1991 challenge of Automobile and Driver.

Response to Jaguar’s XJS line, at its in­troduction in 1975, may very well be summed up in 4 phrases: “Works good, appears to be like enjoyable­ny.” On these pages you see a Jaguar XJ­S that isn’t new however that not appears to be like humorous. Like its British colleague the Rolls-Royce, the Jaguar has develop into a convention. We’ve grown accustomed to its fascia, as Professor Higgins would possibly say.

The XJS has undergone, within the phrases of Jaguar itself, “intensive revisions.” Chances are you’ll must scrutinize each sq. inch of the images to persuade your self of that, however the proof is there. For devotees of the marque, as we will see, there’s additionally excellent news for the long run that transcends a easy re-skin­ning. However first, the overview:

In america. Jaguar will con­tinue to supply a coupe and a convertible model of its XJS grand tourer, each with V-12 energy, each with computerized trans­missions solely. The 4.0-liter in-line six that drives the Jaguar XJ6 sedan will exchange the three.6-liter six in XJ vehicles offered in Europe and Canada, a change that won’t seem within the U.S. market till the 1993 mannequin yr. The U.S. will see the brand new XJS this fall, and costs can be excessive­er than the $55,905 and $67,565 now paid for the coupe and convertible, respectively.

Earlier than detailing the modifications made to the XJS, a element or two about Jaguar house owners is so as. The Jaguar loyalist is an prosperous one who needs consolation, pace, and elegance and does not require it to be wrapped in ultramodern trappings. The Jaguar proprietor is aware of that the Lexus LS400 could also be a superior automobile from the standpoint of modernity and reliability. The Jaguar proprietor simply does not care. He (and he or she) is, in easy phrases, a convention­alist. An instance: U.S. Jaguar house owners, requested to fee the styling of the 1990 XJS, gave it 9.8 out of a attainable 10.0. Re­strained by such analysis findings (and, to make certain, by lower than an oversupply of cash), Jaguar’s modifications to the XJ are additionally restrained.

The XJS exteriors have been modified in methods which can be refined however substantive. In a number of phrases, the pores and skin is extra roundly contoured than earlier than, and in a number of extra phrases, you want to take a look at the automobile in per­son to understand the extent of the surgical procedure. You will see a brand new grille, a brand new headlamp design, a brand new flared rocker panel, a brand new C-pillar that produces a distinct profile, and a rounded rump that features new taillamps. The place as soon as 5 panels had been required on the coupe’s rear fender, one now does the job—with a consequent enchancment in look.

Inside, what had been a sublime inside within the British method has develop into much more fashionable in character. There are newly contoured electrically operated seats positioned inside a leather-lined compartment that had benefited from the stylist’s hand. The aroma stays excellent.

A brand new instrument cluster with two large dials and 4 small ones exchange the earlier unlucky format, and there is a journey pc, controls which can be im­proved in contact and look, and a splash space that now matches the remainder of the inside. The windshield has been raked extra sharply, which improves air­stream however does little to attenuate head­banging by tall drivers. As soon as greatest de­scribed as eccentric, the ergonomic environment is so not.

The Jaguar 5.3-liter V-12 engine has been graced with a brand new Lucas 26CU gas system to go together with its Marelli digital-igni­tion system, and it stays as satisfyingly clean and silky as ever, even compared with newer V-12s from BMW and Mercedes. On European-spec vehicles, the catalytic-converter-equipped V-12 now delivers 280 hp at 5550 rpm, up from 273 at 5250. Its 0-to-60-mph time ought to drop beneath eight seconds. Torque is up from 298 to 306 pound-feet at 2800 rpm. This low-speed torque energy stays one of many fulfilling options of the V-12. The determine for U.S.-spec vehicles will in all probability be barely decrease.

We will not think about that you’ve got missed this, however should you’re simply getting back from Outward Sure’s doctoral program or from the Antarctic, Jaguar is now owned by the Ford Motor Firm. When a small firm is purchased by a big one, two issues can come from the massive firm: cash to perform wanted work (good) and platoons of managers to assist do the work (not so good). At Jaguar, the story constitutes a variation on this theme.

To run its new acquisition, Ford in­stalled gruff, hard-nosed Englishman Invoice Hayden, CBE, who has spent 41 years studying the foundations of Ford corpo­fee fight. He additionally is aware of, based mostly on his resume, the way to manufacture vehicles.

“Our goal in all that is fairly easy,” Hayden says. “It’s to provide guess­ter and higher high quality merchandise right here at Jaguar. Our dedication to that objec­tive can be rigorous and unrelenting.”

Within the few years he has earlier than retiring, Hayden has taken it upon himself to professional­tect Jaguar from would-be Dearborn “helpers” who would possibly or may not know a hooter from a toast rack—and to use Ford’s profitable manufacturing professional­cesses and quality-control procedures to an organization whose fame for high quality and reliability left ample room for im­provement. The Jaguar officers we spoke with imagine that hundreds of thousands of {dollars} are being spent the place it doesn’t but present, however the place it would guarantee Jaguar’s long-term survival.

One believer is Mike Dale, ex-Royal Air Power pilot and president of Jaguar Vehicles, Inc., the corporate’s U.S. subsid­iary. “He is the hardest taskmaster I’ve ever labored for,” he says of Hayden, “however he is serving to us the place we want it.”

It will be inadvisable from our pre­view drive (involving pre-production vehicles) to evaluate the advance in construct high quality that Jaguar stands to realize from the Ford method of doing issues. However we are able to say that the V-12 stays a pleasure, that the vehicles really feel tighter, and {that a} journey from the place you’re sitting to a vacation spot 1000 miles distant could be a nice day’s drive.

The suspension, a supple totally inde­pendent association, not solely delivers the superb trip high quality that is lengthy been a Jaguar hallmark, but additionally managed the automobile fairly effectively on the tough, twisting mountain roads that we used for our ex­ercise pad. Energy supply from the V-12 continues to be clean, although the GM­-supplied Turbo-Hydramatic 400 computerized transmission nonetheless has solely three speeds. Even on the danger of flying within the face of custom, one other pace or two would not damage this unit in any respect.

On the freeway, the XJS cruises effort­lessly, and dialog is feasible even with the convertible high lowered.

We’ve right here the most recent in a protracted line. How does its worth examine with different grand-touring vehicles—for instance, the Nissan 300ZX Turbo? That is not the difficulty, in keeping with Mike Dale. “We do not see Jaguar in competitors with particular fashions of vehicles,” he says. “We reasonably see Jaguar as competing with something price­ing $50,000—be it automobile, boat, or condominium­minium—that an prosperous individual would possibly take into account.”

So long as there are traditionalists, then, there’s motive to imagine there’ll al­methods be a Jaguar. On this occasion, it is a greater one.

Contributing Editor

William Jeanes is a former editor-in-chief and writer of Automobile and Driver. He and his spouse, Susan, a former artwork director at Automobile and Driver, are actually dwelling in Madison, Mississippi.