Jaguar X308 For Sale

Jaguar XJ From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Jaguar XJ XJ6, XJ8, XJ12, Vanden Plas, XJR, Super V8 X351 Manufacturer Jaguar Cars Production 1968–present Class Full-size luxury car Layout FR layout The Jaguar XJ is a luxury saloon sold under the British Jaguar marque. The XJ was launched in 1968 and has served as Jaguar's flagship model for most of its production span which continues through to today. The original model was the last Jaguar saloon to have had the input of Sir William Lyons, the company's founder. Contents 1 Mark I - Series 1, 2 and 3 (1968–1992) 1.1 Series 1 (1968–1973) 1.2 Series 2 (1973–1979) 1.3 XJ Coupé 1.4 Series 3 (1979–1992) 2 Mark II - XJ40, XJ81, X300, X305 and X308 (1986–2003) 2.1 XJ40 (1986–1994) 2.2 XJ40 (1989–1994) 2.3 XJ81 (1992–1994) 2.4 X300 (1995–1997) 2.4.1 Safety 2.5 X305 (1995–1997) 2.6 X306 (1995–1997) 2.7 Daimler Corsica concept 2.8 X308 (1997–2003) 3 Mark III - X350 & X358 (2003-2009) 3.1 X350 (2003-2007) 3.2 X358 (2007–2009) 4 Mark IV X351 (2009-) 5 'XJ' Numbering 6 See also 7 References 8 External links [edit] Mark I - Series 1, 2 and 3 (1968–1992) [edit] Series 1 (1968–1973) XJ Series I This section requires expansion with: Context. Also called XJ6, XJ12 Daimler Sovereign Daimler Double-Six Production 1968–1973 82,126 produced Assembly Coventry, England, UK Cape Town, South Africa Nelson, New Zealand Predecessor Jaguar 240, Jaguar 340 & Daimler 250 Jaguar S-Type Jaguar 420 and Daimler Sovereign Jaguar 420G Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 2.8 L XK I6 4.2 L XK I6 5.3 L Jaguar V12 (from 1972) Wheelbase 108.75 in (2762 mm) Length 189.5 in (4813 mm) Width 69.75 in (1772 mm) Height 52.75 in (1340 mm) The XJ6, using 2.8 litre (2790 cc/170 in³) and 4.2 litre (4235 cc/258 in³) straight-six cylinder versions of Jaguar's renowned XK engine, replaced most of Jaguar's saloons – which, in the 1960s, had expanded to four separate ranges. Apart from the engines, the other main component carried over from previous models was the widest version of Jaguar's IRS unit from the Mark X. An upmarket version was marketed under the Daimler brand and called the Daimler Sovereign, continuing the name from the Daimler version of the Jaguar 420. The "XJ" designation was from the car's code name during development, standing for Experimental Jaguar[citation needed]. The car was introduced in September 1968. Power assisted steering and leather upholstery were standard on the 2.8 L 'De Luxe' and 4.2 L models and air conditioning was offered as an optional extra on the 4.2 L. Daimler versions were launched in October 1969, in a series of television advertisements featuring Sir William. In these spots, he referred to the car as "the finest Jaguar ever". An unusual feature, inherited from the Jaguar Mark X, was the provision of twin fuel tanks, positioned on each side of the boot / trunk, and filled using two separately lockable filler caps: one on the top of each wing above the rear wheel arches.[1] In March 1970 it was announced that the Borg-Warner Model 8 automatic transmission which the XJ6 had featured since 1968 would be replaced on the 4.2 litre engined XJ6 with a Borg-Warner Model 12 unit.[2] The new transmission now had three different forward positions accessed via the selector lever, which effectively enabled performance oriented drivers to hold lower ratios at higher revs in order to achieve better acceleration.[2] "Greatly improved shift quality" was also claimed for the new system.[2] In 1972 the option of a long wheel base version, providing a modest increase in leg room for passengers in the back, became available. The XJ12 version was announced in July 1972, featuring simplified grille treatment, and powered by a 5.3 L V12 engine (coupled to a Borg Warner Model 12), :[3] The car as presented at that time was the world's only mass-produced 12-cylinder four door car, and, with a top speed "around 140 mph" (225 km/h) as the "fastest full four-seater available in the world today". Although it had, from the car's launch, been the manufacturer's intention that the XJ would take the twelve cylinder engine, its installation was nonetheless a tight fit, and providing adequate cooling had evidently been a challenge for the engineers desiginging the installation.[4] Bonnet/hood louvres such as those fitted on the recently introduced 12 cylinder E Type were rejected, but the XJ12 featured a complex "cross-flow" radiator divided into two separated horizontal sections and supported with coolant feeder tanks at each end: the engine fan was geared to rotate at 1¼ times the speed of the engine rpm, subject to a limiter which cut in at a (fan) speed of 1700 rpm.[4] The fuel system incorporated a relief valve that returned fuel to the tank when pressure in the leads to the carburetters exceeded 1.5 psi in order to reduce the risk of vapour locks occurring at the engine's high operating temperature, while the car's battery, unusually, benefitted from its own thermostatically controlled cooling fan.[4] 3,235 of these first generation XJ12s were built. As with the six cylinder cars, an upmarket version, this time called the Daimler Double-Six, became available later, reviving the Daimler model name of 1926-1938. Total production figures for the Series 1 Model Production Jaguar XJ6 2.8 swb 19,322 Jaguar XJ6 4.2 swb 59,077 Jaguar XJ6 4.2 lwb 574 Jaguar XJ12 swb 2,474 Jaguar XJ12 lwb 754 Daimler Sovereign 2.8 3,233 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 swb 11,522 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 lwb 386 Daimler Double Six swb 534 Daimler Double Six Vanden Plas 351 Total Production for Series 1 98,527 [edit] Series 2 (1973–1979) XJ Series II Also called XJ6, XJ12 Daimler Sovereign Daimler Double-Six Production 1973–1979 (1981) 91,227 produced Assembly Coventry, England, UK Cape Town, South Africa Nelson, New Zealand Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 2.8 L XK I6 3.4 L XK I6 4.2 L XK I6 5.3 L Jaguar V12 engine Wheelbase 108.75 in (2762 mm) (swb: only sold till 1974) 112.75 in (2864 mm) (lwb till 1974: thereafter all sedans) Length 194.75 in (4947 mm) (lwb till 1974: thereafter all sedans) Width 69.75 in (1772 mm) Height 54 in (1372 mm) Kerb weight 3,841 lb (1,742 kg) Commonly referred to as the "Series II," the XJ line was facelifted in Autumn 1973 for the 1974 model year. The 4.2L I-6 XJ6 (most popular in the United Kingdom) and the 5.3L V12 XJ12 were continued with an addition of a 3.4 L (3442 cc/210 in³) version of the XK engine available from 1975. The Series II models were known for their poor build quality, which was attributed to Jaguar being part of the British Leyland group, as well as to problems inherent in the design of certain Lucas-sourced components.[citation needed] Initially the Series II was offered with two wheel bases, but at the 1974 London Motor Show Jaguar announced the withdrawal of the 'standard wheel base' version: subsequent saloons/sedans all featured the extra 4 inches (10 cm) of passenger cabin length hitherto featured only by the 'long wheel base' model.[5] By this time the first customer deliveries of the two door coupe, which retained the shorter 'standard' wheel base (and which had already been formally 'launched' more than a year earlier) were only months away. Visually, Series II cars are differentiated from their predecessors by raised front bumpers to meet US crash safety regulations, which necessitated a smaller grille, complemented by a discrete additional inlet directly below the bumper. The interior received a substantial update, including simplified heating and a/c systems to address criticisms of the complex and not very effective Series I system. In April 1975 the North American Series II got a slightly revised set of front bumpers which had rubber overriders covering the full length of the bumper with embedded turn signals at each end. In 1978 the North American cars also got the addition of electronic fuel injection in the place of Zenith-Stromberg carburettors. In May 1977 it was announced that automatic transmission version of the 12 cylinder cars would be fitted with a General Motors three speed THM 400 transmission in place of the British built Borg-Warner units used hitherto.[6] The 1978 UK model range included the Jaguar XJ 3.4, XJ 4.2, XJ 5.3, Daimler Sovereign 4.2, Double-Six 5.3, Daimler Vanden Plas 4.2, Double-Six Vanden Plas 5.3. In New Zealand, CKD kits of the Series II were assembled locally by the New Zealand Motor Corporation (NZMC) at their Nelson plant. In the last year of production in New Zealand (1978), a special 'SuperJag' model was produced which featured half leather, half dralon wide pleat seats, vinyl roof, chrome steel wheels and air conditioning as standard. New Zealand produced models featured speedometers in km/h, and the black vinyl mats sown onto the carpets in the front footwells featured the British Leyland 'L' logo. Though worldwide production of the Series II ended in 1979, a number were produced in Cape Town, South Africa until 1981. A total of 91,227 Series II models were produced, 14,226 of them with the V12 engine. Engines [7] Years Type Capacity Horsepower 1973–1975 DOHC I-6 2,792 (171 cid) 140 1975–1979 DOHC I-6 3,442 (210 cid) 161 1973–1979 DOHC I-6 4,235 (258 cid) 245/162-186 See Note 1973–1979 SOHC V12 5,343 (326 cid) 265/244 See Note Note: HP varies depending on emission standards imposed on particular vehicles Production Count [7] Year XJ6 XJ12 1973 1488 168 1974 13526 4744 1975 11990 2239 1976 12157 3283 1977 9043 1913 1978 12138 3284 1979 1099 429 Total 61,441 16,060 [edit] XJ Coupé XJ-Coupé Also called XJ-C, XJ6-C, XJ12-C, Daimler Sovereign Coupé Daimler Double-Six Coupé Production 1975–1978 10,487 produced Assembly Coventry, England, UK Body style(s) 2-door coupe Engine(s) 4.2 L XK I6 5.3 L Jaguar V12 engine Wheelbase 108.75 in (2762 mm) Length 190.75 in (4845 mm) Width 69.75 in (1772 mm) Height 54.125 in (1375 mm) Kerb weight 4,050 lb (1,837 kg) An 9,378-car run of 2-door XJ coupés with a pillarless hardtop body called the XJ-C was built between 1975 and 1978. The car was actually launched at the London Motor Show in October 1973,[8] but it subsequently became clear that it was not ready for production, and the economic troubles unfolding in the western world at this time seem to have reduced further any sense of urgency about producing and selling the cars: it was reported that problems with window sealing delayed production. XJ coupés finally started to emerge from Jaguar show-rooms only some two years later. The coupé was based on the short wheelbase version of the XJ. The coupé's elongated doors were made out of a lengthened standard XJ front door (the weld seams are clearly visible under the interior panels where two front door shells were grafted together with a single outer skin). A few XJ-Cs were modified by Avon into convertibles with a retractable canvas top, but this was not a factory product. Both six and twelve-cylinder models were offered, 6,505 of the former and 1,873 of the latter. Even with the delay, these cars suffered from water leaks and wind noise. The delayed introduction, the labour-intensive work required by the modified saloon body, the higher price than the four door car, and the early demise promulgated by the new XJ-S, all ensured a small production run. All coupes came with a vinyl roof as standard. Since the coupe lacked B-pillars, the roof flexed enough that the paint used by Jaguar at the time would develop cracks. More modern paints don't suffer such problems, so whenever a coupe is repainted it is viable to remove the vinyl. Today many XJ-Cs no longer have their vinyl roof, also removing the threat of roof rust. A small number of Daimler versions of the XJ-C were made. One prototype Daimler Vanden Plas version XJ-C was also made, however this version never went into production. Production Count [9] Model \ Year 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 4.2l Coupe 2 1 2925 1746 1776 37 5.3l Coupe - 11 821 663 329 31 Daimler Sovereign Coupe - - 471 587 613 6 Daimler Double Six Coupe - 1 76 149 159 22 Total 2 13 4293 3145 2877 96 Grand Total = 10,426 [edit] Series 3 (1979–1992) XJ Series III Also called XJ6, XJ12 Daimler Sovereign Daimler Vanden Plas Daimler Double-Six Double-Six Vanden Plas Jaguar Sovereign (from 1983) Production 1979–1992 132,952 produced Assembly Coventry, England, UK Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 3.4 L XK I6 4.2 L XK I6 5.3 L Jaguar V12 engine In late 1979 the XJ was facelifted again, and was known as the "Series III." Using the long-wheelbase version of the car, the XJ6 incorporated a subtle redesign by Pininfarina. Externally, the most obvious changes over the SII were the thicker and more incorporated rubber bumpers with decorative chrome only on the top edge, flush door handles for increased safety, a one-piece front door glass without a separate 1/4 light, a grille with only vertical vanes, reverse lights moved from the boot plinth to the larger rear light clusters and a revised roofline with shallower glass area. There were three engine variants including the 5.3L V12, the 4.2L straight 6 and 3.4L straight 6. The larger 6-cylinder, and V12 models incorporated Bosch fuel injection (made under license by Lucas) while the smaller 6-cylinder was carbureted. The smaller 3.4L 6-cylinder engine was not offered in the U.S. 1983–1986 Jaguar XJ6 Sovereign 4.2 sedan (Australia) The short wheelbase saloon and coupé had been dropped during the final years of the Series II XJ. The introduction of the Series III model also saw the option of a sunroof and cruise control for the first time on an XJ model. The 1979 UK model range included the Jaguar XJ6 3.4 & 4.2, XJ12 5.3, Daimler Sovereign 4.2 & Double-Six 5.3 and Daimler Vanden Plas 4.2 & Double-Six Vanden Plas 5.3. In 1981 the 5.3 V12 models received the new Michael May designed 'fireball' high compression cylinder head engines and were badged from this time onwards to 1983 as "HE" (High Efficiency) models. In 1982 the interior of the XJ underwent a minor update. A trip computer appeared for the first time and was fitted as standard on V12 models. A new and much sought-after alloy wheel featuring numerous distinctive circular holes was also introduced, commonly known as the "pepperpot" wheel. Also in 1982 a top spec Vanden Plas model was introduced for the US market, a model designation still used today for the top-level XJ saloon in the US. In 1983 the Sovereign name was transferred from Daimler to a new top spec Jaguar model, the Jaguar Sovereign. The Vanden Plas name was also dropped at this time in the UK market, as the designation was used on top-of-the-range Rover-branded cars in the home UK market. Daimler models became the Daimler 4.2 and Double Six and were the most luxurious XJ Series III models, being fully optioned with Vanden Plas spec interiors. The 1984 UK model range included the Jaguar XJ6 3.4 & 4.2, Sovereign 4.2 & 5.3, Daimler 4.2 & Double Six 5.3. The last Series III XJ with a six-cylinder engine was produced in 1987. Production of the Series III XJ continued until 1992 with the V12 engine. In 1992, the last 100 cars built were numbered and sold as part of a special series commemorating the end of production for Canada. These 100 cars featured the option of having a brass plaque located in the cabin. It was the original purchaser's option to have this plaque, which also gave a number to the car (such as No. 5 of 100, etc.), fitted to the glove box, to the console woodwork or not fitted at all. This brass plaque initiative did not come from Jaguar in Coventry. It was a local effort, by Jaguar Canada staff and the brass plaques were engraved locally. 132,952 Series III cars were built, 10,500 with the V12 engine. In total between 1968 and 1992 there were around 318,000 XJ6 and XJ12 Jaguars produced. The Jaguar XJ is a popular car with UK banger racers due to its simple but tough construction. Many are raced with the original engine replaced by a Ford V6 as used in the Granada cars but others are raced with the original Jaguar engines. These cars are often used at 2.0litre + meetings where they are raced alongside Ford Granadas and Volvos. [edit] Mark II - XJ40, XJ81, X300, X305 and X308 (1986–2003) XJ40 (& XJ81) Also called XJ6, XJ12, Sovereign, Daimler Production 1986–2003 Assembly Coventry, England, UK Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 2.9 L AJ6 I6 3.2 L AJ6 I6 3.6 L AJ6 I6 4.0 L AJ6 I6 6.0 L Jaguar V12 engine Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic 5-speed manual Wheelbase 113 in (2870 mm) Length 196.4 in (4989 mm) Width 1986-1991: 70.8 in (1798 mm) 1992-94: 79.3 in (2014 mm) Height 53.1 in (1349 mm) [edit] XJ40 (1986–1994) Throughout the 1970s Jaguar had been developing "Project XJ40" which was an all-new model intended to replace the original XJ6. Due to problems at British Leyland and the fuel crisis, the car was continually delayed. Proposals from Jaguar's in-house designers and Pininfarina were received. Eventually, it was decided an internal design would be carried through to production and in February 1981 the BL board approved ₤80 million to produce the new car, however by the launch over ₤200 million had been invested. XJ40 Investment up to 1986 Area Amount XJ40 R&D model ₤50 million Tooling at Austin-Rover and other component suppliers ₤70 million Building work and new transfer line for the AJ6 engine at Radford ₤35 million Building work for the manufacture of axles at Radford ₤10 million Paint facilities at Castle Bromwich ₤25 million Pilot assembly plant at Browns Lane ₤10 million During the development the XJ40 pioneered significant improvements to the way Jaguar designed, built and assembled cars. Developments such as a 25% reduction in the number of bodywork panels (e.g.: 3 pressings needed for Series 3 door vs. 1 pressing for XJ40 door) resulting in not only a more efficient assembly process, but also a weight saving and a siffer structure. Greater attention to panel gaps improved the drag factor (reduced from 0.849Cd to 0.762Cd) while also improving the fuel economy and lowering over noise inside the cabin. The automatic transmission selector was redesigned to allow the manual selection of forward gears without accidentally putting the car into neutral, or worse reverse. This new feature was dubbed the J-Gate and has carried over to other Jaguars since. Working with Dunlop and Michelin the XJ40 was to have TD (metric) tyres and rims. This tyre technology has a groove in which the TD tyre bead cloks in and in the event of a flat, the tyre is prevented from escaping the rim, allowing the driver to continue from a limited distance. New technology also appeared in the cabin in the form of a Vehicle Condition Monitor (VCM) which contained a 32 x 32 dot-matrix screen to alert warnings and diagnosis to the driver including bulb failure, brake pad wear, doors/boot/open, coolant level, for a total of 34 functions. The XJ40 became the most tested car at Jaguar completing 1,240,000 miles (2,000,000 km) million miles in Arizona (summer heat testing), 1,100,000 miles (1,770,000 km) million miles in Canada (winter testing), 1,800,000 miles (2,900,000 km) in Australia (heat and dust testing), in addition to 750,000 miles (1,210,000 km) on the high-speed Nardo circuit in Italy and other general road tests. This car was finally released in October 1986 with (in European markets) controversial square headlamps on all but the lowest specification; these were a lingering feature from the 1970s development. The car was considered more evolutionary than revolutionary,[citation needed] receiving improvements such as the second generation of Jaguar's IRS. It had to fight off a new competitor: the recently enlarged BMW 7 Series (E32). While the British press favoured the Jaguar, the XJ40 tended to lose comparison tests run by German publications. Only six-cylinder models were initially offered: a 2.9 L (in Europe) and a 3.6 L. The V12 (XJ12) and a long wheelbase model, including a high-roofed Daimler Majestic model (reviving the model name of 1958-1962) and destined for official use (one was used by the British prime minister), were again delayed, being launched at the very end of the XJ40's life. The delay in fitting the V12 engine was due to the design of the engine bay which was too narrow to allow a V formation engine, said to have been designed deliberately in that fashion as the designers feared that their parent company would insist use of an engine based on their widely-used Rover V8 engine. After Jaguar's takeover by Ford in December 1989, work began on redesigning the engine bay to accommodate the V12. Ironically, thanks to Ford, Jaguar was later to find itself back in common ownership with another part of the old Rover family: Land Rover, where they had previously been thanks to British Leyland. However, having since developed their own more modern V8, they saw the reverse happen with a version of their engine fitted to Land Rover models, from which the old Rover V8 was finally dropped. The single cam 2.9 L straight-6 engine found in Europe was a derivative of Jaguar's legendary 6.0 L V12 HE, but it proved to be underpowered and thirsty compared to the 3.6. L Frequent timing chain failures were also a problem. The engine was later replaced with the 3.2 L, based on the durable 3.6 L Vanden Plas, which then became the 4.0 L. Prototypes 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 TOTAL 251 3958 33,064 39,432 32,833 30,862 17,190 15,967 24,910 10,239 208,706 [edit] XJ40 (1989–1994) In 1989, under Ford control, the model range was revised with the deletion of the 2.9 L engine, replaced at the low end by a twin-cam 3.2 L version. The 3.6 L was upgraded to 4.0 L. The most obvious interior improvement was replacement of the often unreliable digital dashboard with conventional analogue instruments. In 1994 the XJ6 received a passenger's side airbag which meant the loss of the in-dash glove box. In 1989 Jaguar Cars produced a special model of the XJ40 3.6 unique to the USA called the Majestic. All of these had maroon exteriors with special mesh wheels where the interior of the mesh was painted the same maroon colour as the exterior of the body, although the British prime minister had an armoured black ministerial Majestic. Inside there were autolux leather seats with contrasting piping along the edges. There may have only been 527 of the 1990 Majestics made. XJ-R versions of the XJ40 were produced; they featured upgraded suspension, engine and appearance, but lacked the supercharger of later XJRs. With numbers somewhere in the hundreds, they are quite rare and difficult to find. [edit] XJ81 (1992–1994) With the design alteration of the XJ40 engine compartment finally completed, the XJ81 or XJ12 saloon reached the market in 1993 and continued until the end of the 1994 model year. The 1993 - 1994 XJ12 Vanden Plas cars marked the introduction of the 6.0L V12 and four speed automatic transmission in the four door saloon. The new four speed automatic transmission in these cars was based on the GM 4L80E and featured an overdrive fourth gear for extended cruising comfort. The 1993 XJ12 cars that entered the United States were titled as 1994 cars. L'année de sa production : 1993 et son lancement 1993-1994. The primary differentiation between these early 1994 cars and the later 1994 cars is the presence of a in-dash glove box in the early cars that was replaced by a passenger's side airbag in the later 1994 cars. The V12 cars also had a latice or BBS style wheel and body coloured grille vanes. [edit] X300 (1995–1997) X300 Also called XJ6, Vanden Plas, XJR, Daimler Production 1994–1997 Assembly Coventry, England, UK Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 3.2 L AJ16 I6 4.0 L AJ16 I6 6.0 L Jaguar V12 engine V12 Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic 5-speed manual Wheelbase 113 in (2870 mm) Length 197.8 in (5024 mm) Width 70.8 in (1798 mm) Height 53.1 in (1349 mm) With an all-new replacement still years away, in the early 1990s Jaguar recognised the boxy 1980s lines of the XJ40 needed to be facelifted and decided a "retro" path was the way forward. This path worked as Jaguar's biggest markets, the Americans, the Germans and the Japanese all associate Jaguars with sleek, voluptuous and taut feline curves. This revamp reintroduced many styling cues of the popular original XJ series. The X300, as it was known, was based on the XJ81 chassis, designed by chief Jaguar designer Geoff Lawson and was launched as the XJ6 for the 1995 model year. The centre section (namely the doors and glass area) was shared with the original "Mark 2" (XJ40/XJ81) but the X300 saw the XJ6 revert to a traditional fluted bonnet and 4 individual headlights. The front and rear wings, bumpers and bootlid were also redesigned. The interior remained more or less the same as before. The engines were basically the same 3.2 L and 4.0 L units (engine code AJ6) found in the XJ40, but were mildly revised to further increase power and refinement (engine code AJ16). It was this generation that saw continued improvement in build quality. [edit] Safety According to the UK Department for Transport's road accident statistics on a model-by-model basis (Table A, Page 10), which shows risk of injuries to car drivers involved in two-car accidents whenever an injury is reported, the X300/X308 series Jaguars were among the safest cars on UK roads (measured in terms of chance of death in an accident during the four year assessment period) – three times safer than the safest Volvo models and matched only by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. This publication presents estimates of the risk of driver injury in popular models of car, if they are involved in a two car injury accident. It does not address issues of primary safety and gives no information on whether or not specific makes of car have different risks of being involved in an accident. The statistics are based on personal injury road accident data reported to the Department for Transport by police forces within Great Britain. [edit] X305 (1995–1997) X305 Also called XJ12, Daimler Double-Six Production 1994–1997 Assembly Coventry, England, UK Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 6.0 L Jaguar V12 engine Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic GM 4L80E Wheelbase 113.0 in (2870 mm) (SWB) 117.9 in (2995 mm) (LWB) Length 197.8 in (5024 mm) (SWB) 202.7 in (5149 mm) (LWB) Width 70.8 in (1798 mm) Height 52.2 in (1326 mm) (XJ12) 52.5 in (1334 mm) (Double Six) In September 1994, the XJ12 got the same styling revisions as the X300 XJ6. The 6.0 L Jaguar V12 engine offered 318 bhp (237 kW; 322 PS) and was continued for the 1995 model year mechanically similar to the 1994 XJ81 car, with a notable switch from forged to chill cast crankshaft. From 1995 on, the engine used a distributorless Nippon Denso electronic management system. The top aluminum cover in the V valley was redesigned to house two packs of 3 coils each, with each coil having two high tension terminals for a total of 12. These coilpacks were driven by two Denso ignition modules, which are very similar to Ford EDIS-6 units. A visibly significant chromed pipe connecting the left and the right banks of XJ81 engine, which was located at the top rear of the engine that vents and routes the crankcase blow-by gas to the intake plenum, was changed to an almost invisible design at the top center of the engine underneath a plastic cover that also hides fuel rails and coilpacks. The XJ12 body was visibly differentiated from the XJ6 not only by a badge on the boot lid, but also by a "V12" badge on each side of the central pillar, a "V12" sign on the dashboard, as well as a gold-colored Jaguar crest on the top center of radiator grille, as opposed to a silver one on XJ6. The X305 XJ12 was available in both short- and long-wheelbase(LWB) forms, the latter became available for the 1996 model. In the North American market, the long-wheelbase version was available with the 1996 model year only. X305 was equipped with On-Board Diagnostics System, however, the system failed to fully meet the OBD-II specifications, which became mandatory for the 1996 model year in the U.S. With a special dispensation for that model year expired, no 1997 model year X305s were sold in North America. While the sister X305 Daimler Double Six came with 225/60-16 tires on 7 inch rims standard, the XJ12 came with 225/55-16 tires on 8 inch wide wheels, which explains the height difference between the two models. The in-dash glove box that was deleted for late 1994 XJ81 to make room for passenger's side airbag, did get reintroduced under the dashboard for later 1995 model. This mid-1995 model change also includes a revision in the rear suspension that now allows adjustment of toe-in. The last Jaguar to be powered by a V12 engine was a black XJ12 which left the production line on April 17, 1997. It now resides in the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Museum, Coventry. Only 3,400 XJ12s were produced in the X300 body style, making it rarer than V12 rivals such as the BMW 750iL and Mercedes-Benz S600. [edit] X306 (1995–1997) X306 Also called XJR, XJR6 Production 1994–1997 Assembly Coventry, England, UK Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 4.0 L supercharged AJ16 I6 Transmission(s) 4-speed automatic GM 4L80E 5-speed manual Getrag 290 Wheelbase 113 in (2870 mm) Length 197.8 in (5024 mm) Width 81.7 in (2075 mm) Height 51.4 in (1306 mm) Kerb weight 3,858 lb (1,750 kg). For the 1995 model year, a supercharged version of the AJ16 engine was offered in an XJ badged as the XJR, and given the X306 designation. It is also known as the "XJR6", which helps to differentiate it from the later V8-powered XJR. This was the first supercharged Jaguar in the company's history and only the second car Jaguar ever made that used forced induction (the other being the turbocharged Jaguar XJ220 sports car.) The supercharged AJ16 engine used an Eaton M90 supercharger and an air-water intercooler. It produced 321 bhp (239 kW; 325 PS) and 378 lb·ft (512 N·m). Like the XJ12 of the same generation, the automatic gearbox in the XJR was the General Motors 4L80-E. In total, 268 XJRs were built with the Getrag 290 manual 5-speed gearbox (with 103 of them in RHD configuration for the UK market), although none of these manual-gearbox cars were exported to North America. [edit] Daimler Corsica concept A single 2-door XJ convertible was built in 1996 to commemorate Daimler's centenary. The concept car, called the Daimler Corsica, was based on the Daimler Double-Six saloon and can seat four. The prototype, which lacked an engine, had all the luxury features of an XJ saloon, but a shorter wheelbase. It is painted in a now-discontinued colour called "Seafrost." The Daimler Corsica was named after the 1931 Daimler Double-Six Corsica. The concept was a one-off, and may have been intended for limited production beginning in 1997. The car has made a limited number of appearances at car shows and events since 1996. It has most recently appeared at the Belfast Sports Car Show in January 2004. The Daimler Corsica prototype is owned by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, who have decommissioned it to operate as a fully functional road-legal car.[10] It is on display at their museum at Browns Lane in Coventry, England. The car was recently displayed at Harewood House as part of the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club show. [edit] X308 (1997–2003) X308 Also called XJ8, Vanden Plas, XJR, Daimler Production 1997–2003 Assembly Coventry, England, UK Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 3.2 L AJ-V8 V8 4.0 L AJ-V8 V8 Transmission(s) 5-speed ZF automatic Wheelbase 113 in (2870 mm) (SWB) 117.9 in (2995 mm) (LWB) Length 197.8 in (5024 mm) (SWB) 202.7 in (5149 mm) (LWB) Width 70.8 in (1798 mm) Height 52.7 in (1339 mm) (SWB) 53.2 in (1351 mm) (LWB) September 1997 saw the "Mark 2" XJ revised for a final time, and this time the car (known as X308) had changed more over the X300 than the X300 had done over the XJ40. The exterior styling which won the award of "L'Automobile piu Bella del Mondo" was mildly revised, the only real notable changes being new, shallower grille, bumpers incorporating oval front indicators & side reflectors with 1/4 chrome trims instead of the full width ones of the X300, as well as revised clear indicator rear light clusters and the fitting of modern clear lens projector headlamps. The CATS Computer Active Technology Suspension was also offered, which adapted the stiffness of the dampers to optimise ride comfort or handling. The passenger compartment was further strengthened by use of ultra high strength boron steel and the high speed crash survivability was further improved by incorporation of a unique "swans neck" design into the crumple zones. More obvious changes lay under the bonnet and inside. An all-new, and hugely praised, V8 engine was introduced and was available in 3.2 L, 4.0 L and 4.0 L supercharged versions. The new 8-cylinder engines, built in Bridgend, Wales, not only saw the temporary end of 6-cylinder and 12-cylinder power in an XJ, but the legendary XJ6 moniker was dropped (but later re-introduced in the 2003.5 X350) the cars with naturally-aspirated engines were now called XJ8. The new performance figures were 290 bhp (216 kW; 294 PS) and 240 bhp (179 kW; 243 PS) for the naturally-aspirated 4.0 L and 3.2 L versions respectively and 370 bhp (276 kW; 375 PS) with 525 N·m (387 lb·ft) of torque for the supercharged version. The interior was changed greatly, featuring an all-new "oval design" dashboard (first seen in the XK) with matching door veneers. However, the basic car was now 11 years old and some now considered the limited legroom for rear passengers (except, of course, in the long-wheelbase model), which was an issue back in 1986, to now be a real Achilles' heel, especially when compared to competing models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Nonetheless, many overlooked this issue, citing the continued "Jaguarness" and "Britishness" of the new interior as a preferable place to spend time when compared to rivals, with the abundance of wood, chrome and leather that is a British luxury car trademark. However, for those who considered rear legroom to be a very real issue, there were LWB (long-wheelbase) versions available (and, at the very top of the range, the supercharged Daimler, known as the Super V8 in the UK & the Vanden Plas in the United States complete with fluted boot plynth & grille top, as well as full "autolux" leather interior trimming, extra highly figured walnut trim and rear picnic tables inside). 1998 Jaguar XJ8 Although the new car was improved over the X300 and featured revised dynamics (including an excellent ride) along with its excellent new V8 engines (designed solely by Jaguar's engineers), the basic design was now 12 years old and was launched less than a year before a new version of the traditional heavyweight of the class: the Mercedes-Benz S-Class W220. Although the XJ was considered by critics as still competitive in some areas in many roadtests the X308 was essentially outclassed by the new S-Class, a car which was proclaimed by critics to be the "best car in the world" at launch. However, despite the Mercedes' plaudits it is important to note that the Mark 2 XJ was the best-selling luxury car in the UK.[citation needed] The XJR-version featured a 5 speed automatic transmission W5A580 from the Mercedes-Benz AMG E55 and other high power Benz models. Between 1998 and 2000, Jaguar used Nikasil cylinder liners which resulted in accelerated engine wear and eventually premature engine failure.[11] A limited-edition XJR called the XJR 100 was available in 2002 only. The XJR 100 came only in black (paint as well as exterior trim) with black leather interior. Features exclusive to the XJR 100 were unique alloy sport wheels, gray-stained birdseye maple trim, red badges and red stitching throughout the interior. Only 500 were produced. The XJR 100 also used the "R1" Package's Brembo brakes and larger drilled rotors with future 18 inch series BBS Milan wheels. The "R1" Package originally appeared in 2001 MY. The final production run of the X308 series the XJR was in 2003 MY. The model continued until an all-new aluminium-bodied replacement (X350) was unveiled in 2003.5 [edit] Mark III - X350 & X358 (2003-2009) [edit] X350 (2003-2007) X350 Also called XJ6, XJ8, Vanden Plas, XJR, Super V8, Daimler Super Eight Production 2003-2007 Assembly Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, England, UK Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 3.0 L V6 3.5 L AJ-V8 V8 4.2 L AJ-V8 V8 4.2 L supercharged AJ-V8 V8 2.7 L V6 Diesel Transmission(s) 6-speed automatic Wheelbase SWB: 119.4 in (3033 mm) LWB: 124.4 in (3160 mm) Length SWB: 200.4 in (5090 mm) LWB: 205.3 in (5215 mm) Width 2004-05: 73.2 in (1859 mm) 2006-07: 83.0 in (2108 mm) 2008-present: 76.5 in (1943 mm) Height SWB: 57 in (1448 mm) LWB: 57.3 in (1455 mm) Kerb weight 3,946 lb (1,790 kg) Main article: Jaguar X350 Although major revisions (through the X300 and, particularly, the X308 updates) kept the Mark 2 competitive in some areas against its rivals, the basic design dated back to 1986 which meant the car was being outclassed and losing ground to its rivals, many of which were now two generations advanced from the original competitors of the Mark 2 XJ. For example, since the model had been unveiled in 1986 (at the same time as the BMW 7 Series E32), BMW had launched Mark 3 (E38) and Mark 4 (E65) versions of its 7 Series in 1994 and 2001 respectively – all while Jaguar was still producing the Mk 2 XJ. In early 2003, the all-new third generation XJ (known as X350) arrived in showrooms. While the car's exterior and interior styling were traditional in appearance, the car was completely re-engineered. The new car also saw the return of the fabled XJ6 badge, and with it 6-cylinder power, albeit in a V-configuration. Although traditional in appearance, the car was actually highly technologically advanced: for example, it had an all-aluminium body that made the car very light compared to rivals, bringing improvements in performance, agility and economy. Larger all round and higher, the new car offered much improved interior and luggage space. The V8 engine was offered in larger 3.5 and 4.2 Litre sizes as well as a supercharged 4.2 Litre. The car's lighter weight meant the 3.0 Litre V6 was also offered although with the later introduction of the 2.7 Litre V6 Diesel the V6 petrol version was discontinued (neither V6 petrol nor diesel were available in US markets). A new 6 speed automatic gearbox was fitted which was lighter and offered better economy with lock up on all gears and a larger spread of ratios. Air suspension was fitted all round which provided adaptive damping as well as rear self levelling. Unlike other manufacturers Jaguar did not provide any driver control of ride height or suspension mode which was fully computer controlled. Dynamic stability control as well as traction control were standard. Two zone climate control was also standard with four zone available on long wheelbase models (optional on SWB). An optional touch screen interface controlled default settings, satellite navigation, the Alpine audio system, and blue tooth telephone. "Jaguar Voice" offered voice control of many functions. [edit] X358 (2007–2009) X358 Also called XJ8, Vanden Plas, XJR, Super V8 Production 2007–2009 Kerb weight VJ8: 3,770 lb (1,710 kg) VDP: 3,871 lb (1,756 kg) XJR: 3,946 lb (1,790 kg) Super V8 4,006 lb (1,817 kg) Main article: Jaguar X358 The X358 is a face-lifted version of the X350, and was unveiled at the end of February 2006. Aesthetically, the main changes were a new lower grille system, with a deeper, more aggressive gape, and side air vents added similar to those introduced on Ian Callum's 2005 XK. [edit] Mark IV X351 (2009-) Main article: Jaguar XJ (X351) XJ X351 2011 Jaguar XJ-L (US) Manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover Production 2009- Assembly Castle Bromwich Assembly, Birmingham, England. UK Predecessor XJ X358 Body style(s) 4-door saloon Engine(s) 5.0 L 385 PS (283 kW) AJ Gen III V8 5.0 L 510 PS (375 kW) supercharged AJ Gen III V8 3.0 L 275 PS (202 kW) V6 Diesel Wheelbase SWB: 119.4 in (3033 mm) LWB: 124.3 in (3157 mm) Length SWB: 201.7 in (5123 mm) LWB: 206.6 in (5248 mm) Width 83.1 in (2111 mm) Height 57 in (1448 mm) Kerb weight (SWB) Diesel : 1,796 kg (3,960 lb) Petrol : 1,755 kg (3,870 lb) Supercharged: 1,892 kg (4,170 lb) Add 23 kg (51 lb)) for LWB Designer Ian Callum On the 9th July the newly styled XJ was unveiled at the Saatchi Gallery in London, with Jay Leno and Elle Macpherson unveiling the new car.[12] The unveiling was broadcast live on the Jaguar website. In keeping with Ian Callum's new design direction for Jaguar, it is an all-new exterior design and a break from the XJ series mould carried over on all previous generations. It is a longer, wider car that looks much bigger than its predecessor.The front has clear links with the executive car XF, although with slimmer, sleeker lights and a larger, squarer grille and more aggressive appearance. The rear is the contentious part, like nothing Jaguar has shown before. The upright, swooping taillights, nicknamed 'cat's claws', and black roof panels each side of the rear screen, which aim to hide the XJ's width, are the most striking aspects. There is also a standard full-length sunroof, that extends all the way back with just a single body-coloured roof panel that the designer likens to bridges on yachts. The new XJ features innovative, all-LCD dashboard and console displays. The former can be configured to display various virtual dials in addition to the obligatory speedometer, whereas the latter presents different views to the driver and passenger, including control of a sophisticated video and audio system. Mike Cross, one of the company's Chief Engineers, spoke more about the new Jaguar XJ dynamics in an interview with Autocar.[13] Like several of its predecessors the X351 will be available with both standard and long wheelbase as well as many special editions. Engines are modern units, already seen in other JLR products: the five litre petrol V8 either normally aspirated or supercharged, or a twin-turbo three litre diesel which is predicted to account for most of the sales.[14] [edit] 'XJ' Numbering Just prior to World War II Jaguar, known then as SS Cars, started using a numbering system beginning with the letter X for internal projects. X meaning experimental, XB for military chassis projects and XF to XK for engines. This numbering system has never been consistent and there appears to be many omissions and duplications. Number Project XJ3 3.4-litre and 3.8-litre S-Type saloon cars (known to the Pressed Steel Company as 'Utah') XJ4 Designation of the project which led to what was publicly announced as the XJ6 XJ5 Modifications to the Mark Ten for air-conditioning XJ6 A V12 racing engine with four-overhead-camshafts XJ8 E-type 2+2 version XJ13 Jaguar sport-racing mid engined prototype XJ16 Jaguar 420 saloon XJ22 & XJ23 E-type Series Two XJ27 The Jaguar XJS XJ40 Second Generation Jaguar XJ6 (1986–1994) (as opposed to Series 2 version of First Generation) XJ41 Prototype Coupé replacement for the XJ-S XJ42 Prototype Drophead replacement for the XJ-S XJ50 Jaguar XJ12 Series Three XJ57 & XJ58 Jaguar XJ-S 3.6 litre XJ81 Second Generation Jaguar XJ12 (1993–1994) [edit] See also Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jaguar XJ Jaguar XJ-S [edit] References ^ "Autotest Jaguar XJ6". Autocar 134 (nbr 3920): pages 6–10. date 13 May 1971.  ^ a b c "News: New Automatic for XJ6". Motor nbr 3534: page 57. date 14 March 1970.  ^ Daily Mail Motor Show Review 1972 on 1973 Cars (London: Associated Newspapers Group Ltd): Page 27 (Jaguar XJ12). October 1972.  ^ a b c "Twelve for the XJ". Motor nbr 3652: pages 4–6. date 12 July 1972.  ^ Daily Express Motor Show Review 1975 Cars: Page 24 (Jaguar XJ6 L). October 1974.  ^ "Nachrichten aus der Technik: Jaguar mit amerikanischem Getriebe". Auto, Motor und Sport Heft 11 1977: Seite 64. date 25 Mai 1977.  ^ a b "Howstuffworks "1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II"". Auto.howstuffworks.com. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1973-1979-jaguar-xj6-xj12-series-ii.htm/printable. Retrieved 2009-04-13.  ^ Daily Express Motor Show Review 1974 Cars: Page 28 (Jaguary XJ12 Series Two). October 1973.  ^ "Welcome to the website dedicated to the Jaguar XJC". Xjc.com.au. http://www.xjc.com.au/story.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-13.  ^ "Daimler Corsica project". David Marks Garages. http://www.davidmarksgarages.net/daimler%20corsica%20part%201.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-23.  ^ http://www.jagweb.com/aj6eng/v8_performance.html ^ "Jaguar XJ: full details and pics". Autocar (Haymarket Consumer Media). 2009-07-09. http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/Jaguar-XJ-Series/241405/. Retrieved 2009-07-10.  ^ Interview with Mike Cross in Autocar ^ "2010 Jaguar XJ Teased at Shanghai Auto Show:The Icon Reimagined : Auto News". Autoguide.com. 2009-04-20. http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2009/04/2010-jaguar-xj-teased-at-shanghai-auto-showthe-icon-reimagined.html. 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Post a reply 11 posts • Page 1 of 1 Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by Careless Whisperer @ Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:31 pm OK peeps, bear with me on this. This guide is going to take me an age as I have the concentration span of...errr...something or other. Anyway, I'll format it thus and edit to add more detail as and when I get the time.First post is this little intro drivel which in the fullness of time can hopefully be deleted to leave a gleaming font of knowledge for all you V8 XJ followers. The second post will be the formal buying guide and the third post will be my enlightening tale of riches to rags. Thereafter, the floor is open for your comment and derision.May your heart be lifted and your wallet lightened.Groomi Last edited by Careless Whisperer on Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:38 pm, edited 2 times in total. Careless Whisperer Posts: 6045Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:07 pmLocation: The Real WorldHighscores: 5 Website Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by Careless Whisperer @ Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:31 pm Jaguar (X308) XJ 1997-20031. Specifications1.1 XJ Sport 3.2 8 cylinder 90 degree Vee Longitudinal front mounted, rear wheel drive Aluminium alloy head and block Capacity = 3248cc Power = 240bhp @ 6350rpm Torque = 233lb/ft @ 4350rpm Bore/Stroke = 86/70mm Compression Ratio = 10.5:1 Weight = 1710kg Power to Weight Ratio = 140bhp per tonne1.2 XJ8 4.0 8 cylinder 90 degree Vee Longitudinal front mounted, rear wheel drive Aluminium alloy head and block Capacity = 3996cc Power = 290bhp @ 6100rpm Torque = 290lb/ft @ 4250rpm Bore/Stroke = 86/86mm Compression Ratio = 10.75:1 Weight = 1710kg Power to Weight Ratio = 170bhp per tonne1.3 XJR 4.0 Supercharged 8 cylinder 90 degree Vee Longitudinal front mounted, rear wheel drive Aluminium alloy head and block Capacity = 3996cc Power = 370bhp @ 6150rpm Torque = 387lb/ft @ 3600rpm Bore/Stroke = 86/86mm Compression Ratio = 9.0:1 Weight = 1775kg Power to Weight Ratio = 208bhp per tonne2. Performance Figures2.1 XJ Sport 3.2 0-60mph = 8.1sec. Top Speed = 140mph Urban = 16.5mpg Extra Urban = 31.2mpg Combined Cycle = 23.5mpg2.2 XJ8 4.0 0-60mph = 6.9sec. Top Speed = 150mph Urban = 16.7mpg Extra Urban = 31.3mpg Combined Cycle = 23.7mpg2.3 XJR 4.0 Supercharged 0-60mph = 5.3sec. Top Speed = 155mph (limited) Urban = 15.3mpg Extra Urban = 28.3mpg Combined Cycle = 21.6mpg3. Common Faults3.1 NikasilV8 engines built between 1997 and middle of 2001 used nikasil liners. Later engines used steel liners and are not therefore exposed to the same potential problems. There is some vagueness about when exactly the switchover occured. A particular batch of engine numbers (I will add in when info found) are widely believed to be the switch-over period, although several owners have experienced nikasil problems on later 2001 engines too.Around this time, several manufacturers including Jaguar and BMW used nikasil cylinder liners. These could suffer premature wear particularly where ultra low sulphur fuel was used (now no longer available in UK). Unlike BMW, Jaguar have never accepted liabilty for this fault. For a while they replaced engines as goodwill but that action is highly unlikely to be taken now.A blow-by test can be carried out by any Jaguar dealer to determine whether an engine is effected. A score below 20 is good, 20-30 OK, over 30 poor and suffering from the problem. There is no generally accepted mileage where the problem is likely to occur, although ofcourse higher mileage engines are more likely to suffer. Now that ultra low sulphur fuels are no longer available in the UK, it is generally accepted that a nikasil engine will be fine if it is not yet showing any signs of premature wear.Note that there are other causes of cylinder liner wear as per any other engine.3.2 Secondary Timing Chain TensionersJaguar fitted timing chains to their V8 engines as a lifetime part. However, there is a widely known fault with the tensioner for the secondary timing chains. These were originally made from plastic which gradually wore down and broke up before failing altogether. The tell-tale rattle on starting up (often only moments before total failure) is known as the 'death rattle'. If you hear this, turn the engine off immediately! Later engines were fitted with a phase 2 part which is essentially the same as the phase 1 part, but fitted with an additional spring. The spring serves to stop the warning 'death rattle' but does little to improve the life of the part. Total failure will still occur.Finally a phase 3 part was fitted which is made from metal. So far I have not heard of any failures of these parts.Like the nikasil issue, Jaguar have not accepted liabilty for this design fault. Again, early problems often resulted in a goodwill replacement engine but this will not happen now. If failure occurs it will almost certainly mean a complete engine replacement is necessary. In my experience the damage was a holed piston, bent and broken valves and untold metal and plastic debris within the engine. A full stripdown would be required with no guarantee further damage would not be found. An uneconomical repair when the car was worth ££12k, let alone now early cars are worth half that.Most Jaguar specialists can replace the secondary timing chain tensioners with phase 3 parts for between ££800 - ££1500. I strongly reccommend that this cost is factored into the purchase of any use X308 Jaguar unless the car has documented proof of either phase 3 tensioners having already been fitted or a post 2001 replacement engine having been fitted. Post 2001 engines were fitted with phase 3 tensioners from new.3.3 Water Pump ImpellorAnother common problem with pre-2001 engines is the plasic veins inside the water pump becoming brittle and breaking up. This causes slow coolant loss and also loss of coolant circulation. This will fairly quickly cause overheating, but the warning light should give enough warning to pull over, turn off the engine and await recovery without damage.Be aware that a replacement water pump may not necessarily prevent the problem occuring again at a later date.3.4 Erratic WiperLike the XJ40 and X300 before it, the X308 has a single windscreen wiper blade. This should always rest on the drivers side and has standard functions such as wash-wipe (3 wipes) and time adjustable intermittent wipe.A common problem is the wiper behaving erratically. Wiping a number of times instead of once, stopping randomly and out of position during full use etc. Although this is not intrinsically dangerous as long as you are aware of the problem, it is incredibly distracting.The cure is supposedly to replace the wiper motor, although in my experience this only cured it for about 4 months. Alternative theories suggest a reduced current from the battery can cause it, although most automotive electricians deride the suggestion.3.5 CD ChangerThe boot mounted CD changer is known to fail to recognise the CD cassette. I believe the fault is usually a dry joint within the electric circuit inside the unit and can therefore potentially be fixed by an electronically capable person. Sourcing a complete replacement Jaguar unit is proving harder and more expensive as time goes on. The unit is essentially an Alpine unit (I will post product code when info found) which can be fitted instead although check the cable connection in the boot as there were two types used during production. 3.6 Gearbox LifeThe Mercedes sourced 5-speed auto box is supposedly sealed for life in the Jaguar X308. In reality, life can be anything between 60,000 - 100,000 miles. A complete transmission fluid change is recommended around 60,000 miles and can be carried out by most Jaguar specialists.Bear in mind that a gearbox failure is costly and also a very involved job to replace. I have experienced a poor replacement installation causing various electrical problems. Finding a reliable specialist is an important point here.3.7 DifferentialA traditional weak link on modern XJs. Nothing desperately wrong with the design, just a tendancy to leak a bit of oil so requires topping up, seals replacing and occasionally a strip-down rebuild to prevent running dry and causing major damage.Expect a Jaguar specialist to charge around ££250 - ££300 to rebuild a diff. 3.8 Throttle MechanismA known problem is a faulty throttle mechanism which can cause the car to stall unexpectedly. In my experience the problem started very intermittently and only during prolonged coasting from high speed such as pulling off a motorway and approaching a roundabout. Bear in mind that when an automatic car stalls, you need to bring it to a complete halt and select part before you can restart the engine. This isn't mich of a problem at a roundabout, but when it starts happening in the fast lane of the motorway everytime you lift off the throttle for a few seconds, it soon grabs your attention!My advice is that once you experience the initial problem, get the car booked in and fixed ASAP. The risk isn't worth it.Expect a bill from a Jaguar specialist of around ££250 to fix.4. What To Look For4.1 General Car Buying Hints & Tips4.2 Engine & Drivetrain4.3 Bodywork4.4 Electrics4.5 Interior5. Ownership & Running Costs5.1 Servicing5.2 Fuel & Consumables5.3 DIY6. Acknowledgements6.1 My exhaustive experience6.2 Reccommended SpecialistsSurrey Jag Centre (http://surreyjag.co.uk/) - I've used these guys for seven years without complaint. A team of enthusiastic and highly qualified guys who know what customer service is.Berkshire Jag Components (http://www.berkshire-jag-components.co.uk/) - Fast, reliable and good priced new and used parts.6.3 Reccommended Organisations6.4 Reccommended Reading Last edited by Careless Whisperer on Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:36 pm, edited 13 times in total. Careless Whisperer Posts: 6045Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:07 pmLocation: The Real WorldHighscores: 5 Website Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by Careless Whisperer @ Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:32 pm I had a truly immaculate 1990 XJ40 Sovereign 4.0L in one of the various shades of metallic red Jaguar used in th eearly 90's. It had been the perfect introduction to Jaguar ownership being both reliable and although expensive to run, it didn't surprise me with abnormal bills. The car was great and I didn't particularly want to get rid of it, but I wanted something faster. I wanted to keep up with the TVR's etc, but I had nowhere to park a Jag and a TVR. Also, I thought the TVR reliability issues would annoy me somewhat. So I decided that an XJR would fit the bill. Being the sensible person that I am, I wanted an X300 XJR with the straight six. Bombproof, quick, solid and at that time approx ££6k.So I test drove a couple and although they were noticeably faster than the XJ40 and obviously handled better, I felt the 4-speed auto really held the car back. By chance I tried a very cheap (££7.5k) X308 V8 car as a comparison. Although it was a bag of nails with scratches, dents and clunking from every corner it was clearly a quicker, better handling car with a perfectly suited autobox. After a little discussion with the Wife (where I was trying to stick to the X300 plan), she actually told me to get a V8 else I'd only regret it.Was she right or wrong...?Well, after a few weeks of searching I found what looked like a good value X308 XJR for sale at ££12.5k (double my original budget). It was at a Jaguar 'specialist' based on the A30 in Sunningdale. I went along for a test drive and loved the car. It drover straight, was smooth handled well and was in good condition although quite high mileage. After a bit of discussion we agree a deal taking the XJ40 in part exchange (why, oh why...) and including an RAC gold star warranty. I should mention at this point that I had thoroughly researched the problems associated with X308s and knew about every one of the potential issues listed in the guide above, hence getting a warranty which specifically stated timing chain tensioners within the policy. I also had a blow-by test done which scored 22 - pretty good, but not amazing.A couple of weeks later I drive the old '40 for the last time. I had polished it to withiin an inch of it's life and had all the folders (yes, plural) of history in the boot and the original dealer welcome casette in the armrest cubby - along with the ironic casette version of the stereo instructions. It was a sad occasion to hand over the keys. If anyone out there still has H363 DGS, I'd love to know it's still being looked after (and could be tempted to put in an offer!). Anyway, the short, fat salesman gives me the key (yes, singular - why aren't the alarm bells ringing already) and I drive off the forecourt.The wife and I had planned a little weekend trip to see some friends in Norwich - a round trip of approximately 500 miles. We drove striaght there from Sunningdale enjoying the power and comfort and generally feeling pretty chuffed. That is until we got close to Norwich and the gearchanges started being a bit sloppy and making some dodgy noises. I tried not to think too much of it and enjoyed a couple of days with friends before heading back to Kent. On this journey, the noises became worse. For half of the journey we were debating whether to call the garage to arrange for them to look at it. By the time we got home I'd pretty much decided to reject the car.The next day I call the garage we bought it from and tell them the car has a problem. I arrange to take it in the next day. Driving along the M25 to the garage i get about half way when the temperature warning light comes on. I immediately pull over, turn off and call the AA. I get towed to the garage and have a conversation with the service manager who advises that the temperature issue is probably something simple and not to worry. He admits the gearbox will need further investigation. For some reason I don't mention wanting to reject the car, as I really, really wanted a BRG XJR. So, with humiliation almost complete I am handed the keys to my old XJ40 as a courtesy car.Well, with all the emotions going on I just didn't want to like my old car. I tried everything to ignore the condition it was in and just told myself it's a courtesy car, it's not as fast as the XJR etc. etc.So a week later I return to the garage and pick up my XJR. The overheating was caused by a dissintegrated water pump impellor (see above, where are the alarm bells?). The gearbox problem was just a bit of fluid loss, nothing serious and it's back on the road. Excellent! I drive home and all is well for a day. Then I drive into London for work at rush hour. Stop, start, stop, start - hard work for an autobox? Evidently, too hard as sitting at the front of a queue of traffic it resolutely refuses to move under it's own steam. I eventually manage to crawl half onto the pavement with it in park can you believe! Several hours and one AA truck later and I'm back at the garage demanding to speak to the service manager. The short fat salesman then has to explain to me that the specialist service centre is infact a grotty shed in a nearby industrial estate. I snatch the keys to a courtesy Daewoo (1.3L, 3-speed auto - hardly a fitting courtesy car) and drive round to speak with the service manager. After a full and frank discussion he agrees to replace the gearbox with no cost to me.2 weeks later, I'm happy to hand the Daewoo keys back and pick up my XJR. That is until I get onto the M3 (about 5 miles away) when the 'gearbox fail' light comes on. The car is driving fine, but I head back to get it sorted. Another week and a Rover 75 later, and I'm back picking it up. At this point it turns out that not only did he have to replace the 'box, but also the diff (as there was a tooth missing) and the propshaft. Jees, that's pretty much the whole drivetrain thinks I.So, off I go again and everything is fine.Having got everythning resolved I was obviously keeping the car, so I went to another specialist who looked after my XJ40 and booked in for a full service. A big, big bill later presented me with a car with new brakes and lower wishbones and lower steering column. This had an immediate effect in improving the sometimes scary amount of tramling. I'm now loving this car, but bemoanign my lightened wallet.Some time later we're staying at a friends house overnight. In the morning we bid our farewells and get into the car outside and turn the key. BANG, BANG, BANG! The whole car shakes violently in the split second it takes me to release the key. I knew what had happened, it could only be the dreaded timing chain tensioners - new engine time. During the AA ride home (again, several hours later), I'm actually feeing surprisingly upbeat. You see, I was pretty certain this car would need a new engine, and I also knew the tensioners were covered by the warrantly so it was looking fairly good.The next day I get the car towed to my favoured specialist who agree with the likely cause. They advise they will need to take the head off to examine and file a report to the warrantly company. They do this, confirm the cause as being the tensioners and all the info goes off to the warranty company. Weeks later they reject the claim. 6 months of wrangling goes on with me sending Jaguar technical bulletins to them trying to prove that a tensioner is a single part (one part number) and not a tensioner and a plastic guide plate as seperate parts. Eventually, I had no chance but to accept an offer of 50% of the engine bill as they were arguing that a new engine on a 100,000 mile car was 'betterment' (look for this in your warranty small print) and would increase the value of the car. My arguement was that the policy is to repair the car and if they want to stick another 100,000 mile engine in then go ahead, but if it goes pop next week they'll be replacing it again as all warranty work is covered by the policy.So, after another month or so the car is fixed an I pay my half of the ££8.5k engine, plus another ££1k for a service which was now due and nearly another ££1k for a set of tyres needed despite the low miles I myself had covered. The car with new engine was probably worth about ££10k at this point...After that the car ran fault free for nigh on two years - as it should do being like Triggers broom...Then one day the wiper started playing up (see above, tick off another item). A relatively small bill to replace the wiper motor cures the problem for a few months and then it returns. I should also mention that by now the CD changer has packed up and I can't be arsed to replace it (see above, tick it off).Then, a few weeks later the problem which had been a once a year type occurance of cutting out at roundabouts becomes a dice with death in rush hour traffic as the car cuts out at 90mph in the fast lane at Junction 5 on the M25. People who know this junction will know that it comprises of two lanes of the M25 on the right, then two joining lanes from the M26 on the left with a further joining lane from the A21 left of that. So I have to coast accross 5 lanes of rush hour traffic with progressively heavier steering and then when I do reach the (rapidly ending) hard shoulder, I have very little braking left. Stop the car, engage park and re-start. Continue journey until Junction 7 and virtually repeat the whole scenario again! This had to be fixed quickly, so a mid-size bill later sees the car back and running well, but my nerves shot to pieces.The car is now running sweetly and enjoying a brand new set of Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta's, which are very well suited to the car and for all you XJR owners - they almost cure tramlining!!!So there we go, I'm off for some more prozac, I hope you've enjoyed three years in the life of Groomi. Careless Whisperer Posts: 6045Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:07 pmLocation: The Real WorldHighscores: 5 Website Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by LordGrover @ Thu Jun 05, 2008 2:14 pm You like Jag's then?Respect dude. I'm fed up with people taking the michael out of TVRs which have a similar reputation to that described above, but I've not suffered like you.If you love 'em, you gotta drive 'em. LordGrover Posts: 1277Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:18 pm Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by Careless Whisperer @ Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:17 pm Yep, I have Jags in the blood. Can't think of a better way to waste all my money - even cocaine and hookers would be better inside a Jag! Careless Whisperer Posts: 6045Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:07 pmLocation: The Real WorldHighscores: 5 Website Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by BentleyGT1 @ Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:06 pm Thoroughly enjoyed your informative guide ! ...... Just got an early 99 3.2 sport 66000 miles FSH .(I will now be the 3rd owner)Top and Bottom timing chain tensioners done last year I am chasing up more detailed history from POWERBELL GARAGE Jaguar specialist in Maidenhead the chap there has been "very very" helpfull indeed , and he is forwarding me the details of the maintenance and services he has carried out on the car the last two services he has done where in 06 - 07 though the previous services where done by Jaguar main dealers cant mention there names but one is based in Canterbury and the other in Sevenoaks both in Kent ! and both not helpfull at all apart from saying they know the car but do not keep detailed records after a certain amount of time !! ..... So why the B*%%#& Hell do we pay top "$$" dollar "$$" to a main dealer for a service but they cannot be bothered to back there stamps up after 3 years ?? , OK , I may keep all my paper work for anywork done on my cars but some people dont and at times it may get genuinley lost . So we have to rely on the stamps in the book . But a Jaguar specialist will spare me the time to look through his last 2 years archives to retrieve the work his garage has completed knowing full well I am almost a hundred miles away . Well done to POWERBELL !.Back to my XJ8 sport .... well ..... no replacement engine so Nikasel worry over my head ! but have just put it in for its annual service with Hartwell of Bristol , looks like the front subframe bushes and wishbone bushes well not looks like have been informed need changing as split and the PAS cooler is leaking. Find out more tomorrow ...Cheers for now! BentleyGT1 Posts: 1Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:58 pm E-mail BentleyGT1 Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by fasterstill @ Mon Sep 21, 2009 5:17 pm Hi ThereJust trawling the net looking at camberchasing on the xjr6 and found you guys.Thought you might like to know the camber chasing on the xjr6 is caused by the upper front wishbone bushes.They were never redesined for the xjr6, it was just a case of thicker anti-roll bar, lower/uprated springs and uprated shockes.I don't know how the mods feel about posting links to other forums so if you do a search for xjr6 you'll find it has it's own forum and you'll find the info there. fasterstill Posts: 2Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 5:11 pm E-mail fasterstill Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by Pigeon @ Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:38 pm Posting links to other forums is fine Pigeon CTF Technical Expert Posts: 13084Joined: Thu Feb 28, 2008 8:50 pmLocation: All alone in the crazy city E-mail PigeonWebsite Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by fasterstill @ Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:03 pm Pigeon wrote:Posting links to other forums is fine Thanks for that.XJR6 Forum! fasterstill Posts: 2Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 5:11 pm E-mail fasterstill Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by Gorvid @ Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:06 pm fasterstill wrote:Pigeon wrote:Posting links to other forums is fine Thanks for that.XJR6 Forum!Looks like a helpful little place.... Gorvid Founder of CTF Posts: 22389Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:16 pmLocation: Westcountry SeasideHighscores: 7 E-mail GorvidWebsite Top Re: Jaguar X308 Buyers Guide by Gizmo @ Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:45 pm I thought it was high sulphur fuels that caused Nikasil trouble, not ultra-low? Gizmo Posts: 17571Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:33 amLocation: London Village Top Display posts from previous: Sort by Post a reply 11 posts • Page 1 of 1 Return to Car Chat Jump to: Who is online Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest Amazon.co.uk Widgets Chew-The-Fat.com ‹ Board index Legal Stuff • The team • Delete all board cookies • Time zone: Europe/London Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group || HomeContactShopping CartCheck OutOrder Tracking Browse The Store: Product Search: Items: 0 Jaguar XJ8 - XJR Accessories-Manuals Badges-Decals Belts-Tensioners Body Fittings Brakes Cooling-Heating Differential Driveline-Axles Electrical Engine Exhaust Fuel-Emissions Gearbox Interior-Trim Light-Lens Service Parts Steering-Suspension Wiper System Information Jaguar Special Offers •BALL JOINT KIT •FILTER SERVICE KIT •TIMING GEAR SERVICE KIT •TIMING GEAR SERVICE KIT •XJ8 SUSPENSION KIT •BUSH KIT-WISHBONE •WATER PUMP-JAGUAR •BRAKE DISC-FRONT •BRAKE DISC KIT-FRONT PAIR •BRAKE DISC KIT-REAR PAIR Whats New - Just In •DIFFERENTIAL OIL SEAL Newsletter Subscribe to our promotions, coupons & news.Email: Subscribe Unsubscribe The word 'Jaguar' & 'Land Rover' Original part numbers & images are used for reference purposes only Jaguar XJ8 - XJR > Browse the store by selecting a subcategory Jaguar XJ8 - X308 - XJR Powered by British Parts UK Find the complete range of Jaguar Daimler XJ8 and XJR ( X308 ) spare parts with delivery throughout the Uk and export worldwide to the Jaguar enthusiast USE THE CATEGORIES MENU LEFT TO ORDER ONLINE Our electronic parts catalogue feature's a large selection of New Genuine parts and spares for most models of Jaguar XJ8 and XJR supercharged 1998 to 2002 all listed by in alphabetical order using genuine parts numbers delivered next day from stock - Where Else NEW PARTS DEPARTMENT OPEN DAILY FROM 9.00AM TEL 01438 354810 / 01438 354816 Our parts department is open daily from 9.00am for telephone orders or parts pick up. 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Multi-currency displaySecurity Policy Privacy Policy Site Map Copyright © 2010 British Parts uk All rights reserved. || Register Help Remember Me? Forum FAQ Calendar Forum Actions Mark Forums Read Quick Links View Forum Leaders iTrader iTrader Browse All Members What's New? VxON Club Advanced Search Forum Car Related Other Car Related Information Required / Provided Jaguar Xj8 (x308) If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Welcome to the Vehicle Information wanted forums. If you have resolved an issue with your vehicle, or gained useful knowledge from information recieved (or found) please contribute something back. The easiest way is to reply to posts with suggestions or advice that could help someone resolve 'their' issue. These forums were founded on free open information for all but we need your support in helping others. Another way of contributing something back would be to join the VxON Club as it costs a lot of money to host these forums to keep them free for everyone. Click HERE to enter the 'Club Enquiries' forum BTW Most common issues have already been resolved or discussed so please use the search function 'before' you start a request for help thread ;) + Reply to Thread Results 1 to 7 of 7 Thread: Jaguar Xj8 (x308) Thread Tools Show Printable Version Email this Page… Subscribe to this Thread… Display Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode 25-04-2008 04:12 PM #1 derkins View Profile View Forum Posts saving dosh....in a diseasel VxON CLUB MEMBER Join Date Mar 2006 Location Dundee...Scotchland RegionScotland Drives'54 Mundane-o 2.0 tdci Posts 949 Jaguar Xj8 (x308) Thinking about buying myself a Jag XJ8 on the X308 style. If anybody has any experience of the 97 model all comments welcome. I know that the 98/99 engines had cylinders lined with some exotic stuff that high sulphur fuels ate...so I've missed that issue. I believe the timing chain / tensioner is at 50k...is this a guide or a snaps at 10miles past it sort of deal? Anything to look for in particular during a viewing & test drive? Cheers Dave May the mass X acceleration be with you... VxON's sticker, graphic, livery & banner supplier. david@angus-signs.com Reply With Quote 25-04-2008 04:47 PM #2 shrink View Profile View Forum Posts Visit Homepage **VxON Photographer of the year 2008*** Join Date Oct 2003 Location Edinburgh RegionScotland DrivesE39 BMW 530D Posts 4,741 nice car, and a luxury high class progression from an omega My Old Cav CDX Pics: http://www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co....ad.php?t=89303 Reply With Quote 26-04-2008 12:46 PM #3 derkins View Profile View Forum Posts saving dosh....in a diseasel VxON CLUB MEMBER Join Date Mar 2006 Location Dundee...Scotchland RegionScotland Drives'54 Mundane-o 2.0 tdci Posts 949 Well...went for a wee pootle round in the XJ8...easy purchase, it's just 'nice'. That V8 'burble' is luuurvly when revved a little - virtually silent when on idle. Few minor improvements over the MV6...I can see the end of the bonnet :cool2: nice slush box & full leather. It is an IMMENSE bonnet and significantly larger overall - will take a while before I can do the "I can fit through that" with a couple of inches margin. Well chuft and my insurance remains the same...just a higher accidental damage excess. ...now, just got to sell the Omega... May the mass X acceleration be with you... VxON's sticker, graphic, livery & banner supplier. david@angus-signs.com Reply With Quote 26-04-2008 10:35 PM #4 shrink View Profile View Forum Posts Visit Homepage **VxON Photographer of the year 2008*** Join Date Oct 2003 Location Edinburgh RegionScotland DrivesE39 BMW 530D Posts 4,741 if you dont mind me asking, how much did that set you back? you know its gonna bleed you on petrol costs i still really fancy an omega, i'll probably get one soon. do you find the jag smoother, quieter and more refined on the road? I had a shot recently in a brand new mercedes E320 CDI and i must say that was particularly nice. The new 7 speed auto's are superb Last edited by shrink; 26-04-2008 at 10:37 PM. My Old Cav CDX Pics: http://www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co....ad.php?t=89303 Reply With Quote 27-04-2008 07:20 PM #5 Vectrolosys View Profile View Forum Posts Visit Homepage Club Barge VxON CLUB MEMBER Join Date Apr 2005 Location Bristol/UK RegionSouth West DrivesW124 Merc 300TE, XJ40, Corsa C SRi Age 31 Posts 3,450 Hello, Nice choice, the X308. The liners on early ones were lined with Nikasil, that got eaten away by sulphur in cheap supermarket fuels. Give your engine number to Jaguar to see if yours has been changed. Be very wary of the timing chain and tensioner on the AJ8 engine, it has been known to collapse. A new version has just been released and is well worth upgrading to. Other issues, very much like the XJ40 and X300 that came before, though the rust resistance is vastly improved!! James Reply With Quote 28-04-2008 05:05 PM #6 derkins View Profile View Forum Posts saving dosh....in a diseasel VxON CLUB MEMBER Join Date Mar 2006 Location Dundee...Scotchland RegionScotland Drives'54 Mundane-o 2.0 tdci Posts 949 Originally Posted by shrink if you dont mind me asking, how much did that set you back? you know its gonna bleed you on petrol costs i still really fancy an omega, i'll probably get one soon. do you find the jag smoother, quieter and more refined on the road? I had a shot recently in a brand new mercedes E320 CDI and i must say that was particularly nice. The new 7 speed auto's are superb Well I paid the princely sum of....£2150. For a Jag with a FULL dealership / Jag specialist service history, (93k on the clock), last one only 500miles ago - new(ish) P6000's on all four corners - not too many scratches - with the exception of one scraped corner of the bumper (a nearly missed wall...) Wheel arches good - not perfect, and a couple of stone chips on the bonnet. MOT's 'til December. Getting 19mpg...about 5 less than the Omega...or keeps it in the single digits if pushing on a bit. Very much smoother & quieter than ANY of the Omegas I've had - not as much a 'drivers car' though...so no chucking it into corners, but a lot more relaxing...and rear leg room is less (not MY problem)....and no HID/Xenon lighting (yet). Originally Posted by Vectrolosys Hello, Nice choice, the X308. The liners on early ones were lined with Nikasil, that got eaten away by sulphur in cheap supermarket fuels. Give your engine number to Jaguar to see if yours has been changed. Be very wary of the timing chain and tensioner on the AJ8 engine, it has been known to collapse. A new version has just been released and is well worth upgrading to. Other issues, very much like the XJ40 and X300 that came before, though the rust resistance is vastly improved!! James I knew about the liners - was apparently a 98/99 problem so SHOULD have missed that. Only thing i couldn't 'verify' was the timing chain / tensioner as the service history doesn't detail ANY parts...just a milage & dealer stamp. Having my 'guy' (local father & son garage - does all my cars and dad's an ex-jag mechanic) take a look at it on Monday as I've got an intermittant knock/tap/scuff...that wasn't there today when i went along...then came back...and went away again. Keeping both car for the next 3-4 weeks...then selling on the MV6...shame as I spent a ton of cash on it in the last year...disks & pads, tyres, full exhaust (not cats), oil & filter only a fortnight ago...missus was not a happy bunny... May the mass X acceleration be with you... VxON's sticker, graphic, livery & banner supplier. david@angus-signs.com Reply With Quote 28-04-2008 06:49 PM #7 Vectrolosys View Profile View Forum Posts Visit Homepage Club Barge VxON CLUB MEMBER Join Date Apr 2005 Location Bristol/UK RegionSouth West DrivesW124 Merc 300TE, XJ40, Corsa C SRi Age 31 Posts 3,450 Hello, Regarding the timing chain tensioner, they say replace with the latest item. I have a Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine somewhere, with an article on the different types of tensioner used. It's an engine that has matured nicely and delivers nice, V8 power. James Reply With Quote + Reply to Thread Quick Navigation Other Car Related Information Required / Provided Top Site Areas Settings Private Messages Subscriptions Who's Online Search Forums Forums Home Forums Welcome New VxON Members The 'Welcome New Members' Forum VxON Club Forum Club Enquiries Club Events 2010 Events Castle Combe 2010 PVS 2010 VBOA Billing 2010 Total Vauxhall Live 2010 VxON Rolling Road - 2nd October 2010 VxON Event Archive 2006 Archive VxON RR Day VxON PVS 2006 Billing 2006 VxON RR Day #2 VxON Castle Combe Day Castle Combe Eurofest TRAX 2006 VxONClub First Year party weekend 2007 Archive VxON PVS 2007 Billing 2007 VxON Castle Combe 2007 VxON Party 2007 Trax 2007 2008 Events Archive Castle Combe 2008 PVS 2008 VBOA Billing 2008 Trax 2008 2009 Archive Castle Combe 2009 PVS 2009 VBOA Billing 2009 Trax 2009 VxON Annual Party 2009 Meetings / Gatherings / Events Meetings & Events Forum England England Gallery Scotland Scotland Gallery Wales Wales Gallery Ireland Ireland Gallery Australia & New Zealand Australia & New Zealand Gallery VxON Community Community Central Was it you? 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(0 members and 1 guests) Visitors found this page by searching for: Nobody landed on this page from a search engine, yet! SEO Blog Bookmarks Bookmarks Digg del.icio.us StumbleUpon Google Posting Permissions You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts BB code is On Smilies are On [IMG] code is On HTML code is Off Forum Rules Contact Us VxON Archive Top All times are GMT. The time now is 05:46 PM. Powered by vBulletin™ Version 4.0.7 Copyright © 2010 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. Tabs System by vbSoporte - vBulletin en Español var noskimwords = false; || The cars | Jaguar XJ40 | X300/X308 development story Jaguar X300/X308 Previous Page Next Page With Ford's money behind it, Jaguar was going places during the early-1990s - and the X300 was a clear indication that Uncle Henry wanted the best for the Leaping Cat, sticking rigidly to marque values... perhaps too rigidly. Ian Nicholls charts the history of the impressive X300/308 and wonders what might have been... Back to the future N 1989 the Ford Motor Company took total control of Jaguar Cars Ltd, and once again, after five years of independence, the Coventry company came under the control of a large corporate motor vehicle manufacturer. However, unlike British Leyland, Ford was not cash strapped, and had high ambitions. One of the reasons Ford bought Jaguar was to gain a foothold in the world luxury car market. This was in the same year that Toyota had created the Lexus brand, and turned the market on its head. In July 1990, Ford nominee Bill Hayden succeeded Sir John Egan as Jaguar Chairman, and on his first visit to Browns Lane, was reputedly shocked to find out how shoddy the place was. Jaguar was going to need major investment in order to produce cars of the quality expected of them. At the time of the takeover, Jaguar produced three basic model lines, the XJ40, the Series 3 XJ12 and the XJ-S, which had actually just enjoyed its best year. In addition, the company was working on the XJ41/42 and the XJ90, which was intended to replace the XJ40 saloon. Ford ordered a thorough review of Jaguar's activities. Jaguar's own Sales and Marketing department felt the XJ41/42 was a "huge disappointment" and many other non-engineering parts of the company agreed with them, feeling it failed to reconcile design specification and design requirements. With Jaguar now in financial difficulties the XJ41/42 sportscar was axed. So what do we know about the XJ90? Jaguar historian Paul Skilleter, writing in 1991, reckoned that the XJ90 was a facelifted XJ40 four-door saloon, also known as the X90. Prototypes were run in the late 1980s with a variety of engines; the XJ91 was the V12 version; the XJ92 was both a Daimler and/or fitted with the forthcoming AJ26 V8 engine. And then there was the XJ93, a Daimler and/or fitted with the AJ26 V8 and the V12. Jeff Daniels, on the other hand, maintained that "prototypes ran, powered by a variety of engines including the AJ26 V8 engine, but the project was abandoned around 1990 and probably with good reason, given the likely cost". However, the go-ahead for the AJ26 was not given until 1990, and it took twelve months for a running prototype to be built, which perhaps discounts Jeff Daniels' claim. On the subject of the XJ90 and the cancelled XJ41/42, Roger Putnam, the then Sales and Marketing Director, said in 1996: "At the time a wholly new successor to XJ40, called XJ90, was being planned. Having scrapped XJ41 and XJ42, simply because it was impossible to reconcile design specifications and market requirements, we had to do a complete review of what Ford's chequebook would stretch to". Further clarification came from former Jaguar Technical Director Jim Randle in a 2004 interview with Michael Scarlett for Jaguar World Monthly. Randle stated. "When Ford took over, we got the replacement for XJ40 in place, which was called XJ90, and that was a re-styled job, slightly taller, slightly longer, a very pretty car, which we finished off while Ford was there in fact. (Bill) Hayden, when he saw it, said he was going to have an orgasm! But everything hit a stone wall in 1991. The car had to be stopped - after I left, they took the centre section of XJ40 and put the nose and tail of XJ90 on, and that became the car (X300/308) that then ran on." At the time of writing no images of the XJ90 have reached the public domain. X300 arrives... and impresses Whatever the truth of the matter of the new model's development, the saloon that emerged in September 1994 was an extensively reworked and re-skinned XJ40, a car that had it origins back in the days of British Leyland. In order to produce the saloon to the required quality, Ford invested an impressive £110m on newer manufacturing equipment at both Castle Bromwich and Browns Lane. This was to also benefit the XJ40 in terms of improved quality in the twilight of its production life. The development cost of the X300 itself came to £90m between 1991 and 1994. At launch Jaguar boasted of how much of the car had been re-designed and re-developed and was more reliable than the outgoing XJ40. Jaguar did not actually state that X300 was a re-style of XJ40, but pundits noted that the wheelbase was the same and drew the correct conclusion. In fact, there was an easier way to tell, the interior of the X300 was pure late model XJ40. The exterior styling as pure retro, harking back to the Series 3 Jaguar XJ, and was, if anything, even better looking. Although the styling was by Geoff Lawson and his team, the decision to go with the retro look is generally credited to Ford, although Jim Randle's account suggests that the pre-takeover Jaguar was already working on this styling approach. Revised interior of the X308 took away the XJ40 familiarity of the X300... Why was the retro look adopted? Possibly because Jaguar had stumbled with the XJ40. Although the XJ40 had been launched to widespread acclaim, early examples had suffered from electrical, steering and suspension problems. To quote Clive Ennos who took over from Jim Randle as Jaguar Technical Director: "And the XJ40 was produced remarkably, with about 300 people. Unfortunately, however, it needed a little more development when it got out into the field". Regrettably, the quality issues with the early XJ40s damaged Jaguar's reputation as a luxury car manufacturer, particularly in the important American market, an arena that Lexus had now entered with its more contemporary looking LS400. In the 1980s, the Series 3 had firmly established Jaguar as a quality manufacturer, a status the XJ40 came close to destroying. With the X300, Jaguar hoped to re-kindle fond memories of the Series 3. The X300's retro styling was a risky move in comparison with the state-of-the-art designs from the likes of Lexus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. By the time Clive Ennos joined Jaguar, its Whitley development centre had 1050 engineers working there, and Ford-style working methods were used to develop the X300. Clive Ennos commented in 1996: "There was no really affordable and containable cycle plan at that stage. Once a cycle plan had been put together, we had a superb talent base here in the engineering group... That was excellent in that we were very open-minded and could take on board some of the Ford processes and disciplines, and use them to really excellent effect. So the X300 was the first programme on which we pulled together". The X300 was the first Jaguar to benefit from computer-aided design (CAD) with the data of the new body shape electronically stored for use in the manufacturing process. Jaguar claimed there was more headroom in the X300 than the outgoing XJ40. As mentioned earlier the interior from the XJ40 was retained apart from a new design of seats. Jaguar claimed the new body shape was more aerodynamic - and it needed to be, as fuel tank capacity had shrunk from 19 gallons (86.4 litres) to 17.8 gallons (81 litres). The engine story Supercharged straight-six in the XJR was good for 322bhp... Engines for the X300 were the venerable V12 and a revised six-cylinder AJ6 engine, now re-christened AJ16. These revisions were intended to answer criticisms that the AJ6 was not as refined as it should be; indeed one journalist likened revving an AJ6 to thrashing a Morris 1100! In late 1989, the Lexus LS400 had made its debut with its 4-litre 32-valve V8. To Jaguar engineers, brought up with the tradition that mechanical refinement could only be arrived at through the use of six- and 12-cylinder engines, the refinement of the Lexus V8 came as a shock, because it was considerably smoother and more economical than the 4 litre AJ6. The Jaguar engine did retain a torque advantage however. As related earlier, Jaguar embarked on its own V8 engine programme, the AJ26, in 1990, that was due to arrive some time in the future - and that's why the AJ6 received a programme of revisions to become the AJ16. In 4-litre form, power was up to 245bhp and torque similarly improved to 289lb ft. The supercharged 322bhp XJR also arrived to challenge the BMW M5 but the 313 bhp V12, which was carried over from the XJ40, remained the pinnacle of the range. However, in terms of numbers, it was having real trouble making a case against the grunty new XJR. The V12 was vulnerable to emissions legislation, and demand for the engine evaporated globally once the six-cylinder XJS was fully on stream. The X300 V12 was codenamed the X305, and was better engineered than its predecessor, the XJ81. That car developed a reputation for wearing out its mechanical parts twice as fast as the six-cylinder XJ40, something that was rectified with its replacement. The X305 appealed to those who wanted a luxury car with all the trimmings, while the XJR had more sporting appeal. Wheel size went up from the XJ40's 15-inch to 16-inch, although the XJR had 17-inch alloys. Jaguar X300 figures 3.2 AJ16 4.0 AJ16 4.0 AJ16 Supercharged 6.0 V12 Maximum Power 216bhp 5100rpm 245bhp 4800rpm 322bhp 5000rpm 313bhp 5350rpm Fuel consumption N/A N/A 23.4mpg 18.4mpg 0-60mph 7.9secs 7.0secs 5.9secs 6.8secs Maximum speed 138mph 144mph 155mph (limited) 155mph (limited) In June 1995, Jaguar announced the long wheelbase X330. This became the standard bodyshell for the 4-litre Sovereign in October 1996. A sign of things to come was on 17th February 1997 when Jaguar's engine factory at Radford (the former Daimler factory) produced the very last V12 engine. In fact it was only two months later on 17th April 1997, that the very last XJ12 came off the Browns Lane production line - swiftly to to become a museum exhibit. For all its reputation for smoothness, engine technology had moved on 1971 and noise suppression techniques had allowed more economical smaller capacity engines to catch up. In its final months the X305 had only been available to special order, anyway. In all, only around 3400 X305s were manufactured. The X300 ceased production in August 1997 to make way for the V8 powered X308. The production run of 92,038 meant that the X300 had sold well but, with an average annual production of just over 30,000 cars, it showed Jaguar had not yet managed to reclaim the ground surrendered by the XJ40 in 1989/90 - even though the X300 was a much better car. The X300 was, in fact, a phased evolution of the original XJ40, and the next step was the X308. From six to eight... X308 arrives Few external changes, but a revolution in the engine bay... Visibly the revised interior was most important change to the X308, which finally did away with the last vestiges of the XJ40 dash and centre console. Externally, there were only minor cosmetic changes. However, 30 per cent of the underbody changed, and the amount of high-strength steel in the body was doubled. Wheel size went up to 17-inches on the standard cars, giving the X308 a more contemporary stance. The most obvious change was the powertrain, with a new 32 valve V8 engine mated to a five-speed automatic transmission. There was to be no manual option and, with Sports mode on the automatic box, the chances were that only a minority of diehards would want one. The X308 was naturally christened the XJ8, and was joined by a new-generation supercharged V8 XJR. Jaguar claimed its new V8 could match the legendary V12 for refinement. The new engine, dubbed the AJ26, made its debut in June 1996 in the XK8, was later to be re-christened AJ-V8 for PR reasons - but the AJ26 designation continued to be used within Jaguar. The new V8 was available in both 3.2- and 4.0-litre variants, and outclassed the AJ16 engines in every department, including weight. Overall, the X308 was 200lb lighter than the outgoing X300, with much of that down to the new power unit. Designed to provide refined power, to meet forthcoming emission regulations, and to match the competition, the AJ26 met all its targets. The 4.0-litre produced 290bhp, easily beating the Lexus for sheer power and refinement. Discussions on a new engine began before the Ford takeover and the arrival of the Lexus V8 hastened the project along. As the lead engineer on the AJ26 later said. "Lexus launched a fantastic new V8 engine in 1990 that really set all-new standards in terms of refinement, and BMWs are renowned for their performance - but we knew we had to exceed their achievements". Supercharged XJR engine was good for 370bhp - enough to go M5 chasing... Once Ford had taken over Jaguar, the Coventry men managed to convince the parent company that they needed a bespoke engine. Jaguar Powertrain Director Trevor Crisp takes up the story: "The decision on number of cylinders was far less obvious as we had to balance the frequently conflicting requirements of refinement, cost, economy and emissions. Our market research clearly indicated that refinement was a priority, and to achieve the programme objectives for this feature we believed that we needed a minimum of eight cylinders. A short stroke 'six' was considered but rejected due to the anticipated hydrocarbon emission problem and increased weight of the reciprocating components. "Ten cylinders were rejected on the grounds of inherent design imbalance, and twelve cylinders for cost and increased friction giving poorer fuel consumption. By concentrating on reducing the reciprocating weight and increasing the rigidity of the engine and transmission structure, we also considered that we could obtain refinement levels equal to, or better than, our existing V12 engine. A vee configuration, of course, gives a very compact package and greater freedom of design for the whole vehicle". Unlike his predecessor, the now deceased Harry Mundy who led the design of the AJ6, Trevor Crisp delegated the design of the new engine to David Szczupak, who had been with Jaguar since 1985. Szczupak and his team designed a compact, light V8 that even had ribbed cylinder heads made by Cosworth in an effort to reduce vibration. The engine had Nikasil plated bores to save weight, something BMW were also using at the time. It was a decision that was to come back and haunt Jaguar... Jaguar X308 figures 3.2 AJ26 4.0 AJ26 4.0 AJ26 Supercharged Maximum Power 240bhp 6350rpm 290bhp 6100rpm 370bhp 6150rpm Fuel consumption 23.5mpg 23.7mpg 21.6mpg 0-60mph 8.1secs 6.9secs 5.3secs Maximum speed 140mph 150mph 155mph (limited) Daimler Super V8 combined supercharged power and top-line luxury. Not a big seller, though... As well as the XJR, which was a supercar bargain, the supercharged engine was also available in the top of the range Daimler Super V8, which replaced the Daimler Double Six as the flagship model. The supercharged engine again used an Eaton blower, this time the M112. Because the AJ26 V8 was more compact than the AJ16 inline six, this enabled a second bulkhead to be fitted in the engine bay, which not only provided an extra barrier against noise and vibration entering the cabin, but allowed many important parts of the electrical system to be fitted behind it, out of harms way. Unfortunately, early on in the life of the V8 engine, Jaguar discovered that some high sulphur petrols attacked the Nikasil bore linings in the AJ26 engine and the company was forced to replace whole engines under warranty. X308 production ceased in December 2002 after 126,260 examples had been built. Whether this affected demand for the model is difficult to quantify, as BMW were similarly afflicted, but even the added refinement of the V8 engine was unable to boost demand to put Jaguar back into profit. The X308 was replaced in production by the all aluminium X350. Run-out XJR-100 was spoiled in the ride department by those 20in rims... Feedback: Thanks to Ian Nicholls Previous Page Next Page Related pages: ·Jaguar Under Leyland ·Jaguar XJ41/42 Development story The cars | Jaguar XJ40 | X300/X308 development story