Jaguar XJS Driving Experience
The Jaguar XJS was designed as a continent-crossing-collosus and in fact our car has been on many trips to France, chewing up 2,000 miles with contemptuous ease. But whether you're cruising through the Loire or pottering around the Cotswolds, the Jaguar is really about sitting back, relaxing and enjoying the view as you progress in smooth, quiet and utterly effortless style. In fact, just like Oz Clarke and James May in their recent TV tour of French vineyards Big Wine Adventure.
To drive this car is quite frankly to enjoy a magic carpet ride, such is the smoothness of the ride and stillness of the big V12 engine. It is a completely unique experience that few coupes or convertibles have managed to replicate. Top up or top down the car is smooth and free of the usual scuttle shake associated with convertibles. So just relax and enjoy the handmade walnut and leather interior and the ultimate in 1980s motoring comforts - electric windows, central locking, cruise control and trip computer, heated seats, electric lumber adjustment. Our car is also fitted with a high quality multi-disc CD unit and a professional rear seat conversion by TWR, which means it can seat two adults and two children in reasonable comfort.
The Jaguar XJS was never intended as a sports car but in V12 5.3 litre form, on the right road, it will easily keep up with TVRs, Porsches and Ferraris. Its reception on launch was less than positive but then it had a very hard act to follow in the E-Type. The press were expecting a svelte coupe to replace the iconic E, but instead they got an awkward looking grand tourer with a pair of distinctive 'flying buttresses.' But 30 years opinions have mellowed and today the XJS is distinctive, stylish, immensely driveable and increasingly sought after.