Always warms my heart when thinking about how beautifully British governments, media, management and workers worked together to completely ruin countless opportunities for automotive greatness - imagine how different things could have been with the tiniest amount of cooperation...
Blows my mind how some people think nationalising industries in the UK is a good idea! At least if you remove British Government and Civil Service from the ‘management’ equation you have half a chance of avoiding disaster.
The UK was at this time destined for (planned) de-industrialisation. Most all manufacturing and later mining was destroyed. Jaguar was simply one of the many companies which was also liquidated. Management, striking workers etc. we're simply programmed to act negatively. And " take the blame". Nonsense. Planned de-industrialisation across the board.
The UK and most if the Angloshere was and still is in a class war, you can tell from listening to the labour force at the time and today. This is what destroyed so many British busines, especially the decades after WW2. We are still in a class war, and the lower classes are getting thrashed due to not having a cohesive leadership and easily divided. The average British worker and union leader was not quite bright enough to negotiate in a more civilised manner and the management were so out of touch it was mind blowing. Whilst the Japanese and Germans all pulled together as a cohesive manufacturing/production team after WW2, the British tore themselves apart from huge class divisions. A lot of British workers were excellent as were the designers and engineers, but quite a large section of the work force were apathetic, careless and revelled in creating chaos and mayhem. Wages were a big issue, but management should have linked bonus to quality control for workers to incentivise some care and attention on build.
Ah Lord Stokes has a lot to answer for! You answered yourself when you mentioned £25 million being siphoned off by BL. Question is why did Sir William Lyons allow his carefully nurtured 'baby' to be ruined in that way - extraordinary! Daimler / Jaguar SHOULD have remained BL's halo company and been properly funded, giving the whole workforce something to be extremely proud of. Look what Akio Toyoda has achieved at Toyota and their 'GR' range of cars. However, there is hope if you hanker to own a 'well sorted' XJ and that's taking it to KWE in Thatcham whom have been ameliorating these cars for some time.
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
It's a measure of how beautiful the design is, that even in this car's less-than-flattering colour, it is still nothing short of gorgeous to look at. Absolutely one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
I have 4 Jaguars, 2 E-Types (1.5 and V12) and 1 series 1 XJ12 and last but not least a series 2 6-Zyl-Coupe. These cars are unbelievable even to nowadays standards. You only need to maintain them well and I tweaked all of them a bit to the better. As a German I must admit that those cars were better when coming out than that what the German car industry could offer. The reliability went down when Jaguar made its move to British Leyland, that is true. That was the start of the descending of the British car industry. Now, the fuel consumption is really poor, but not due to the engines; they are simply great. To combine a V12 with the 3 gear automatic transmission will make the car consume between 18 to 30 litres per 100 km (somebody needs to vonvert it into mpg). Also, the 4 gear transmssion does not make the best fit either. But that is the only downside for all those jags. Therefore, I converted all my cars into 5 gears (Tremec or Getrag). And that makes the difference really. Driving from Munich to Florence, which I do a few times per year makes my V12 E-Type (converted the engine to 6.1 litres) consume 11 litres with an average speed of 140 km/h, by 2000 rpm. Never more. FUnny enough, the 6 cylinders do use a bit more but that is because of a different differntial and a higher reving gearbox. That simply shows... the engines are great; a modern BMW M5 consumes also 10-12 litres with the same parameters mentioned above. Now, those are values you can compare and it simply shows what a great job the British engineers did 50-70 years back. The suspension ist still above standard nowadays and you can also do improvements on the brakes especially for the XJs. Also, what makes sense, is to modify the steering a bit as it was design in a way that no road bumps are disturbing the driver but giving then a bad feedback. But this is a small job to turn it to the better.
@@davidoetting1551 Obviously, I like good technology would be right. Nowadays I am driving a M5 and a MINI. The reason behind, best technology and the last independent car manufacturer. But... this will be my last BMW as also this manufacturer is moving in a strange direction; car plants in China (all MINIs now plus most electrified new cars) plus nearly only automatic transmissions (I remember the 80s and 90s where everyone in Europe was stating that automatic is only for Americans and Pussies). The only manuals for a while longer are the M cars but then with the Mickey Mouse cinema as a display. Maybe I am simply becoming old and outdated. :)
@@gunnarrohde3000 I have four Range Rover L322 from 2004 all with BMW inside plus two 2006 RR L322 with updates but much carryover BMW. Then there is a 93 750, newer MB SL500, Audi A8, my high school 1966 Ford convertible, my wife’s new Yukon Denali, a couple John Deere’s. But I’ve had a Rivian S on order since 2018. I wonder if it will ever arrive. My restored Series II E-type roadster had to go away because I could not see through the windshield frame. Oh well, it was fun to fix.
When you look at the history of the British motor car industry; it's hard not to think that there was a conspiracy to run it directly into the ground. Mission accomplished.
I remember, as a kid from Germany, walking across a parking lot of a five star hotel in London and wondering what that hum was. It then dawned on me that the whole lot was full of Jaguars with drivers all having their engines running. Super impressed by the refined sound, and I was wondering in my kid’s brain whether German manufacturers would know about these cars and why not everyone would buy them instead of a Merc 😂
@@WeeShoeyDugless That's still the case today. Jaguar and Land Rover are regarded as premium brands, but surveys by Which? magazine and others consistently show that they break down and cost much more per annum for repairs than other marques. Which makes me wonder, if you are actually taking your 4x4 off the road, surely you don't want it to break down miles from anywhere? But if your Range Rover is just a "Chelsea tractor" ...
Hi Jack. Lack of investment, poor management, disastrous business relations...it makes me weep with frustration when I think what brilliant cars we used to build and those maladies didn't stop with Jaguar or indeed the car industry. Thanks for another great video.
I think the reasons for the problems afflicting the British car industry are the interesting thing. It seems to me that we have a lot going for us from middle management to workers and this is one of the reasons that major Japanese manufacturers have invested so heavily in facilities here. Which makes me think the faults were maybe with senior management and owners. It's a simplistic representation but I believe it to be a reasonably accurate one.
I was listening to an interview on the design and production of the most iconic cars throughout automotive history. Two Italian gentleman who had been involved with Ferrari and Maserati, respectively. When asked about what they both considered to be their personal opinions on the most beautiful car design, they replied in unison, “Jaguar”. To hear them say that, when you consider that they have spent a lifetime in the luxury and prestige sector of the motor industry and that they are from a country with such a proud heritage and history, and are responsible for the creation of some of the most remarkable and finest motor cars of all time. It was a pleasure to hear such an endorsement.
You might appreciate this: I had a 1976 XJ12C with cabriolet windows (Frank Sinatra owned one as well). I had heard that only 100 were made that year (perhaps for US sales). One of its features was that the dash and instrument lights (on the console, etc.) were operated from a single light bulb in the console with a plethora of fiber optic cables running to each lit indicator., supposedly a first of its kind. You also didn't mention the burled walnut dash, and I'm pretty sure they only came (as mine did) with the Jaguar medallion as the hood; ornament, not a leaping after-market jaguar as in your car. Another "anti-theft" feature was a fuel cut-off switch you'd never find unless you knew exactly where it was. The bane of that car was it 's Lucas (Prince of Darkness) Electric wiring. "Why do the Brits drink warm beer? Because Lucas makes refrigerators." The car was a dark/aubergine red with a black vinyl roof, lots of chrome.
My Dad had the series 1 XJ6 with the 4.2 in the early 80’s and it was a reliable old beast all the time you kept a hammer in the boot for helping the fuel pumps play ball. His cost £150 but I remember being in awe at the the row of gauges as it looked like it had been plucked straight out a spitfire. When he sold it my younger brother couldn’t work out why we kept driving past the petrol station though lol.
Banging the fuel pump has been a Jaguar tradition forever. I had a '67 Mark 2 3.8L, and I knew exactly where to thump the rear side panel to activate the pump, if it didn't come on with the key. All part of the charm!
We had a new XJ12 just like in this video. It was horrible. The labor issues were made obvious by a stomach turning stench that we noticed on day one. A worker at the factory had purposely placed an open tin of kippers inside the door panel with a handwritten "Fuck BL" in black marker on the inside of the sheetmetal. Then the real trouble started. Our mechanic had the car about 80% of the time. Absolute garbage. Our Aston Martin from the same period, on the other hand, was incredibly reliable
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
Love these cars. Had a Daimler Double Six Vanden Plas (1974) and it never let me down in the 15 years I owned it…mind you, I did a major rebuild on the engine very early on and did most of the other work myself…so I know them intimately. Had both the six and the twelve. They drive like nothing else. Sold the six in 2011 and the twelve in 2020.
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
@@seanmonaghanbartlolomew5043 I barely use it, I have other cars to maintain and finally, I prefer to sell it to another person who will take care of it rather than the car end up rusting. I can give you my number and we can talk.
Although the radio, which was typically a five push button Motorola model was stereo, it usually had two speakers in the front and two in the rear. The Lucas Audio knob was probably the control to balance front to rear speakers. I know my Mk2 3.8L saloon had that feature even in the early 1970's. By the 1980's I had a used car dealership and remember getting a 1978 Jaguar XJ12 5.3L coupe in stock one time. It came with two full tanks of petrol so I decided to take it home for the night. It was around eleven miles each way but by the time I got back the next morning it had used around half of one of the tanks. It had Lucas fuel injection so I took it to the local Lucas specialist to check out. It turned out one of the fuel injectors was faulty and sticking open. Once that was replaced the fuel consumption became more acceptable. The thing was, with 12 cylinders, a faulty injector wasn't audibly detectable like it would be with most cars. It still sounded like it was running perfectly.
I used to visit Rover regularly in the late 1960’s / early 1970’s for the company that I worked for. One major complaint was that the profit Rover made went straight down the road to a big, black hole at Longbridge,probably the same happened to any Jaguar profits.
The original XJ series is still (for me) the most beautiful saloon car ever made, especially in Series 1 and 3 versions (in my opinion). And you are exactly right, this car had the potential to be the best in the world, were it not for the woeful quality and reliability issues. However, even before the BL takeover, Jags had a bit of a reputation for rust, and quickly descended into bangernomics - hence the prevalence of Mark 2s and S-types as compelling secondhand bargains (and cars for cads, bounders and vagabonds!)
One of my favorite cars, mostly because I grew up with them. We had 4 of them.. 2 6cyl. And 2 V12: The last one was a ‘74 XJ 12L in the same Sand Green color as your test car but with a biscuit interior. These cars made quite a statement in the 70’ & 80’s. So comfortable to travel in and with great backseat visibility. We had a few Cadillacs too and those always made feel queasy riding in the back because they were too floaty and I couldn’t see out
I've had six of these, currently an '88 Series 3 V12. I cannot be without one, as simple as that. Thank you for uploading this, superb example, superb video.
"A bit of a missed opportunity" is a gross understatement describing the whole of the British car industry in the late-'60s to the early 1980s. I had a '76 12C and it was indeed glorious when working properly...but that was only a fraction of the time. Once we cured the carburetor problems we discovered the trans had started to slip and the diff was beginning to growl and the suspension bushings were deader than Kelsey's nuts. And this was a 3-year old car with mileage just past 24K that had been pampered. I managed a main BL dealer at the time, so my ownership costs were reasonable, when I actually got to drive it. And don't get me started on the wind noise and water leaks. The XJ12s join the SD1 and the TR7/8 in the "what should have been, but never was" bin. Sold mine and bought a 300 SEL 6.3, which I kept for almost 20 years and it NEVER let me down. We used to say (not to customers) "be sociable, buy a Jag; you'll meet the nicest people on the side of the road, in the rain, with the bonnet raised..."
@@marks-the-spot I bought an 4.2 XJC IN BRITISH RACING GREEN MANUAL GEARBOX WITH OVERDRIVE 1985 only 68 thousand miles on the clock only paid £400 swapped it for a rover SD1 V8 vittesse wish I had kept the jag have owned 5 jags since my first one I bought in 1977 a 2.4 mark 2
I owned a Mk1 XJ6 back in the 70's and my fondest memory of it was the unsurpassed ride quality. I often think about getting one again but the reliability of an original now would drive me crazy. Still, I'm glad I had the opportunity of spending a few years with one.
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
@@lachezarvalentinov8751 I don't think Jack will like you using his channel as an advertising outlet. I suggest removing your comment before he does it himself!
My father owned three of these XJ series Jags and experienced everything that was good and bad about them. I think he paid about £3,200 for an S1 4.2 in 1972, an absolute bargain at the time, compared to the competition. I remember he drove it around for a few weeks with a blown exhaust, because replacements were unavailable! He then had an S2 V12, the same as in the video and this was probably the worst Friday car ever and spent most of its three years in and out of the local JRT dealer. The Lucas electrics were the big issue with it, with just about everything from the aircon to minor switchgear failing at some point! However despite this, he stumped up over £9k in 1977 for an XJ5.3C, the same as Harry Metcalfe's and this was totally faultless. Fuel economy on the V12s was pretty dire, even by 70s standards, 10-12mpg on the early carburettored cars and about 15mpg for the later fuel injected cars. However there was nothing that came close to the XJ at the time, in terms of ride, handling, refinement and performance. If they'd got the quality right, they could've charged 50% more for the cars.
pretty much! My dad got a 1982 XJ6 Vanden Plas with black exterior and grey interior with amazing real wood trim. That thing was smooth and amazing. It was in the shop too much I guess and he dropped it for a German tank!!! Talk about being let down!!! 300SD was such a letdown but so reliable
@@jamesmedina2062 I had a 1972 Regency Red XJ6 for 8 years and sold it for a Benz 300TD. After two months of boredom I sold it for a gorgeous black new 1982 XJ6! 🤣🤣🤣
@@donswork3059 I feel you! The way you describe the Mercedes is exactly how they made you feel although they did get you from point A to point B and did smell ok. The Jaguar just smells and moves better and looks the sexy part too! It's got curves which I like!
I remember my parents' 1985 XJ6 well, and I see lots of similarities here between the Series II and Series III. I remember the car not being very fast compared to the GM cars we had at the time, but the ride, as you say, was completely different. Very solid and never any float, ever. Sometimes with friends in the car, we flew through a rough section of road that had all other cars bouncing and bump-steering, but the Jag was perfectly smooth and stable. And I can't leave out, gorgeous!
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
however much praise you heap on this, no one needs a V12 engine. it's incompatible in today's world where the emphasis is on lower pollution, lower emissions. MPG not BHP. You go on a British motorway and you cant even do the 70 mph limit brought in 1965 !
@@vincentl.9469 I came back from last minute Xmas shopping in Birmingham and although the motorway was quiet, there was a 60 mph limit "for the sake of the environment" until we got out of the West Midlands County. (I would have taken the train, but couldn't risk it with the rail strikes and sudden cancellations.) Fair enough, Brum has had problems with air quality for a couple of centuries. That's the way things are going!
I started my working life at a BL / Jag dealer when the S1 was new, we all loved the Jag, super to drive and not to hard to work on, when i got my licence i was allowed to borrow the company "bike" a white 4.2....ah the good old days 🙂
A good friend 's dad had a Daimler v12 (double six?) can't quite remember but I can remember it's luxurious magic carpet brilliance. Like a hovercraft.
Have always loved the XJ series. I totally agree with your analysis Jack. William Lyons started out with a great car and throughout its various Marks was generally well received (early XK120 not so well, a bit small inside cabin). The British car industry generally was beset by strikes but Jaguar was a good example of a great product being hampered by Labour relations. BTW I believe Enzo loved the E Type so that says something about the Jaguar brand. Thanks for the video Jack.👍👍
I had an old series 2 XJ4.2 back in the late 1980s and can still remember the overwhelming feeling of wellbeing cruising along in it. It was so much better than any other car I had driven. As you say the ride was superb and the engine had just the right amount of rumble when pushed and silent otherwise. It wasn't fast, but most of the torque came when you pushed the throttle a little bit, so it still felt pretty punchy. Only problem was its prodigious appetite for fuel. 16mpg mostly or 17 if you barely used the throttle..The V12s were around 12/13mpg!! The tanks were about 10 galls each, so you made a lot of visits to petrol stations!
That Lucas knob was called a third dimension if my memory serves me. I fitted one to my Escort Mexico. Wired into radio/cassette with an extra speaker at rear which gave an enhanced bass.
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
Back in 1975 my boss bought a new Daimler Double 6 company car, (for about £8k) and as I was the best driver on the firm he used me to drive him places, which at age 20 was a real pleasure, I had it up to an indicated 150 mph a couple of times on the M20 (on my own) and it would handle steady as a rock when driven at those speeds through the curves on the motorway, although it was pushing things quite a bit. The V12 had enough power to spin the wheels in low gear on a full throttle pull away and for a heavy automatic transmission car that takes some doing, then of course there's the fuel consumption which was quite a shock for me at up to 20 gallons of company paid for squirt in one evening due to me joy ragging the V12 all over the place in the time between dropping the boss off and collecting him from his evening out in London's West End . After about a year, so many thing had started going wrong with the car (mainly electrical) that the boss traded it in for a new rubber bumper MGB Roadster (mid life crisis?) and he only got £1500 for the Daimler on the trade in although the car was only 12 months old!. I have to say that before too many things started going wrong, it was a dream of a car, so smooth and fast and with such impeccable handling, I would like to own one today if I could get an example that had been properly sorted, it really was a great car..
They were indeed beautiful,but you need deep pockets to run and repair one.I delivered one to a customer after body repairs and was astounding to drive,so smooth and yet it could shift.Gorgeous!
I took one of the last xj8s for a spin up the coast a couple of years ago, a 3.2 and I was impressed by that. It handled everything except tight corners well and the 240bhp moved it exceptionally for the weight of it.
Had a lovely red one back around 88-89, paid half the asking price and spend 12 of the most enjoyable months driving it around. Only ever cost me tyres as the company was covering the fuel. At a best of 12 miles to the gallon, just as well! If I had somewhere to keep it, I'd have another in a heart beat, even with the fuel costs.... Definitely, my favourite car in fifty odd years of driving.
My Dad had a Daimler V12 Sovereign in 1979. It’s reg was WOX69T I think. He drove it to Monte Carlo over the Alps with me my brother and Mum in 1980. It was a mad journey. God knows what it would take to fill up nowadays with its twin tanks.
The vast majority of people only used one tank. They were both 10 gallons. If you needed to use the second tank the points in the SU pump would have siezed from lack of use and you would be left stranded. Fabulous cars though , both the 4.2 and 5.3.
The XJ12 was so far ahead of its time they were still building it in Series III form (the best looking of the lot) until 1993. The tragedy of Jaguar is that Bill Lyons had the cars built down to a price, with electrical gremlins and endemic rust the inevitable result. I had a Series III V12 and loved it, despite the hilarious fuel consumption.
In the late 70's my Dad drove for a chauffeur company. They had to have an XJ on the fleet because many of their clients insisted on the car but they had to have two as one was always being fixed. As soon as one was sorted the other had issues. He did bring one home occasionally and as child I loved them and so did my mother. To this day ask my mum what's her favourite car to be driven in she will say Jaguar.
My Dad had a 4.2 Series 1 (in the same colour as in this video) when I was a lad. Loved being picked up from school in it !! Although was highly embarrassed too when my Dad spun it on a wet roundabout 😂 No damage ,just wounded pride. I also recall watching the fuel gauge go down when my Dad booted it … sub 10mpg and the cool tank switch. I also remember it used to drink oil - apparently the oil rings were supposed to be changed after the run in period but never were. I remember being stood in the huge engine bay on the chassis rails helping him take the head off for some reason … brilliant Dad / son bonding time, Id have been about 8 at the time I guess !!
Lovely car. The dad of high school friend of mine bought one new in the mid-70s, I think it was 1975 model and I’m pretty sure it was a V12 not the 6. The reason I think it was a V12 was that the gas mileage was not good (the few times I rode in it his dad was always complaining about that) and with gas prices here in the US doubled (60 cents US per gallon!) it made the V12 really unsupportable for most who might afford the car itself. I think he kept it for a year-ish and traded it in for a MB 4 door diesel. Great video!
Had a v12 coupe for a while, what a fab car. You need to mention the wonderful smell from the wool carpets, leather seats and real walnut dash oh yeah!
Hi Jack, great video and lovely to meet you at Bicester yesterday and chat about the Bismark on camera. The XJ or eXperimental Jaguar was, as you said, a high water mark but I always had the feeling that defect was snatched from the jaws of victory. If you want to know how bad it got read the excellent "Saving Jaguar" written by Sir John Egan on the story of turning around the business before the sell-out to Ford, it's truly fascinating.
When I was a little kid my dad bought me a toy car XJ V12. It was this exact model. When I asked about the car he said that it's the finest car in the world. This really has becoming a classic. The coupe version even more so... it's a beauty.
Living in Australia and needing to travel long distances for his business my father always drove Pontiac and Chevy V8s, until the Jag V12 saloons appeared. They drove very well and he ( being very status aware ) thought they might be seen as a bit more classy. The problem turned out to be reliability. His American cars were practically trouble free while his V12 Jags and Daimlers were always breaking down. They were also less practical as the cabin was cramped as was the boot space and tall passengers had too little headroom.
I'm actually glad you brought that up. Sure, Euro cars had class, looks, and exotic bits.... but people forget that American cars were built for the huge expanses of North America. They get a bad rep, but they were well suited to their environment and buyer needs.
My parents had the 12. Gorgeous car, lovely to drive, delight to ride in. All the Lucas issues constantly. When the power steering pump seals failed on the way to the opera, with flames licking the front tires, my sainted mother swore like a sailor with the gist being "this car must go!"
The Lucas audio “third dimension” controller was basically an early stab at adding “surround sound” in a car. This was available as an aftermarket kit, not sure if they were also installed from the factory. This was during the height of the wildly popular multi-channel, quadraphonic, hi-if experimentation of the 70s. The unit was a little mixer that would pipe the existing audio to a separate single loud speaker, you could dial in the level of effect with the knob. I believe it was similar in concept to wiring a “dynaco” style center to stereo l/r channels.
The Lucas Audio Third Dimension that I had was simply a third speaker which amplified the base and added a different dimension to the ordinary stereo system. The forerunner to the "Boom Boxes" of recent times.
I remember as a professional mechanic back in the early eighties a few of these crossed our dealership. On one we found an Orange (long dried up and shrivelled obvs) deep inside the heater box that can only have been placed in there during its assembly on the production line, and another (I didn't see it but heard about it) had a spark plug welded onto a length of welding wire and hung inside the B pillar, presumably to cause a constant dam near untraceable knock when cornering that again can only have been placed there on the production line. Long live 70's labour relations with BL!
I once met a guy who had a Merc after having had 5 Jags. Every one was a wrong 'un. His final one had to have a bottom end rebuild and they found 'FUCK BL' scratched into the shell bearings. Don't know if it was true, but you can believe it. It's never cooled my ardour for Jags though. I've had 9.
I had an ultra low mileage 1973 Daimler Double-Six Vanden Plastic Series 1 that I absolutely regret selling. They’re beguiling, beautiful wafters with a surge of creamy power and unbelievable ride quality… but they weren’t very well made, it has to be said. Liked a drink too 😁
Wow I remember Kennings dealers. I remember going into one in I think 1976 with my father to see the then brand new Rover SD1. We went to see it as my father drove a 1974 Rover 3500 V8S. XJ12 especially in Coupe form was quite some car.
The main reason the V12 Jag and other similar large engined cars were not more successful in the 1970's was primarily the fuel crisis, escalating prices and massive shortages, with limits on how much petrol you could buy. I remember the queues and astronomical prices at petrol stations. Unfortunately as the V12 Jag also had the issue of barely reaching double figures in fuel consumption when driven less than "sedately". With 24 gallon (UK) fuel capacity, in 1975 petrol was around £1 a gallon for 5 star, that's £24 to fill up. The average wage in 1975 was under £40, sprited driving would empty the tanks in under two weeks if primarily driven round town and fast A & B roads. That's almost a third of your wages on fuel, excluding all other running costs. Bear in mind quoted fuel consumption figures were for cars that were never driven over 55/60 mph and accelerated like your nervous granny was driving, all on a perfectly smooth test track, not public roads.
Or if you had management based on merit and proven competence, and not based on who you knew in the old boys clubs regardless of your competency for the role.
@@MrManBuzz it's still like that in a lot of industries but we just get on with it because well we need our wages unfortunately but yeah I do understand your point and I do agree with you! Striking just destroys industry and jobs tho in the end........
@@ryanmccormick2150 True, but it was even worse back then in BL. Unions were quite zealous without doubt, but the management has the lions share for things going tits up.
Great item!! I was an apprentice in the Coventry Jaguar factories (including service at Kingfield road) in the 70's. I started just after the E Type finished, which was a shame but was there to see the V12 become fuel injected in the saloons and XJS. After the first year basic training we apprentices were let loose on the factories and I ended up at Browns lane which was the main production/assembly facility. I Eventually found myself in Test and Rectification where a gruff foreman asked if I had a driving licence? I answered in the affirmative and after a short test with the foreman I had my Jaguar driving permit. So at 17 I was there let loose with V12 Jaguars and thought all my Christmas's had come at once. The stories I could tell!!!!! Everything you said about labour relations and the negative affect on Quality was spot on and in no way helped the V12. Another thing that didn't help was the fuel crisis of the late 70's and early 80's as fuel consumption was not the V12's strong point. As for me that fantastic apprenticeship has kept me working all of my life for which I am very grateful! I never did get round to owning a V12 but I do have a coffee table in the lounge fashioned from a Jaguar V12 engine block which makes me smile every time I walk by it!!
Australian here. I've always loved hot rods. I think the XJ and the E type are two of the most beautiful production cars ever but custom cars and particulary hot rods do it for me. In Australia, an uncountable number of Jags have had their rear ends taken for use in hot rods and no rear end looks better. As well, many jags have had their engines taken out to be replaced with small block Chevys (I want to vommit when I think about that). That begs the questions of what became of all the cars that had their rear ends taken and what became of all those engines that were replaced with American iron? Many of those would've been V-12s. Well, I'm building a 1923 Ford Model T C-cab panel van and not only does it have the rear end from an XJ (actually, a Daimler Sovereign) but the V-12 engine too. The Daimler was rusted beyond saving and though its body has gone to God, its organs will live on. I live near Newcastle (not the one upon Tyne) and there is a Jag specialist here who can build a V-12 that could rotate the Earth.
An excellent report Jack, informative and entertaining. You really managed to get across the feel and spirit of the car. I was a little trepidatious to start with being a Jaguar devotee and the XJ12 being a personal favourite but you truly nailed it. Great work sir! 👍
Thank you. Didn't realise the build issues of the time. Some car design features are timeless, we all love them today year's later. In Australia and NZ we loved Jaguar, one issue I remember at the time was rust. We were prepared to overlook the degree in engineering required to work on the motor, as we already knew about English car's, Triumph, MG, and Vauxhals. Great post, brings back memories. Perth WA
Nice video. I have a 1989 V12 XJ-S with the HE engine. Sadly they've all been lumbered with the same reputation for incredibly bad fuel consumption based on the initial pre-HE versions and/or by people who bought a big long distance cruiser then never left Londonshire nose-to-tail traffic with it. I think half the problem is how cheap the car was - suddenly you had a person on a Ford Granada budget rolling round in a 5.3 V12 horrified that a car with a similar engine to a Ferrari or Lamborghini used a lot more petrol than a 4-cylinder Ford did, and the same applies to servicing costs too. Even though my HE V12 is still lumbered with the crap 3 speed General Motors TH400 automatic porridge-stirrer gearbox, I consistently get 19-20mpg average without trying too hard so long as I don't make a habit of sitting in traffic jams, which is better than most people can get in even much more modern Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari or Lamborghini V12 cars. Perhaps I'm just a far superior driver and don't realise it - but I doubt it. Replacing the crap automatics which hamstring V12 Jags with 5 speed manuals is very popular nowadays and plenty people who have done so can easily manage 25-27mpg from the 5.3 HE engine which was used in the Series III XJ12 and post-1981 XJ-S. The 6 litre V12 used in the XJ81 and facelift XJS was a really nice engine with an entirely new management system and a 4 speed gearbox as standard. Obviously these were better on fuel compared to the pre-HE by a long shot too.
My old man's business partner, in a small town in Australia of all places, had a dark blue Daimler Double Six and that was an absolutely fabulous car... He never had any problems with his. It was pretty late in the XJ story, so his was pretty sorted by then I guess. When he sold it, he went on to a 760iL and BMW ended up having to buy it back off him it had so many problems. After that he's bought Lexus ever since. So it's funny Jack mentioned the Lexus type quality of the XJ. My mates and I had many a debate about which car was the coolest in town. Mr. Burgess' Double Six or my Dad's Atlas Grey HSV SV5000. I still maintain it was Dad's car.
As I mentionned in another video: I LOVED the ride in those cars. They were beautiful on the inside and the exterior as well: To me it is a shame that they do not produce a Jag with this body style anymore. It is an absolutely timeless design and like a great wine it only gets better with age. We had to fix a XJ12 in our bodyshop that was slightly hit in the back. Around the rear wheel wells there were already rustholes and the car was hadly five years old. I witnessed the owner call his Jaguar dealer asking if there was no warranty on the body of and I cite: "This piece of junk"! The bolts of the rear bumper were rusted as hell and it was a miracle we could remove them without breaking them. I still love the XJ though. But for people outside the UK those cars were never really cheap.
The XJ really was Jaguar's high water mark. Forget your Mark II's, this was the proper thing. The quality was dire though. The shells were built at Pressed Steel and transported by road to Browns Lane in all weathers, the the XJ shell is a terrible mud and rust trap. Most were rusty at six years old. I restored a 1977 V12 in 1989 with just 55k on the clock and the first owner had it repaired and repainted in 1984.... The smell is Connolly leather btw, superb stuff unlike the rubbish in modern cars. Browns Lane wasn't as strike prone as the other BL owned plants but it was a small and antiquated factory that didn't have the capacity. It was a the terrible reputation that killed sales plus the arrival of cars like the 7 Series, 2.8 Granada, Opel Senator etc. All brisk, relatively economical, nice riding and well built alternatives to the 3.4 and 4.2. The V12 was in a class of its own though. I think Lexus were the first to really better it with the LS400. On launch in late 1972, the XJ12 cost £3673 - the 4.2 was £3183, a Mercedes 450SEL £9582 and a BMW 3.0Si £4899. The latter car was as fast as an XJ12 to 100 mph.
Thanks for posting. Random question but do you know where the Pressed Steel factory was? I have a vague memory of my grandfather discussing getting to it - maybe he worked there. I think he lived near Leamington Spa at the time, possibly Coventry.
Love the car. When I managed a foreign car repair shop we had one come in for a valve job. It was $4K in 1981 dollars. The interesting thing it ran decent on 9 cylinders, but really moved with all claws dug in.
It’s the best looking sedan of all times, it’s a shame they are so very expensive to own, to buy and to maintine ik the Netherlands, but really i want such a car, it is a straight six or the v12 , both are so nice!! Good video Jack, Thanks Greetz from the Netherlands , ramon
Hey there! Just want to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8.000€. Just fly to Barcelona Airport and I can pick up from there and bring you to my jewel.
That Jaguar has been very well taken care of by previous and the current owner. It looks like new. A car that the owners have loved and taken care of is nice to see. Some older cars have better styling and much more character than many new cars. You can see the smile on the owners face as he drives his Jaguar,he really enjoys the car.
Beautiful car but it had some complexities. The rear inboard brakes were a nightmare to service, the twin gas tanks had three solenoids that drove mechanics nuts, a wheel alignment required a strap down process, the hood pops open on one side when you hit a bump, the a/c was complicated to fix...but it sure was pretty and drove fantastic.
The inboard brakes ...To change the pads you had to drop the entire rear subframe( the piggy back handbrake pads at least) Yes the fuel pumps were Lucas and even if one tank was full they would not let the petrol from it when the other was empty.The ignition was Lucas and lucas components ironically didnt like voltage.Great looking cars but I wouldnt be brave enough back then frankly.Shame but a much better bet was a Ford Granada Ghia mk1 3 litre ghia of that year.
@@glennpowell3444 you don’t need to lower the subframe for pads. They are good serviceable. Changing discs or calipers is another story but can be done with subframe in place, but Advisable is to get the subframe out
The “Lucas thing” (technical term) queried at 7m23s was a simple gizmo that took the existing audio output and fed it to a 3rd speaker in the rear via some primitive audio filtering, and it kinda allowed adjustment to bass/treble, and provided a sort of interesting ‘surround’ effect. Often with added ‘crackle’ from a dodgy pot !!
Oh my god yes, I had an XJ12 for 18 months of pure heaven ...ran it between my home in a Devon Village all over the country and loved it to bits as did my family...even though only 10 -14 mpg and occasional overheating when parked and engine running. slowly but surely bits and pieces failed but not that wonderful engine which used practically no oil. The day of reckoning was in the Devon Village where I lived and some prat ran in to the front when it was parked up overnight. That was it, the combination of failing instruments and front end damage saw the end of my love for this car
I love my 1985 series III Sovereign XJ6, a far more comfortable ride than many modern cars. Once on a local expressway at 110km/h the idiot in front slammed on the brakes, spinning the steering wheel I went almost sideways into the adjacent lane and as the centre of gravity is so low on the Jag there was no apparent body roll, it just went where I pointed it.
Easily one of the greatest cars. My father had a series 3, 4.2. It was the first car I drove after passing my test. I remember it needed a new engine at some point. The interiors were rock solid, but rust was always going to be an issue.
I had the Daimler VDP version, and it had been lumped with a 350. Some people might claim it's heresy, but it kept it out of the knacker's yard. A superb design.
The headlight rim air vent was in the Series One. Nice way for water to enter and rust the front wings around the headlight. My late father bought one in 1977 and the ride was incredible.
My girlfriend in High School (1970's) had access to an XJ6 and was very generous in allowing me to drive it. I loved everything about the car, and drive an F-TYPE currently.
This video helps explain why they had so many problems. I cannot afford to run an XJS so I have settled for an X type which is a scaled down version of it. Essentially the XJS you can afford.
1971 XJ6 4.2 - travelling over the Canterbury Plains, dad seemed to be passing everything else, yet he was not a boy-racer type and the car was cruising along effortlessly. I took a look over father's shoulder and he was doing 95 mph without even trying! The rest of the traffic would have been doing 75 mph, a most respectable (illegal) clip for 1972!
Yes,i remember it.When that car he`s driving was first registered,there were strikes going on including the Electricity board shutting down the lights everywhere,in the streets and in homes in UK.There were strikes at British Leyland who took over the Jaguar brand and this decimated the chances of Jaguar being a hugely respected prestige brand
Fabulous cars. I owned a 1974 Series 2 XJ6L saloon and a1975 Daimler Soverign 2 door coupe followed by 2 XJS V12s .The series 2 cars were the best cars I ever owned and would love to own one today. Certainly in their day there was nothing to beat them for style, comfort and performance.
My Opa would often tell us stories of racing foreign registered cars down the Autobahn. He said one of these Jaguars with UK number plates challenged him on the Autobahn at about 5:00 in the morning. He was driving a Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC. He said they raced for about 10 minutes until the Jaguar had plumes of steam coming out of the engine bay and had to pull over to the breakdown lane.
Great video Jack. Always loved these cars, would never have been able to afford one. fact is, British made cars were all pretty atrocious, just in different ways. That's why Datsun took the UK by storm when you could actually buy an affordable new car that always started and didn't break down. A little tale: my first car was a 1964 Morris Oxford, bought from a friend at work for £45 in 1971. This was quite a luxurious car in its' day, bear in mind that it was only 7 years old. Both the front A pillars were completely rotten causing the front doors to drop. The chassis had already been welded and plated up in about 5 places. After about a year it failed the MOT on the steering box being loose. This was caused by the chassis it bolted to being completely rotten. I kept the car for about 4 years, but had to work on it constantly. By the time I scrapped it, it had holes in the floor you could stick your foot through, a completely shot gearbox, but the engine was still pretty much OK. It had done 80,000 miles. And now we have learned that BL build quality got much worse after 1964!
British Gangsters favourite back in the day. Stirling Moss claimed the XJ was one of the Best driving saloons ever and he new a thing or too about driving. Early 70's my father had a series 1 in Heather Pink absolutely Stunning. When I lived in New Zealand I had a 77 XJC Daimler Sovereign and wish I had in now living in France. Great video.
back in the early 80s I did one of the last proper motor mechanic apprenticeships at a Triumph Stag specialist. it gave me the opportunity to work on and drive a broad spectrum of upmarket and exotic customers cars. the Mk1 Ghibli and Mk1 Dino were fun, the XJS truly spectacular, Stags great in the summer, GT6s raw, Impala-SS hideous, Silver Shadows bizarre (like driving your lounge down the road), yet its was the Daimler Sovereign version of the XJ6 Series 2 (oddly not the V12) which I found truly wonderful. a fine balance of refinement performance and practicality with super-star looks.
Great review - small point on price. The 1973 Daily Mail Motor Show Guide has the XJ12C at £5181 and the Saloon at £4702 ( the Daimers are only circa £200 more) - the Merc 450 SElLis however £9500 - think your prices are from the end of the 70s
Hallo Giacomo,reading the comments I see that many remember their father's XJs....And the same is for me. This is simply a beautiful,classy,elegant car,and with this typical seventies mustard colour is an absolute classic. As for all the classic Jags,it was an elegant and noble car even years after the end of the production,while the contemporary Mercs or Bmws just became old when a new model arrived. And this is common with some british cars,because they were not strikingly modern in style,but they were classic,and a classic style is timeless.Infact this design,even if modernized was the trademark of Jaguars from 1968 (or even before with the mk 10 and the 420 g) until 2009 (x350).When my father had the XJ I was 15 years old and I loved the car expecially for one reason: on Sunday afternoon he usually took me back to the college on a two hours trip and at least three times we had troubles so he had to park the car,and we went back home by taxi....This meant that he took me back to the college on Monday with the more reliable Range Rover,and so I was not going at school for one day !!!! But he loved the XJ even if he criticized the steering,that he considered too light. And for me,one of the best looking cars ever is the 2 door version XJc. Regarding the Range Rover,the first one my father bought was a 1973 classic 2 door, I think it was the third sold in Italy,olive green with tan plastic interiors,no headrests,4 gears,no power steering,no black vinyl on the rear pillars, but at that time it seemed a spaceship. Would be interesting to see you testing one....Ciao Giacomo!!! Sei sempre il numero 1 !!!!
I was a late teen in the late ‘70s and the XJ was, without question, the most desirable and relatively affordable luxury car. I finally got around to owning an XJ and got to gallop around the S.E. States of the U.S. in a 2006 XJ8 for a few years. I do 20k+ a year and my XJ8 was a dream. For some reason it tortured my back and I went back to driving Mercs. That XJ8 remains the favorite car I ever owner and I hated parting with it. I may always regret it. I don’t thing I’ve ever been as attached to a car and I’ve had lots of cars. A beautiful engine and as a long distance touring car, it was superb. To add to that, with all the Aluminum, the darn thing averaged constantly 30+ MPG. We lived in an an incredible time, when driving such beautiful cars over long distances was normal. I hope those times are not fading into history.
I owned a mid 80’s XJ6. It is the favorite of all the cars I’ve owned in spite of the Lucas electrical system that was always failing. Here in California many owners changed engines to 327cid Chevrolet engines to solve that problem. I drove mine hard and sold it when I couldn’t stand the repair costs. Especially on the freeways here my car was so fun to drive. It just seemed to squat and grip the asphalt at high speeds. In excess of 100MPH the XJ6 felt just as safe and controllable as it did at half the high speeds. When I have more time I might look around California for an XJ12 to play with. Thanks for the great review.
My father had one of these. It was an Extra Long Wheelbase spec, quite unique. 5.3Litre V12. Beautiful car but drank fuel like you wouldn’t believe was possible. It was Squadron Blue with a gold pinstripe down the side and a black vinyl roof. It had been Sir Adam Thimson’s car, chairman of British Caledonian Airways. Pete Conrad, commander of Apollo 12 had it for a while whilst McDonnell Douglas were in sales talks with BCAL about their purchase of a DC10 fleet. The car eventually started to rust badly when in dry storage and was sold to a classic car dealership. I have no idea what became of it but would buy in back tomorrow if I knew where it was, if it still exists.
In 1969 when the XJ6 came out , I was 7 years old . From day 1 I love these cars , that is the MK1 especialy with its georgious chroom . The problem in Holland is , when you want a rustfree perfect example , you have to pay about 35000 Euro or more . And weighing in at 1800 kg makes the roadtax and fuelcosts astronomical . So to ease the pain , I bought a Rover 75 1.8 Connoseur 5 years ago , my poor mans XJ . 😄😄😄
Always warms my heart when thinking about how beautifully British governments, media, management and workers worked together to completely ruin countless opportunities for automotive greatness - imagine how different things could have been with the tiniest amount of cooperation...
You had me in the first half, not gonna lie 😄
Blows my mind how some people think nationalising industries in the UK is a good idea! At least if you remove British Government and Civil Service from the ‘management’ equation you have half a chance of avoiding disaster.
The UK was at this time destined for (planned) de-industrialisation. Most all manufacturing and later mining was destroyed. Jaguar was simply one of the many companies which was also liquidated. Management, striking workers etc. we're simply programmed to act negatively. And " take the blame". Nonsense. Planned de-industrialisation across the board.
The UK and most if the Angloshere was and still is in a class war, you can tell from listening to the labour force at the time and today. This is what destroyed so many British busines, especially the decades after WW2. We are still in a class war, and the lower classes are getting thrashed due to not having a cohesive leadership and easily divided. The average British worker and union leader was not quite bright enough to negotiate in a more civilised manner and the management were so out of touch it was mind blowing. Whilst the Japanese and Germans all pulled together as a cohesive manufacturing/production team after WW2, the British tore themselves apart from huge class divisions. A lot of British workers were excellent as were the designers and engineers, but quite a large section of the work force were apathetic, careless and revelled in creating chaos and mayhem. Wages were a big issue, but management should have linked bonus to quality control for workers to incentivise some care and attention on build.
Ah Lord Stokes has a lot to answer for! You answered yourself when you mentioned £25 million being siphoned off by BL. Question is why did Sir William Lyons allow his carefully nurtured 'baby' to be ruined in that way - extraordinary! Daimler / Jaguar SHOULD have remained BL's halo company and been properly funded, giving the whole workforce something to be extremely proud of.
Look what Akio Toyoda has achieved at Toyota and their 'GR' range of cars.
However, there is hope if you hanker to own a 'well sorted' XJ and that's taking it to KWE in Thatcham whom have been ameliorating these cars for some time.
This is definitely one of the most beautiful saloons ever made.
i still love it like many out there ....
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
It's a measure of how beautiful the design is, that even in this car's less-than-flattering colour, it is still nothing short of gorgeous to look at. Absolutely one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
That and the MKII
@@davidhynd4435 That's why I am in the process of renewing two Series 3 XJ6s, 1985 and 1986. I am in love with both of them and it is a labor of love!
I have 4 Jaguars, 2 E-Types (1.5 and V12) and 1 series 1 XJ12 and last but not least a series 2 6-Zyl-Coupe.
These cars are unbelievable even to nowadays standards. You only need to maintain them well and I tweaked all of them a bit to the better. As a German I must admit that those cars were better when coming out than that what the German car industry could offer. The reliability went down when Jaguar made its move to British Leyland, that is true. That was the start of the descending of the British car industry.
Now, the fuel consumption is really poor, but not due to the engines; they are simply great. To combine a V12 with the 3 gear automatic transmission will make the car consume between 18 to 30 litres per 100 km (somebody needs to vonvert it into mpg). Also, the 4 gear transmssion does not make the best fit either. But that is the only downside for all those jags. Therefore, I converted all my cars into 5 gears (Tremec or Getrag). And that makes the difference really. Driving from Munich to Florence, which I do a few times per year makes my V12 E-Type (converted the engine to 6.1 litres) consume 11 litres with an average speed of 140 km/h, by 2000 rpm. Never more. FUnny enough, the 6 cylinders do use a bit more but that is because of a different differntial and a higher reving gearbox.
That simply shows... the engines are great; a modern BMW M5 consumes also 10-12 litres with the same parameters mentioned above. Now, those are values you can compare and it simply shows what a great job the British engineers did 50-70 years back.
The suspension ist still above standard nowadays and you can also do improvements on the brakes especially for the XJs. Also, what makes sense, is to modify the steering a bit as it was design in a way that no road bumps are disturbing the driver but giving then a bad feedback. But this is a small job to turn it to the better.
Obviously, you are a pro. I, a Yank, am partial to BMW Welt.
@@davidoetting1551 Obviously, I like good technology would be right. Nowadays I am driving a M5 and a MINI. The reason behind, best technology and the last independent car manufacturer. But... this will be my last BMW as also this manufacturer is moving in a strange direction; car plants in China (all MINIs now plus most electrified new cars) plus nearly only automatic transmissions (I remember the 80s and 90s where everyone in Europe was stating that automatic is only for Americans and Pussies). The only manuals for a while longer are the M cars but then with the Mickey Mouse cinema as a display. Maybe I am simply becoming old and outdated. :)
@@gunnarrohde3000 I have four Range Rover L322 from 2004 all with BMW inside plus two 2006 RR L322 with updates but much carryover BMW. Then there is a 93 750, newer MB SL500, Audi A8, my high school 1966 Ford convertible, my wife’s new Yukon Denali, a couple John Deere’s. But I’ve had a Rivian S on order since 2018. I wonder if it will ever arrive. My restored Series II E-type roadster had to go away because I could not see through the windshield frame. Oh well, it was fun to fix.
Ich hab einen VW Bora von 2003 der einen Liter Öl auf 1000 km verbrennt, ich könnte einen neuen Motor einbauen lassen, aber ich hab kein Geld.
(somebody needs to vonvert it into mpg) Why??? Your consumption figures are fully understandable, thanks.
When you look at the history of the British motor car industry; it's hard not to think that there was a conspiracy to run it directly into the ground. Mission accomplished.
Wirhout a doubt, without a doubt.
Unions and workers infiltrated by anarchists to bring the whole of British industry down. Lack of investment by those that control the money.
Planned de-industrialisation. The destruction ( purposefully)of UK manufacturing
32 million cars on the roads, and none of them are British.
Lima Declaration 1973 directly led to demise of manufacturing in formerly developed nations
My dads XJ12. Reg No. YRC 202M. Loved washing it every Sunday and drove it up and down the road everytime. I was 13. That smile was priceless.
A red V12, Nice.
I remember, as a kid from Germany, walking across a parking lot of a five star hotel in London and wondering what that hum was. It then dawned on me that the whole lot was full of Jaguars with drivers all having their engines running. Super impressed by the refined sound, and I was wondering in my kid’s brain whether German manufacturers would know about these cars and why not everyone would buy them instead of a Merc 😂
They purchased Mercs because they were the best money could buy, you bought a Jag at your peril, reliability was dire at best and criminal at worst🤣🤣
@@WeeShoeyDugless That's still the case today. Jaguar and Land Rover are regarded as premium brands, but surveys by Which? magazine and others consistently show that they break down and cost much more per annum for repairs than other marques.
Which makes me wonder, if you are actually taking your 4x4 off the road, surely you don't want it to break down miles from anywhere? But if your Range Rover is just a "Chelsea tractor" ...
@@faithlesshound5621 Jaguar Land Rover reliability is a scandal. Nothing more, nothing less.
@@berwhaletheavenger You do realise Jaguar Land Rover is owned by Tata Motors, an Indian company, headquartered in Mumbai, India?
Jaguar may be unreliable but it's infintely more elegant and attractive than your boring wehrmacht tractors.
Hi Jack. Lack of investment, poor management, disastrous business relations...it makes me weep with frustration when I think what brilliant cars we used to build and those maladies didn't stop with Jaguar or indeed the car industry.
Thanks for another great video.
Thank you for watching John!
😭😭😭
It didn't take long before everyone knew the " reliability" of British made cars made it impossible to drive/ buy one.
I think the reasons for the problems afflicting the British car industry are the interesting thing.
It seems to me that we have a lot going for us from middle management to workers and this is one of the reasons that major Japanese manufacturers have invested so heavily in facilities here. Which makes me think the faults were maybe with senior management and owners.
It's a simplistic representation but I believe it to be a reasonably accurate one.
@@Rjhs001 it was a planned event. The de- industrialization of Britain. It was orchestrated in the US also.
I was listening to an interview on the design and production of the most iconic cars throughout automotive history. Two Italian gentleman who had been involved with Ferrari and Maserati, respectively. When asked about what they both considered to be their personal opinions on the most beautiful car design, they replied in unison, “Jaguar”. To hear them say that, when you consider that they have spent a lifetime in the luxury and prestige sector of the motor industry and that they are from a country with such a proud heritage and history, and are responsible for the creation of some of the most remarkable and finest motor cars of all time. It was a pleasure to hear such an endorsement.
Yes and such a shame there is no Jaguar museum in Coventry now.
You might appreciate this: I had a 1976 XJ12C with cabriolet windows (Frank Sinatra owned one as well). I had heard that only 100 were made that year (perhaps for US sales). One of its features was that the dash and instrument lights (on the console, etc.) were operated from a single light bulb in the console with a plethora of fiber optic cables running to each lit indicator., supposedly a first of its kind. You also didn't mention the burled walnut dash, and I'm pretty sure they only came (as mine did) with the Jaguar medallion as the hood; ornament, not a leaping after-market jaguar as in your car. Another "anti-theft" feature was a fuel cut-off switch you'd never find unless you knew exactly where it was. The bane of that car was it 's Lucas (Prince of Darkness) Electric wiring. "Why do the Brits drink warm beer? Because Lucas makes refrigerators." The car was a dark/aubergine red with a black vinyl roof, lots of chrome.
My Dad had the series 1 XJ6 with the 4.2 in the early 80’s and it was a reliable old beast all the time you kept a hammer in the boot for helping the fuel pumps play ball.
His cost £150 but I remember being in awe at the the row of gauges as it looked like it had been plucked straight out a spitfire.
When he sold it my younger brother couldn’t work out why we kept driving past the petrol station though lol.
Banging the fuel pump has been a Jaguar tradition forever. I had a '67 Mark 2 3.8L, and I knew exactly where to thump the rear side panel to activate the pump, if it didn't come on with the key. All part of the charm!
We had a new XJ12 just like in this video. It was horrible. The labor issues were made obvious by a stomach turning stench that we noticed on day one. A worker at the factory had purposely placed an open tin of kippers inside the door panel with a handwritten "Fuck BL" in black marker on the inside of the sheetmetal. Then the real trouble started. Our mechanic had the car about 80% of the time. Absolute garbage. Our Aston Martin from the same period, on the other hand, was incredibly reliable
@@stanleymasterson1135 that's what we were told in Germany. When you had a Jaguar you always need two. One to drive and one for the Service department
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
@@kkdii
And whoever told you that was completely correct👍👍🤣🤣
Love these cars. Had a Daimler Double Six Vanden Plas (1974) and it never let me down in the 15 years I owned it…mind you, I did a major rebuild on the engine very early on and did most of the other work myself…so I know them intimately. Had both the six and the twelve. They drive like nothing else. Sold the six in 2011 and the twelve in 2020.
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
Why sell
@@seanmonaghanbartlolomew5043 I barely use it, I have other cars to maintain and finally, I prefer to sell it to another person who will take care of it rather than the car end up rusting. I can give you my number and we can talk.
Although the radio, which was typically a five push button Motorola model was stereo, it usually had two speakers in the front and two in the rear. The Lucas Audio knob was probably the control to balance front to rear speakers. I know my Mk2 3.8L saloon had that feature even in the early 1970's. By the 1980's I had a used car dealership and remember getting a 1978 Jaguar XJ12 5.3L coupe in stock one time. It came with two full tanks of petrol so I decided to take it home for the night. It was around eleven miles each way but by the time I got back the next morning it had used around half of one of the tanks. It had Lucas fuel injection so I took it to the local Lucas specialist to check out. It turned out one of the fuel injectors was faulty and sticking open. Once that was replaced the fuel consumption became more acceptable. The thing was, with 12 cylinders, a faulty injector wasn't audibly detectable like it would be with most cars. It still sounded like it was running perfectly.
I used to visit Rover regularly in the late 1960’s / early 1970’s for the company that I worked for. One major complaint was that the profit Rover made went straight down the road to a big, black hole at Longbridge,probably the same happened to any Jaguar profits.
Still a work of art. Proof good old GB could manage timeless excellence .
The original XJ series is still (for me) the most beautiful saloon car ever made, especially in Series 1 and 3 versions (in my opinion). And you are exactly right, this car had the potential to be the best in the world, were it not for the woeful quality and reliability issues. However, even before the BL takeover, Jags had a bit of a reputation for rust, and quickly descended into bangernomics - hence the prevalence of Mark 2s and S-types as compelling secondhand bargains (and cars for cads, bounders and vagabonds!)
Hmmm, I had a Mark 2. Now I have to wonder if I was a cad, a bounder, or a vagabond.....
That does sound compelling. 🕵️♂️
@@bobmcl2406 maybe all 3 - a Cadbounderbond……..
@@bobmcl2406 At least, you're British and wondering if you should take offence. (Apologies if you aren't)
Arthur daley wheels need I say more
One of my favorite cars, mostly because I grew up with them. We had 4 of them.. 2 6cyl. And 2 V12: The last one was a ‘74 XJ 12L in the same Sand Green color as your test car but with a biscuit interior. These cars made quite a statement in the 70’ & 80’s. So comfortable to travel in and with great backseat visibility. We had a few Cadillacs too and those always made feel queasy riding in the back because they were too floaty and I couldn’t see out
I've had six of these, currently an '88 Series 3 V12. I cannot be without one, as simple as that. Thank you for uploading this, superb example, superb video.
"A bit of a missed opportunity" is a gross understatement describing the whole of the British car industry in the late-'60s to the early 1980s. I had a '76 12C and it was indeed glorious when working properly...but that was only a fraction of the time. Once we cured the carburetor problems we discovered the trans had started to slip and the diff was beginning to growl and the suspension bushings were deader than Kelsey's nuts. And this was a 3-year old car with mileage just past 24K that had been pampered. I managed a main BL dealer at the time, so my ownership costs were reasonable, when I actually got to drive it. And don't get me started on the wind noise and water leaks. The XJ12s join the SD1 and the TR7/8 in the "what should have been, but never was" bin. Sold mine and bought a 300 SEL 6.3, which I kept for almost 20 years and it NEVER let me down. We used to say (not to customers) "be sociable, buy a Jag; you'll meet the nicest people on the side of the road, in the rain, with the bonnet raised..."
Love these. Particularly like the XJC V12 variant. Especially the one Harry Metcalf has just restored
I, too, am sorry I never got to own an XJC. Harry's car is perfection.
@@marks-the-spot I bought an 4.2 XJC IN BRITISH RACING GREEN MANUAL GEARBOX WITH OVERDRIVE 1985 only 68 thousand miles on the clock only paid £400 swapped it for a rover SD1 V8 vittesse wish I had kept the jag have owned 5 jags since my first one I bought in 1977 a 2.4 mark 2
The coupe is the favorite XJ variant of Jay Leno.
Had a 1985 4.2 Sovereign about 15 years ago....comfortable, reliable, wish I still had it.
I owned a Mk1 XJ6 back in the 70's and my fondest memory of it was the unsurpassed ride quality. I often think about getting one again but the reliability of an original now would drive me crazy. Still, I'm glad I had the opportunity of spending a few years with one.
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
@@lachezarvalentinov8751 I don't think Jack will like you using his channel as an advertising outlet. I suggest removing your comment before he does it himself!
My father owned three of these XJ series Jags and experienced everything that was good and bad about them. I think he paid about £3,200 for an S1 4.2 in 1972, an absolute bargain at the time, compared to the competition. I remember he drove it around for a few weeks with a blown exhaust, because replacements were unavailable! He then had an S2 V12, the same as in the video and this was probably the worst Friday car ever and spent most of its three years in and out of the local JRT dealer. The Lucas electrics were the big issue with it, with just about everything from the aircon to minor switchgear failing at some point! However despite this, he stumped up over £9k in 1977 for an XJ5.3C, the same as Harry Metcalfe's and this was totally faultless. Fuel economy on the V12s was pretty dire, even by 70s standards, 10-12mpg on the early carburettored cars and about 15mpg for the later fuel injected cars. However there was nothing that came close to the XJ at the time, in terms of ride, handling, refinement and performance. If they'd got the quality right, they could've charged 50% more for the cars.
pretty much! My dad got a 1982 XJ6 Vanden Plas with black exterior and grey interior with amazing real wood trim. That thing was smooth and amazing. It was in the shop too much I guess and he dropped it for a German tank!!! Talk about being let down!!! 300SD was such a letdown but so reliable
@@jamesmedina2062
That is why a Mercedes was always a better bet than a Jag, they were dire cars!!
@@jamesmedina2062 I had a 1972 Regency Red XJ6 for 8 years and sold it for a Benz 300TD. After two months of boredom I sold it for a gorgeous black new 1982 XJ6! 🤣🤣🤣
@@donswork3059 I feel you! The way you describe the Mercedes is exactly how they made you feel although they did get you from point A to point B and did smell ok. The Jaguar just smells and moves better and looks the sexy part too! It's got curves which I like!
6.9 450 SEL Merc gave it a run for it's money!
I remember my parents' 1985 XJ6 well, and I see lots of similarities here between the Series II and Series III. I remember the car not being very fast compared to the GM cars we had at the time, but the ride, as you say, was completely different. Very solid and never any float, ever. Sometimes with friends in the car, we flew through a rough section of road that had all other cars bouncing and bump-steering, but the Jag was perfectly smooth and stable. And I can't leave out, gorgeous!
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
I was a passenger in one and over a cobbled street it felt like we were on a tarmac road. Unbelievable ride quality, like a magic carpet.
@Lachezar Valentinov thanks for the offer, but I'm in North America so that can't work.
however much praise you heap on this, no one needs a V12 engine. it's incompatible in today's world where the emphasis is on lower pollution, lower emissions. MPG not BHP. You go on a British motorway and you cant even do the 70 mph limit brought in 1965 !
@@vincentl.9469 I came back from last minute Xmas shopping in Birmingham and although the motorway was quiet, there was a 60 mph limit "for the sake of the environment" until we got out of the West Midlands County. (I would have taken the train, but couldn't risk it with the rail strikes and sudden cancellations.)
Fair enough, Brum has had problems with air quality for a couple of centuries. That's the way things are going!
My friend had one of these with a chevy 350 in it. It ran surprisingly well. We were just kids then. Good times.
I started my working life at a BL / Jag dealer when the S1 was new, we all loved the Jag, super to drive and not to hard to work on, when i got my licence i was allowed to borrow the company "bike" a white 4.2....ah the good old days 🙂
A good friend 's dad had a Daimler v12 (double six?) can't quite remember but I can remember it's luxurious magic carpet brilliance. Like a hovercraft.
Beautiful car. I love Jaguar and it’s sad to see how it has struggled for so long. This is how the Italians must feel about Maserati!
And Lancia Criminal what has happened to them.
Have always loved the XJ series. I totally agree with your analysis Jack. William Lyons started out with a great car and throughout its various Marks was generally well received (early XK120 not so well, a bit small inside cabin). The British car industry generally was beset by strikes but Jaguar was a good example of a great product being hampered by Labour relations. BTW I believe Enzo loved the E Type so that says something about the Jaguar brand. Thanks for the video Jack.👍👍
I had an old series 2 XJ4.2 back in the late 1980s and can still remember the overwhelming feeling of wellbeing cruising along in it. It was so much better than any other car I had driven. As you say the ride was superb and the engine had just the right amount of rumble when pushed and silent otherwise. It wasn't fast, but most of the torque came when you pushed the throttle a little bit, so it still felt pretty punchy. Only problem was its prodigious appetite for fuel. 16mpg mostly or 17 if you barely used the throttle..The V12s were around 12/13mpg!! The tanks were about 10 galls each, so you made a lot of visits to petrol stations!
Which gives me renewed appreciation for the little 12.7 gallon tank of my ‘99 MX-5 Miata, that isn’t quite a 30 mile per gallon car.
My Dad spent so much time in petrol stations in his V12 Jag the garage owner threatened to charge him rent!
I bought a old Daimler 4.2 in the late 80's it looked cool then and today they are still cool , timeless classic 👌
That Lucas knob was called a third dimension if my memory serves me. I fitted one to my Escort Mexico. Wired into radio/cassette with an extra speaker at rear which gave an enhanced bass.
I loved the XJ series years ago. Just a beautiful car. Everyone wanted the 12 😂 still such a wonderful car to drive ❤
Hello guys! Just to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8k
Back in 1975 my boss bought a new Daimler Double 6 company car, (for about £8k) and as I was the best driver on the firm he used me to drive him places, which at age 20 was a real pleasure, I had it up to an indicated 150 mph a couple of times on the M20 (on my own) and it would handle steady as a rock when driven at those speeds through the curves on the motorway, although it was pushing things quite a bit. The V12 had enough power to spin the wheels in low gear on a full throttle pull away and for a heavy automatic transmission car that takes some doing, then of course there's the fuel consumption which was quite a shock for me at up to 20 gallons of company paid for squirt in one evening due to me joy ragging the V12 all over the place in the time between dropping the boss off and collecting him from his evening out in London's West End . After about a year, so many thing had started going wrong with the car (mainly electrical) that the boss traded it in for a new rubber bumper MGB Roadster (mid life crisis?) and he only got £1500 for the Daimler on the trade in although the car was only 12 months old!. I have to say that before too many things started going wrong, it was a dream of a car, so smooth and fast and with such impeccable handling, I would like to own one today if I could get an example that had been properly sorted, it really was a great car..
My uncle had one of these when I was a kid and I absolutely loved it.
They were indeed beautiful,but you need deep pockets to run and repair one.I delivered one to a customer after body repairs and was astounding to drive,so smooth and yet it could shift.Gorgeous!
I took one of the last xj8s for a spin up the coast a couple of years ago, a 3.2 and I was impressed by that.
It handled everything except tight corners well and the 240bhp moved it exceptionally for the weight of it.
Had a lovely red one back around 88-89, paid half the asking price and spend 12 of the most enjoyable months driving it around. Only ever cost me tyres as the company was covering the fuel. At a best of 12 miles to the gallon, just as well! If I had somewhere to keep it, I'd have another in a heart beat, even with the fuel costs.... Definitely, my favourite car in fifty odd years of driving.
My Dad had a Daimler V12 Sovereign in 1979. It’s reg was WOX69T I think. He drove it to Monte Carlo over the Alps with me my brother and Mum in 1980. It was a mad journey. God knows what it would take to fill up nowadays with its twin tanks.
... Even in those days it took a lot to fill up. Specially in france in the eighties....
The vast majority of people only used one tank. They were both 10 gallons. If you needed to use the second tank the points in the SU pump would have siezed from lack of use and you would be left stranded. Fabulous cars though , both the 4.2 and 5.3.
Last taxed in 1991 @wilf18
The XJ12 was so far ahead of its time they were still building it in Series III form (the best looking of the lot) until 1993. The tragedy of Jaguar is that Bill Lyons had the cars built down to a price, with electrical gremlins and endemic rust the inevitable result. I had a Series III V12 and loved it, despite the hilarious fuel consumption.
@William Dryden 1993.
When I was a kid, my dad restored a Daimler VP Double Six, which too this day is a dream car of mine.
In the late 70's my Dad drove for a chauffeur company. They had to have an XJ on the fleet because many of their clients insisted on the car but they had to have two as one was always being fixed. As soon as one was sorted the other had issues.
He did bring one home occasionally and as child I loved them and so did my mother. To this day ask my mum what's her favourite car to be driven in she will say Jaguar.
I wish Jaguars looked like Jaguars now. 😢
I Love Your XJ12 Jag: As a 2004 X350 XJ8 4.2 owner, Jaguar has: Grace-Pace-Space + Eloquence-Elegance-Etiquette
My Dad had a 4.2 Series 1 (in the same colour as in this video) when I was a lad. Loved being picked up from school in it !! Although was highly embarrassed too when my Dad spun it on a wet roundabout 😂 No damage ,just wounded pride. I also recall watching the fuel gauge go down when my Dad booted it … sub 10mpg and the cool tank switch. I also remember it used to drink oil - apparently the oil rings were supposed to be changed after the run in period but never were. I remember being stood in the huge engine bay on the chassis rails helping him take the head off for some reason … brilliant Dad / son bonding time, Id have been about 8 at the time I guess !!
When I was a child, a guy who lived near us had a pink XJ12. Now that was the height of 70's cool!
Lovely car. The dad of high school friend of mine bought one new in the mid-70s, I think it was 1975 model and I’m pretty sure it was a V12 not the 6. The reason I think it was a V12 was that the gas mileage was not good (the few times I rode in it his dad was always complaining about that) and with gas prices here in the US doubled (60 cents US per gallon!) it made the V12 really unsupportable for most who might afford the car itself. I think he kept it for a year-ish and traded it in for a MB 4 door diesel. Great video!
I owned this car for many years, and miss it a lot. Pure beauty and i have many memories with it 🙂
Harry's XJ12 manual coupe is a thing of beauty! What it should have been when they were released.
Had a v12 coupe for a while, what a fab car. You need to mention the wonderful smell from the wool carpets, leather seats and real walnut dash oh yeah!
Hi Jack, great video and lovely to meet you at Bicester yesterday and chat about the Bismark on camera. The XJ or eXperimental Jaguar was, as you said, a high water mark but I always had the feeling that defect was snatched from the jaws of victory. If you want to know how bad it got read the excellent "Saving Jaguar" written by Sir John Egan on the story of turning around the business before the sell-out to Ford, it's truly fascinating.
Lovely to meet you too chap!!
When I was a little kid my dad bought me a toy car XJ V12. It was this exact model. When I asked about the car he said that it's the finest car in the world. This really has becoming a classic. The coupe version even more so... it's a beauty.
I still have one in blue with jeweled headlamps bit battered its in my model collection.
Living in Australia and needing to travel long distances for his business my father always drove Pontiac and Chevy V8s, until the Jag V12 saloons appeared. They drove very well and he ( being very status aware ) thought they might be seen as a bit more classy. The problem turned out to be reliability. His American cars were practically trouble free while his V12 Jags and Daimlers were always breaking down. They were also less practical as the cabin was cramped as was the boot space and tall passengers had too little headroom.
I'm actually glad you brought that up. Sure, Euro cars had class, looks, and exotic bits.... but people forget that American cars were built for the huge expanses of North America. They get a bad rep, but they were well suited to their environment and buyer needs.
My parents had the 12. Gorgeous car, lovely to drive, delight to ride in. All the Lucas issues constantly. When the power steering pump seals failed on the way to the opera, with flames licking the front tires, my sainted mother swore like a sailor with the gist being "this car must go!"
LOL 😂
The Lucas audio “third dimension” controller was basically an early stab at adding “surround sound” in a car. This was available as an aftermarket kit, not sure if they were also installed from the factory. This was during the height of the wildly popular multi-channel, quadraphonic, hi-if experimentation of the 70s. The unit was a little mixer that would pipe the existing audio to a separate single loud speaker, you could dial in the level of effect with the knob. I believe it was similar in concept to wiring a “dynaco” style center to stereo l/r channels.
The Lucas Audio Third Dimension that I had was simply a third speaker which amplified the base and added a different dimension to the ordinary stereo system. The forerunner to the "Boom Boxes" of recent times.
I remember as a professional mechanic back in the early eighties a few of these crossed our dealership. On one we found an Orange (long dried up and shrivelled obvs) deep inside the heater box that can only have been placed in there during its assembly on the production line, and another (I didn't see it but heard about it) had a spark plug welded onto a length of welding wire and hung inside the B pillar, presumably to cause a constant dam near untraceable knock when cornering that again can only have been placed there on the production line. Long live 70's labour relations with BL!
I once met a guy who had a Merc after having had 5 Jags. Every one was a wrong 'un. His final one had to have a bottom end rebuild and they found 'FUCK BL' scratched into the shell bearings. Don't know if it was true, but you can believe it.
It's never cooled my ardour for Jags though. I've had 9.
I had an ultra low mileage 1973 Daimler Double-Six Vanden Plastic Series 1 that I absolutely regret selling. They’re beguiling, beautiful wafters with a surge of creamy power and unbelievable ride quality… but they weren’t very well made, it has to be said. Liked a drink too 😁
Wow I remember Kennings dealers. I remember going into one in I think 1976 with my father to see the then brand new Rover SD1. We went to see it as my father drove a 1974 Rover 3500 V8S. XJ12 especially in Coupe form was quite some car.
The main reason the V12 Jag and other similar large engined cars were not more successful in the 1970's was primarily the fuel crisis, escalating prices and massive shortages, with limits on how much petrol you could buy. I remember the queues and astronomical prices at petrol stations. Unfortunately as the V12 Jag also had the issue of barely reaching double figures in fuel consumption when driven less than "sedately". With 24 gallon (UK) fuel capacity, in 1975 petrol was around £1 a gallon for 5 star, that's £24 to fill up. The average wage in 1975 was under £40, sprited driving would empty the tanks in under two weeks if primarily driven round town and fast A & B roads. That's almost a third of your wages on fuel, excluding all other running costs. Bear in mind quoted fuel consumption figures were for cars that were never driven over 55/60 mph and accelerated like your nervous granny was driving, all on a perfectly smooth test track, not public roads.
The British car industry could of been great if we as a nation just went to bloody work!😂. The XJ is a great car I'd have it over an E-type !
Or if you had management based on merit and proven competence, and not based on who you knew in the old boys clubs regardless of your competency for the role.
@@MrManBuzz it's still like that in a lot of industries but we just get on with it because well we need our wages unfortunately but yeah I do understand your point and I do agree with you! Striking just destroys industry and jobs tho in the end........
@@ryanmccormick2150 True, but it was even worse back then in BL.
Unions were quite zealous without doubt, but the management has the lions share for things going tits up.
Thanks Ryan, I think unions definitely part of the problem.. as was poor management and long term strategy. Damn shame!!
@@Number27 A shame it definitely was/is Jack! ...... Keep up the great work and please never go on strike!😉
Great item!! I was an apprentice in the Coventry Jaguar factories (including service at Kingfield road) in the 70's. I started just after the E Type finished, which was a shame but was there to see the V12 become fuel injected in the saloons and XJS. After the first year basic training we apprentices were let loose on the factories and I ended up at Browns lane which was the main production/assembly facility. I Eventually found myself in Test and Rectification where a gruff foreman asked if I had a driving licence? I answered in the affirmative and after a short test with the foreman I had my Jaguar driving permit. So at 17 I was there let loose with V12 Jaguars and thought all my Christmas's had come at once. The stories I could tell!!!!! Everything you said about labour relations and the negative affect on Quality was spot on and in no way helped the V12. Another thing that didn't help was the fuel crisis of the late 70's and early 80's as fuel consumption was not the V12's strong point. As for me that fantastic apprenticeship has kept me working all of my life for which I am very grateful! I never did get round to owning a V12 but I do have a coffee table in the lounge fashioned from a Jaguar V12 engine block which makes me smile every time I walk by it!!
The XJ was introduced in 1968, not 1969.
Australian here. I've always loved hot rods. I think the XJ and the E type are two of the most beautiful production cars ever but custom cars and particulary hot rods do it for me. In Australia, an uncountable number of Jags have had their rear ends taken for use in hot rods and no rear end looks better. As well, many jags have had their engines taken out to be replaced with small block Chevys (I want to vommit when I think about that). That begs the questions of what became of all the cars that had their rear ends taken and what became of all those engines that were replaced with American iron? Many of those would've been V-12s. Well, I'm building a 1923 Ford Model T C-cab panel van and not only does it have the rear end from an XJ (actually, a Daimler Sovereign) but the V-12 engine too. The Daimler was rusted beyond saving and though its body has gone to God, its organs will live on. I live near Newcastle (not the one upon Tyne) and there is a Jag specialist here who can build a V-12 that could rotate the Earth.
An excellent report Jack, informative and entertaining. You really managed to get across the feel and spirit of the car. I was a little trepidatious to start with being a Jaguar devotee and the XJ12 being a personal favourite but you truly nailed it.
Great work sir! 👍
That’s really great to hear! Thank you 🙏
Thank you.
Didn't realise the build issues of the time.
Some car design features are timeless, we all love them today year's later.
In Australia and NZ we loved Jaguar, one issue I remember at the time was rust.
We were prepared to overlook the degree in engineering required to work on the motor, as we already knew about English car's, Triumph, MG, and Vauxhals.
Great post, brings back memories.
Perth WA
Nice video. I have a 1989 V12 XJ-S with the HE engine. Sadly they've all been lumbered with the same reputation for incredibly bad fuel consumption based on the initial pre-HE versions and/or by people who bought a big long distance cruiser then never left Londonshire nose-to-tail traffic with it. I think half the problem is how cheap the car was - suddenly you had a person on a Ford Granada budget rolling round in a 5.3 V12 horrified that a car with a similar engine to a Ferrari or Lamborghini used a lot more petrol than a 4-cylinder Ford did, and the same applies to servicing costs too. Even though my HE V12 is still lumbered with the crap 3 speed General Motors TH400 automatic porridge-stirrer gearbox, I consistently get 19-20mpg average without trying too hard so long as I don't make a habit of sitting in traffic jams, which is better than most people can get in even much more modern Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari or Lamborghini V12 cars. Perhaps I'm just a far superior driver and don't realise it - but I doubt it. Replacing the crap automatics which hamstring V12 Jags with 5 speed manuals is very popular nowadays and plenty people who have done so can easily manage 25-27mpg from the 5.3 HE engine which was used in the Series III XJ12 and post-1981 XJ-S. The 6 litre V12 used in the XJ81 and facelift XJS was a really nice engine with an entirely new management system and a 4 speed gearbox as standard. Obviously these were better on fuel compared to the pre-HE by a long shot too.
My old man's business partner, in a small town in Australia of all places, had a dark blue Daimler Double Six and that was an absolutely fabulous car... He never had any problems with his. It was pretty late in the XJ story, so his was pretty sorted by then I guess. When he sold it, he went on to a 760iL and BMW ended up having to buy it back off him it had so many problems. After that he's bought Lexus ever since. So it's funny Jack mentioned the Lexus type quality of the XJ.
My mates and I had many a debate about which car was the coolest in town. Mr. Burgess' Double Six or my Dad's Atlas Grey HSV SV5000. I still maintain it was Dad's car.
As I mentionned in another video: I LOVED the ride in those cars. They were beautiful on the inside and the exterior as well: To me it is a shame that they do not produce a Jag with this body style anymore. It is an absolutely timeless design and like a great wine it only gets better with age. We had to fix a XJ12 in our bodyshop that was slightly hit in the back. Around the rear wheel wells there were already rustholes and the car was hadly five years old. I witnessed the owner call his Jaguar dealer asking if there was no warranty on the body of and I cite: "This piece of junk"! The bolts of the rear bumper were rusted as hell and it was a miracle we could remove them without breaking them. I still love the XJ though. But for people outside the UK those cars were never really cheap.
Jack, Certain viewers will enjoy a comparision road test against a KWE of Thatcham ameliorated XJ to discover how good they can be!
The XJ really was Jaguar's high water mark. Forget your Mark II's, this was the proper thing. The quality was dire though. The shells were built at Pressed Steel and transported by road to Browns Lane in all weathers, the the XJ shell is a terrible mud and rust trap. Most were rusty at six years old. I restored a 1977 V12 in 1989 with just 55k on the clock and the first owner had it repaired and repainted in 1984....
The smell is Connolly leather btw, superb stuff unlike the rubbish in modern cars.
Browns Lane wasn't as strike prone as the other BL owned plants but it was a small and antiquated factory that didn't have the capacity.
It was a the terrible reputation that killed sales plus the arrival of cars like the 7 Series, 2.8 Granada, Opel Senator etc. All brisk, relatively economical, nice riding and well built alternatives to the 3.4 and 4.2. The V12 was in a class of its own though. I think Lexus were the first to really better it with the LS400.
On launch in late 1972, the XJ12 cost £3673 - the 4.2 was £3183, a Mercedes 450SEL £9582 and a BMW 3.0Si £4899. The latter car was as fast as an XJ12 to 100 mph.
Thanks for posting. Random question but do you know where the Pressed Steel factory was? I have a vague memory of my grandfather discussing getting to it - maybe he worked there. I think he lived near Leamington Spa at the time, possibly Coventry.
@@asdreww From memory, Pressed Steel Fisher (PSF) were in Cowley and Castle Bromwich.
Love the car. When I managed a foreign car repair shop we had one come in for a valve job. It was $4K in 1981 dollars. The interesting thing it ran decent on 9 cylinders, but really moved with all claws dug in.
It’s the best looking sedan of all times, it’s a shame they are so very expensive to own, to buy and to maintine ik the Netherlands, but really i want such a car, it is a straight six or the v12 , both are so nice!! Good video Jack, Thanks Greetz from the Netherlands , ramon
Hey there! Just want to let you know that I'm currently selling one Jaguar Sovereign XJ12 from 1987 with less than 100,000km. Well kept and preserved, spanish registration, recently gearbox was changed (1,600€). Asking price: 8.000€. Just fly to Barcelona Airport and I can pick up from there and bring you to my jewel.
That Jaguar has been very well taken care of by previous and the current owner. It looks like new. A car that the owners have loved and taken care of is nice to see. Some older cars have better styling and much more character than many new cars. You can see the smile on the owners face as he drives his Jaguar,he really enjoys the car.
Beautiful car but it had some complexities. The rear inboard brakes were a nightmare to service, the twin gas tanks had three solenoids that drove mechanics nuts, a wheel alignment required a strap down process, the hood pops open on one side when you hit a bump, the a/c was complicated to fix...but it sure was pretty and drove fantastic.
The inboard brakes ...To change the pads you had to drop the entire rear subframe( the piggy back handbrake pads at least) Yes the fuel pumps were Lucas and even if one tank was full they would not let the petrol from it when the other was empty.The ignition was Lucas and lucas components ironically didnt like voltage.Great looking cars but I wouldnt be brave enough back then frankly.Shame but a much better bet was a Ford Granada Ghia mk1 3 litre ghia of that year.
@@glennpowell3444 you don’t need to lower the subframe for pads. They are good serviceable. Changing discs or calipers is another story but can be done with subframe in place, but Advisable is to get the subframe out
The “Lucas thing” (technical term) queried at 7m23s was a simple gizmo that took the existing audio output and fed it to a 3rd speaker in the rear via some primitive audio filtering, and it kinda allowed adjustment to bass/treble, and provided a sort of interesting ‘surround’ effect. Often with added ‘crackle’ from a dodgy pot !!
I'd love to find a LHD XJC from that era
Are you interested in one XJ12 from 1987? (LHD) w/ less than 100.000km? It's been well kept and servied. Location: Spain.
Oh my god yes, I had an XJ12 for 18 months of pure heaven ...ran it between my home in a Devon Village all over the country and loved it to bits as did my family...even though only 10 -14 mpg and occasional overheating when parked and engine running. slowly but surely bits and pieces failed but not that wonderful engine which used practically no oil. The day of reckoning was in the Devon Village where I lived and some prat ran in to the front when it was parked up overnight. That was it, the combination of failing instruments and front end damage saw the end of my love for this car
What might have beens. That's the story of the British car industry and alsso the motorcycle one.
I love my 1985 series III Sovereign XJ6, a far more comfortable ride than many modern cars. Once on a local expressway at 110km/h the idiot in front slammed on the brakes, spinning the steering wheel I went almost sideways into the adjacent lane and as the centre of gravity is so low on the Jag there was no apparent body roll, it just went where I pointed it.
Easily one of the greatest cars. My father had a series 3, 4.2. It was the first car I drove after passing my test. I remember it needed a new engine at some point. The interiors were rock solid, but rust was always going to be an issue.
I had the Daimler VDP version, and it had been lumped with a 350.
Some people might claim it's heresy, but it kept it out of the knacker's yard.
A superb design.
Ah, the XJ12.
The headlight rim air vent was in the Series One. Nice way for water to enter and rust the front wings around the headlight. My late father bought one in 1977 and the ride was incredible.
My girlfriend in High School (1970's) had access to an XJ6 and was very generous in allowing me to drive it. I loved everything about the car, and drive an F-TYPE currently.
Fell in love with the big cats when my uncle turned up with his brand new Jag in 71. The wood dash, leather etc.
This video helps explain why they had so many problems. I cannot afford to run an XJS so I have settled for an X type which is a scaled down version of it. Essentially the XJS you can afford.
1971 XJ6 4.2 - travelling over the Canterbury Plains, dad seemed to be passing everything else, yet he was not a boy-racer type and the car was cruising along effortlessly. I took a look over father's shoulder and he was doing 95 mph without even trying! The rest of the traffic would have been doing 75 mph, a most respectable (illegal) clip for 1972!
Yes,i remember it.When that car he`s driving was first registered,there were strikes going on including the Electricity board shutting down the lights everywhere,in the streets and in homes in UK.There were strikes at British Leyland who took over the Jaguar brand and this decimated the chances of Jaguar being a hugely respected prestige brand
I’m from Coventry and these Jaguars have a special place in my heart. I’ve never owned one but aside from Etype the XJ-C would be top of the list.
Fabulous cars. I owned a 1974 Series 2 XJ6L saloon and a1975 Daimler Soverign 2 door coupe followed by 2 XJS V12s .The series 2 cars were the best cars I ever owned and would love to own one today. Certainly in their day there was nothing to beat them for style, comfort and performance.
I worked for a bank in 1970 and remember people wanting loans to buy these as you could resell them over list price
My Opa would often tell us stories of racing foreign registered cars down the Autobahn.
He said one of these Jaguars with UK number plates challenged him on the Autobahn at about 5:00 in the morning.
He was driving a Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC.
He said they raced for about 10 minutes until the Jaguar had plumes of steam coming out of the engine bay and had to pull over to the breakdown lane.
Great video Jack. Always loved these cars, would never have been able to afford one. fact is, British made cars were all pretty atrocious, just in different ways. That's why Datsun took the UK by storm when you could actually buy an affordable new car that always started and didn't break down. A little tale: my first car was a 1964 Morris Oxford, bought from a friend at work for £45 in 1971. This was quite a luxurious car in its' day, bear in mind that it was only 7 years old. Both the front A pillars were completely rotten causing the front doors to drop. The chassis had already been welded and plated up in about 5 places. After about a year it failed the MOT on the steering box being loose. This was caused by the chassis it bolted to being completely rotten. I kept the car for about 4 years, but had to work on it constantly. By the time I scrapped it, it had holes in the floor you could stick your foot through, a completely shot gearbox, but the engine was still pretty much OK. It had done 80,000 miles. And now we have learned that BL build quality got much worse after 1964!
British Gangsters favourite back in the day.
Stirling Moss claimed the XJ was one of the Best driving saloons ever and he new a thing or too about driving.
Early 70's my father had a series 1 in Heather Pink absolutely Stunning.
When I lived in New Zealand I had a 77 XJC Daimler Sovereign and wish I had in now living in France.
Great video.
back in the early 80s I did one of the last proper motor mechanic apprenticeships at a Triumph Stag specialist. it gave me the opportunity to work on and drive a broad spectrum of upmarket and exotic customers cars. the Mk1 Ghibli and Mk1 Dino were fun, the XJS truly spectacular, Stags great in the summer, GT6s raw, Impala-SS hideous, Silver Shadows bizarre (like driving your lounge down the road), yet its was the Daimler Sovereign version of the XJ6 Series 2 (oddly not the V12) which I found truly wonderful. a fine balance of refinement performance and practicality with super-star looks.
Great review - small point on price. The 1973 Daily Mail Motor Show Guide has the XJ12C at £5181 and the Saloon at £4702 ( the Daimers are only circa £200 more) - the Merc 450 SElLis however £9500 - think your prices are from the end of the 70s
Hallo Giacomo,reading the comments I see that many remember their father's XJs....And the same is for me. This is simply a beautiful,classy,elegant car,and with this typical seventies mustard colour is an absolute classic. As for all the classic Jags,it was an elegant and noble car even years after the end of the production,while the contemporary Mercs or Bmws just became old when a new model arrived. And this is common with some british cars,because they were not strikingly modern in style,but they were classic,and a classic style is timeless.Infact this design,even if modernized was the trademark of Jaguars from 1968 (or even before with the mk 10 and the 420 g) until 2009 (x350).When my father had the XJ I was 15 years old and I loved the car expecially for one reason: on Sunday afternoon he usually took me back to the college on a two hours trip and at least three times we had troubles so he had to park the car,and we went back home by taxi....This meant that he took me back to the college on Monday with the more reliable Range Rover,and so I was not going at school for one day !!!! But he loved the XJ even if he criticized the steering,that he considered too light. And for me,one of the best looking cars ever is the 2 door version XJc. Regarding the Range Rover,the first one my father bought was a 1973 classic 2 door, I think it was the third sold in Italy,olive green with tan plastic interiors,no headrests,4 gears,no power steering,no black vinyl on the rear pillars, but at that time it seemed a spaceship. Would be interesting to see you testing one....Ciao Giacomo!!! Sei sempre il numero 1 !!!!
I was a late teen in the late ‘70s and the XJ was, without question, the most desirable and relatively affordable luxury car.
I finally got around to owning an XJ and got to gallop around the S.E. States of the U.S. in a 2006 XJ8 for a few years.
I do 20k+ a year and my XJ8 was a dream.
For some reason it tortured my back and I went back to driving Mercs.
That XJ8 remains the favorite car I ever owner and I hated parting with it.
I may always regret it. I don’t thing I’ve ever been as attached to a car and I’ve had lots of cars.
A beautiful engine and as a long distance touring car, it was superb.
To add to that, with all the Aluminum, the darn thing averaged constantly 30+ MPG.
We lived in an an incredible time, when driving such beautiful cars over long distances was normal. I hope those times are not fading into history.
I drove a 2009 "Jag-you-are" and I absolutely LOVED it. Grace, power and shockingly good agility, all in one sexy body.
I owned a mid 80’s XJ6.
It is the favorite of all the cars I’ve owned in spite of the Lucas electrical system that was always failing.
Here in California many owners changed engines to 327cid Chevrolet engines to solve that problem.
I drove mine hard and sold it when I couldn’t stand the repair costs.
Especially on the freeways here my car was so fun to drive. It just seemed to squat and grip the asphalt at high speeds.
In excess of 100MPH the XJ6 felt just as safe and controllable as it did at half the high speeds.
When I have more time I might look around California for an XJ12 to play with.
Thanks for the great review.
My father had one of these. It was an Extra Long Wheelbase spec, quite unique. 5.3Litre V12. Beautiful car but drank fuel like you wouldn’t believe was possible. It was Squadron Blue with a gold pinstripe down the side and a black vinyl roof. It had been Sir Adam Thimson’s car, chairman of British Caledonian Airways. Pete Conrad, commander of Apollo 12 had it for a while whilst McDonnell Douglas were in sales talks with BCAL about their purchase of a DC10 fleet.
The car eventually started to rust badly when in dry storage and was sold to a classic car dealership. I have no idea what became of it but would buy in back tomorrow if I knew where it was, if it still exists.
In 1969 when the XJ6 came out , I was 7 years old .
From day 1 I love these cars , that is the MK1 especialy with its georgious chroom .
The problem in Holland is , when you want a rustfree perfect example , you have to pay about 35000 Euro or more .
And weighing in at 1800 kg makes the roadtax and fuelcosts astronomical .
So to ease the pain , I bought a Rover 75
1.8 Connoseur 5 years ago , my poor mans XJ .
😄😄😄