1988 Jaguar XJ6

Jaguar introduced the XJ6 in September of 1968. Internally to Jaguar, the vehicle had been dubbed the XJ40. It was an immediate success with Jaguar scrambling to keep up with the demand.

The Series I lasted from 1968 through 1973 when it was replaced by the Series II. The Series II stayed in production until 1979 when it was replaced by the Series III. The Series III stayed in production until 1986. During the years and with each series, Jaguar continued to improve upon the vehicle both aesthetically and mechanically.

The Series I was offered with a 2792 cc DOHC inline-six-cylinder engine capable of producing 140 horsepower and 150 foot-pounds of torque. An optional 4235 cc inline-six-cylinder engine raised the horsepower to nearly 175 and the torque to 227 foot-pounds. A four-speed manual was standard with optional overdrive. A Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic could also be had for an additional price.

The Series II brought a few safety improvements and an enlarged engine. The standard engine was a 3442 cc DOHC inline-six unit that produced 160 horsepower. The optional 4235 cc inline-six was now producing 170 horsepower. The transmission options remained the same. Due to rising government safety and emission regulations, the bumpers were raised to satisfy these requirements. The front end received minor revisions. The Series II had been introduced in 1973 however the big news for the Series II came in 1975 when Jaguar introduced the two-door pillarless coupe. Production of this two-door pillarless hardtop continued until 1977.

Jaguar tasked the famous Italian stylist Pininfarina to revise the XJ6 and give it a modern appeal. The outcome was a design based on the previous series but improving upon their elegance and visual appeal. The Series III was born. Under the hood was the 3442 cc DOHC inline-six-cylinder engine capable of producing 160 horsepower. The optional 4235 cc DOHC was now producing 205 horsepower. The increase in power was the result of fuel injection. A five-speed manual gearbox was now standard with the Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic offered as optional equipment.

Jaguar offered twelve-cylinder variants of the XJ6. When the vehicle was offered with the larger engine, the vehicle was referred to as the XJ12 or Double Six. The body of the Series III continued until 1992 but was only available in the twelve-cylinder form.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2005