1989 Jaguar XJ-S

The Jaguar XJ-S (later the XJS) was introduced in 1975 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, ushering in a new generation of GT motoring for the company, successfully combining performance, luxury, and elegant styling. A testament to both the inherent quality of the design and its popularity, the XJ-S remained in production for the better part of two decades. Power came from the 60-degree all-alloy V-12 engine first used in the 'Series 3' E-Type and made use of the Jaguar XJ6/JX12 saloon platform and running gear. Its wheelbase was shorter than its saloon siblings which complemented the lively V12 engine. The XJ-S's engine used a single overhead camshaft per bank, fuel injection, and produced 285 horsepower from 5.3-liters. At the time, it was one of the first production cars capable of achieving the magical 150 mph.

The styling and performance swayed Simon Templar to swap his Volvo P1800 for a white XJ-S in the television series 'The Return of the Saint'.

The XJ-S was introduced during the wake of the fuel crisis, and Jaguar countered criticism of the thirsty engine by releasing a revised model (badged as the HE for High Efficiency) in 1981, using a new high compression cylinder head design that delivered a noticeable improvement in fuel economy without sacrificing performance. HE models received more wood and chrome in the interior than the original.

Jaguar's first response to demands for an open-top XJ-S (the SC of 1983) was somewhat conservative in engineering terms. It was not a full convertible, having a non-removable center section and fixed 'cant' rails above the doors. Since the XJ-S had not been designed with an open version in mind, a Targa-style arrangement was adopted for the XJ-S Cabriolet, which retained a substantial roll hoop in the interests of maintaining rigidity in the absence of a fixed roof. Following the Cabriolet's deletion, both the Coupé and conventional Convertible models lasted until the end of XJ-S production.

The 1988 Jaguar XJ-S sold for $41,500 and for 1989 that figure rose to $47,000. It received anti-lock brakes and the convertible had a power top, heated glass back window, and a locking luggage compartment behind the seats. Additional new features included electrically-heated seats with power lumbar adjustment, a new steering wheel, and Pirelli P600 tires riding on alloy wheels.

The 1989 Jaguar XJ-S came as either a 2+2 Coupe or a Convertible. Power was from an overhead-cam twelve-cylinder engine with aluminum block and heads. Displacing 326 cubic-inches, the power plant offered 260 horsepower. They had a three-speed automatic gearbox and standard equipment included a tachometer, tinted glass, intermittent wipers, AM/FM stereo with cassette player and power antenna, fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power windows, and door locks.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2012