CLASSIC DRIVE
The XJ12 Series 3 remained in production for over two decades, only finishing in late 1992. We revisit the very last example on its 30th anniversary
NEW THINGS are always better than old things,” said the artist Andy Warhol once. With most consumers agreeing with him, that’s why, whether it’s televisions, mobile phones or trainers, all products are considered oldfashioned as soon as they go on sale.
This is especially true in the automotive world with cars quickly receiving a mid-life facelift before being replaced after only a few years as manufacturers attempt to lure customers with yet another new model with even more exciting features.
One of the few exceptions to this rule was the Series 3 XJ12. Since it was the second facelift of the original XJ6 from 1968, when the third generation went on sale seven years later it was already seen as old fashioned. And yet it was kept in production for a staggering 13 years, an eon in car terms. When the final car – ablack Daimler Double Six – rolled off the production line 30 years ago it was a dinosaur compared to newer rivals yet by being one of Jaguar’s most important and popular models, it was still a landmark event.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the model finally coming to an end, we look at the car’s long history before driving the very last example.
The reasons why the XJ12 continued long after its sell-by date can be traced back to the early Seventies and the development of the XJ40 when Jaguar was part of the giant British Leyland. Needing to save money, several brands began sharing parts and it was rumoured that instead of developing a new straight six, Jaguar would be forced to use the Rover V8 to replace its venerable XK unit. The idea sent shockwaves through the company’s management. For a company that prided itself on the quality of its engines, the thought of using one outsourced from elsewhere was worse than wearing someone else’s shoes.
It is often said that to prevent this, Jaguar’s engineers designed the XJ40’s engine bay to be too narrow to accept a V-configuration engine on purpose. But in reality, following the 1973 oil crises, which had seen the cost of fuel quadruple (sound familiar?), Jaguar’s V12 and its sub-20mpg was considered too thirsty and commercially unviable.
Believing there would not be a 5.3-litre version of the new car, director of product engineering, Jim Randle, and body engineer Cyril Crouch designed the crushable sidemembers of the XJ40’s engine bay to accommodate an in-line engine only.
When the idea of using Rover’s V8 was first suggested to Randle he told BL’s management that it wouldn’t fit, despite never measuring it. But since nobody else had either, the idea never went any further. In an interview he gave much later, Randle admitted, “I guess I w
