99-407: The Jaguar XJ-S (later called XJS ) is a luxury grand tourer manufactured and marketed by British car manufacturer Jaguar Cars from 1975 to 1996, in coupé, fixed-profile and full convertible bodystyles. There were three distinct iterations, with a final production total of 115,413 units over 20 years and seven months. Originally developed using the platform of the then-current XJ saloon ,
198-721: A Ferrari 308 . Diem and Turner covered the same distance in 32 hours and 7 minutes on the US Express , an unofficial successor to the Cannonball Run. In 1982 Tom Walkinshaw 's TWR had entered a team of the V12 XJS' into the European Touring Car Championship , the cars built to the FIA 's Group A touring car rules. The XJS won its first race that season when Walkinshaw and Chuck Nicholson won
297-617: A Ferrari Mondial . A total of 787 coupés and 50 convertible cars were built for the world market. In the United States, to commemorate the XJ220 launch in 1992, a limited number of 100 XJR-S coupés and convertibles were produced. Based on the facelift model, these were for the American market only. These included 22 Signal Red coupés, 22 Signal Red convertibles, 22 Jet Black coupés, 27 Jet Black convertibles, 2 Flamenco Red coupés, and
396-492: A front-engine, rear-wheel drive (FR) layout. The FR layout is more expensive to produce and produces lower fuel economy than a front-wheel drive layout; however, it allows for larger engines (particularly straight-six , V8 , and V12 ) to be used. Some American luxury cars during the 1970s through the 1990s switched to a front-wheel drive layout with transverse engine , due to the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 and
495-476: A 0-97 km/h (60 mph) acceleration time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 200 mph (322 km/h). Some customers chose to have their cars further modified with the addition of the Le Mans package. The package included a 6-speed Getrag manual transmission, a new exhaust system, and twin-superchargers over the standard package applied in order to extract a power output of 604 bhp (450 kW) from
594-538: A 2-rows option with four seats, which typically have more features than their cheaper counterparts. By the early 2020s, manufacturers have found additional strategies to improve technologies, such as new materials, new systems, and improving exteriors. Examples of luxury MPV models include Mercedes-Benz V-Class , Lexus LM , Buick GL8 , Hongqi HQ9 , Toyota Alphard , Volvo EM90 and the Zeekr 009 . Jaguar AJ6 engine Too Many Requests If you report this error to
693-501: A choice of a manual or an automatic transmission , but the manual was soon dropped as they were left over from V12 E Type production. V12 powered production automobiles were unusual at the time; Italian luxury sports car makers Lamborghini and Ferrari produced such models. The specifications of the XJ-S compared well with both Italian cars; it was able to accelerate to 97 km/h (60 mph) in 7.6 seconds (automatic models) and had
792-415: A distinctive body kit , special 15" alloy wheels, 235/60R15 Pirelli P600 tyres, a unique suspension system utilising modified coil springs and Bilstein shocks, a luxurious interior with Connolly Autolux leather along with walnut wood trim, and handling improvements. The first 100 of these cars were named "Celebration Le Mans" to commemorate Jaguar's 1988 win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and were only sold in
891-501: A fabric rear section including the rear window; there was an optional hard top for the rear section. Approximately 1598 Right Hand Drive and 3416 Left Hand Drive cars built. Whilst there are a small number of the XJ-SC cars with the rear seat conversion, Jaguar Cars only ever produced one such car which was specially built for Princess Diana. The rear roof section on this car was fully secured in place and could not be removed. This conversion
990-485: A five-speed manual transmission (Getrag 265), with a four-speed automatic (ZF 4HP22) offered from 1987 onwards (along with improved fuel injection as used on the XJ40 ). The earlier, manual models were not imported by Jaguar into the United States, which had to wait until the facelift manual 4-litre XJS coupé and convertible became available. A V12 powered XJ-SC was introduced in 1985. The two-seat XJ-SC targa-type model, never
1089-419: A great success in the marketplace, was replaced by a two-seat full convertible in 1988 which proved to be a great hit. XJ-SC The first XJ-SC was produced on June 28, 1982, the last January 26, 1988. In all 5013 XJ-SC Cabriolets were built. These cars were different in that they had a Targa/Convertible body style with removable Targa panels over the two seater passenger compartment, similar to T-tops, plus
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#17327720341391188-523: A higher-performance 205/70VR15 Michelin XWX tyres. At the end of the 1970s Jaguar started to fit the 205/70VR15 Pirelli P5. The Pirelli P5 was the tyre that Jaguar had asked Pirelli to produce to improve their luxury cars. European and Canadian spec XJ-S models were fitted with two molded headlights, while models for the US (until 1992) were fitted with four round sealed beam lights due to legislation. Jaguar launched
1287-594: A long-travel coil-spring suspension and an aluminium V8 engine. In the mid-1990s, the SUV market expanded with new entrants. By the mid-1990s, the entry-level Ford Explorer and upscale Jeep Grand Cherokee were the market leaders for SUVs. The fastest-growing sector of this market was for the so-called luxury SUVs, which included the Jeep Grand Cherokee ... the Grand Cherokee's allure: "This vehicle
1386-519: A modified rear light clusters and flared wheel arches to accommodate the wide tyres. The modified suspension system featured Koni dampers having 30% stiffer rebound than the original and having a modified rear subframe arrangement with wishbones and radius arms relocated to provide greater triangulation and reduce axle tramp. The new shocks were 100% stiffer at the front and 50% stiffer at the rear. The braking system had ventilated brake discs and were moved outward for better cooling and stability. The interior
1485-533: A new 4.0-litre version of the AJ6 straight-six engine . In 1992, a convertible model having the same engine was added to the range. The V12 engine's capacity was enlarged to 6.0 litres in May 1992 and it had a power output of 227 kW (304 hp). With the introduction of the 6.0-litre V12, the transmission was also updated to a GM 4L80E with a fourth-gear overdrive, whilst the automatic 4.0-litre models continued with
1584-769: A number of police forces across the United Kingdom, including the Warwickshire Constabulary , Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police , however no orders resulted from the trials due to a lack of interior space for traffic police equipment or for passengers. After retirement from demonstration services, the XJS was first donated to the Greater Manchester Police Museum before later being handed to
1683-521: A rear spoiler with a distinctive hole for radio antenna on the right hand side. It was also shaped differently than later XJR-S spoilers as it stood higher and had more distinctive flaps on the sides. The fibreglass side mouldings (side skirts) were equipped with rubber seams. Front bumper modifications included removal of the chrome and reinforcing front air dam and rear bumper featured exhaust exit apertures and rear integrated fog lights. A number of XJS's were modified by coachbuilders Lynx to create
1782-553: A separate marque (e.g. Lexus , launched by Toyota in 1989) or purchased one (e.g. Bentley , by Volkswagen in 1998). Occasionally, a luxury car is initially sold under a mainstream marque and is later rebranded under a specific luxury marque (for example, the Hyundai's Genesis to Genesis G80 as well as the Citroën DS to DS 5 ). For mass-produced luxury cars, sharing of platforms or components with other models
1881-481: A status symbol for conspicuous consumption . However, since many European luxury car buyers shy away from conspicuous consumption, brands offer buyers the option of removing exterior badges that identify the model name or engine size. The suspension system of most luxury cars is tuned to prioritize ride quality over handling , however, some are marketed as "sports luxury" and have a greater emphasis on handling characteristics. Traditionally, luxury cars have used
1980-653: A three-door shooting brake, marketed as the Lynx Eventer . Records suggest that 52 pre-facelift XJ-S, and 15 post-facelift XJS, were adapted, with 18 being left hand drive and 49 being right hand drive. In 1986, the newly-formed Lister Cars , under the leadership of engineer Laurence Pearce, began offering a high performance package for the Jaguar XJS. The cars were sold as Lister-Jaguar and 90 customer cars in total were converted. Lister teamed up with two manufacturers namely WP Automotive and BLE Automotive to carry out
2079-401: A time when luxury car sales suffered a 1% decline, and non-luxury SUV sales were flat. By 2004, 30% of major luxury brands' U.S. sales were SUVs. Crossover SUVs became increasingly popular in the mid-2000s, and manufacturers also began to produce luxury versions of crossovers. The Lexus RX was the earliest luxury crossover on the market, and it has since been the best-selling luxury vehicle in
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#17327720341392178-478: A top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph). The first series of XJ-S cars had a BorgWarner Model 12 transmission with a cast-iron case and a bolt-on bell-housing. In 1977, General Motors' Turbo-Hydramatic 400 transmissions were fitted. The TH400 transmission was an all-aluminium alloy case with an integrated non-detachable bell-housing. The XJ-S was originally supplied with Dunlop SP Super E205/70VR15 tyres on 6K alloy wheels; British police upgraded their Jaguars to
2277-418: A total of 2,100 cars were converted. In 1984, a Jaguar XJS with a 3.6l engine and manual transmission was converted by Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations into a Police Special demonstrator vehicle, fitted with a police lightbar on the roof, a police radio in the centre console and plastic interior trim including cloth seats to replace luxury furnishings. The Police Special XJS demonstrator was loaned by Jaguar to
2376-554: A wooden steering wheel. The XJS was discontinued in 1996, after 21 years in production, superseded by the XK8 , which continued to use a modified version of the XJS platform until 2005. TWR XJS Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) formed JaguarSport in partnership with Jaguar in 1988. XJR-S was their first model. But prior to 1988, specifically between 1984 and 1988, TWR offered sporting versions of XJS coupe and cabriolet cars. Various bodywork, trim and engine upgrade options were available on both
2475-515: Is common, as per modern automotive industry practice. A compact executive car or a compact luxury car is a premium car larger than a premium compact and smaller than an executive car . In European classification, compact executive cars are part of the D-segment . In North American terms, close equivalents are "compact premium car", "compact luxury car", "entry-level luxury car" and "near-luxury car". Compact executive cars are usually based on
2574-461: Is proof you can have a true off-road vehicle without giving up luxuries and amenities" with the Jeep providing a crucial new intangible factor for buyers—image. The SUV models generated higher profit margins than passenger cars, and car manufacturers began introducing new luxury SUVs during the late 1990s. SUVs such as the 1995 Lexus LX , 1997 Mercedes-Benz M-Class , and 1998 Lincoln Navigator were
2673-710: Is relative and partially subjective, reflecting both objective qualities of a car, as well as the projected and perceived image of the vehicle marque . Luxury brands rank above premium brands , though there is no clear distinction between the two. Traditionally, most luxury cars were large vehicles , though smaller sports-oriented models were produced. " Compact " luxury vehicles such as hatchbacks and off-road capable sport utility vehicles are more recent expansions of luxury qualities in various cars. Increasing comfort features, materials quality, interior space, innovations, and or performance have consistently been competitive strategies between car makers practically throughout
2772-530: The 1987 (January) Nissan Mobil 500 in Wellington , New Zealand under special invitation from the race promoters. Neither car finished with Walkinshaw/Percy suffering diff failure and the Hahne/Hulme car cutting a tyre resulting in a race ending crash after fighting their way into the lead. The cars then raced at Pukekohe , with Percy/Hahne giving the big cat a second-place finish in its final race behind
2871-568: The Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore VK of Australian drivers Larry Perkins and David Parsons . TWR built a total of 7 cars. Australian privateer Garry Willmington ran an XJS in the 1985 and 1986 Australian Touring Car Championships , and also the late season endurance races . While he reportedly had obtained more power from the V12 than TWR, Willmington didn't have TWR's resources to develop either
2970-613: The Rolls-Royce Phantom , Maybach 57 and 62 , Hongqi L5 , Bentley Mulsanne , Cadillac Celestiq , Toyota Century , and Aurus Senat . High-end sports cars which are targeted towards performance rather than luxury are not usually classified as ultra-luxury cars, even when their cost is greater than US$ 100,000 . The history of a brand and the exclusivity of a particular model can result in price premiums compared to luxury cars with similar features from less prestigious manufacturers. Ultra-luxury cars are usually selected as
3069-422: The official state car . Grand tourers are essentially high-performance luxury vehicles. These vehicles are generally two-door coupes and are made for long-distance driving, combined with the luxury of an executive car or full-size luxury car . Long before the luxury SUV segment was defined and became popular, the 1966 Jeep Super Wagoneer was marketed at the time as a fully-equipped station wagon. It
Jaguar XJS - Misplaced Pages Continue
3168-531: The 1950s, including the Toyota Crown (1955–present), Prince/Nissan Gloria (1959–2004), Nissan Cedric (1960–2015), Mitsubishi Debonair (1964–1998), Nissan President (1965–2010), Toyota Century (1967–present), Mazda Luce/929 (1969–1991), and Honda Legend (1985–2021). Since the 1980s, overseas sales of Japanese luxury cars have increased, challenging traditional European luxury brands. Several East Asian manufacturers have created sub-brands for
3267-738: The 1979 fuel crises which eliminated many FR platforms in favor of the more economical front-wheel drive (FF) layout. From the early 2000s, several of these American luxury cars reverted to FR layouts. Since the introduction of the Bentley Continental GT in 2003, additional luxury grand tourers feature all-wheel drive . Prior to World War II , a wide array of European producers made luxury cars, including Rolls-Royce , Bugatti , Delage , Delahaye , Talbot-Lago , Bentley , Alvis , Avions Voisin , Isotta Fraschini , Horch , Simson , Stoewer , Maybach , Mercedes-Benz , Hispano Suiza , Daimler Company , and Spyker . France
3366-427: The 1990s. The personal luxury car emerged into mass popularity and affordability as an America-specific category of popularly-priced cars made from the 1950s by the four domestic manufacturers (GM, Ford, Chrysler, and AMC) that reached peak popularity in the 1970s. The cars were stylized, mass-produced two-door coupés or convertibles , relying on standard components. These distinctively styled cars were targeting
3465-590: The 2010s. For example, Rolls-Royce Cullinan , Bentley Bentayga , Aston Martin DBX , Maserati Levante , Lamborghini Urus , and Ferrari Purosangue . Some brands, such as Lincoln , have even moved to an all SUV and/or crossover lineup. Manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz , Toyota , Lexus , Buick , Hongqi , Zeekr and Volvo have marketed upscale luxury MPVs as luxury vehicles, mainly marketed for Asian markets. Luxury MPVs generally have 3-rows of six or seven seats; however, range-topping flagship models may also offer
3564-844: The 3.6 litre 6-cylinder and 5.3 litre V12 vehicles. These cars are particularly unique and rare, often misinterpreted and misunderstood due to the poor record keeping for the pre-1988 cars. Further confusion is caused by the production of later XJR-S "JaguarSport" cars to similar specifications. Some of the known upgrades included engine and transmission, low drag body kit, special bumper kit (for North American market), 8"x16" low drag Speedline Italian made alloy wheels fitted with "TWR" centre cap (very similar to later XJR-S wheels fitted with "Sport" centre cap), TWR suspension kit, TWR brake kit, TWR steering wheel, manual gearbox (5-speed close ratio), automatic gearbox quick shift kit, automatic gearshift lever (screw on leather type as used on XJR-S), TWR power assisted steering valve and others. TWR body kits included
3663-603: The ETCC. Walkinshaw had been to the 1984 James Hardie 1000 at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst , Australia , to co-drive a locally developed Australian Group C XJS with Australian driver John Goss . Walkinshaw qualified in provisional 7th place with a 2:16.09 lap of the 6.172 km (3.835 mi) circuit, recording a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h) on the 2 km long Conrod Straight, with
3762-673: The European Commission. The next category of luxury cars is known in Great Britain as a "luxury saloon" or "luxury limousine," and is known in the United States as a full-size luxury sedan, large luxury sedan, or flagship sedan. It is the equivalent of the European F-segment and the German Oberklasse segment. Many of these luxury saloons are the flagship for the marque and include
3861-669: The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, with whom it would become an exhibit vehicle at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon , Warwickshire . From 1988 to 1993, a special high performance XJR-S version equipped with the 5.3 litres (5,344 cc) HE V12 engine was produced by the newly formed JaguarSport, a separate company owned in a ratio of 50:50 by Jaguar and TWR Group Limited specialising in developing high performance Jaguar sports cars. The car had
3960-541: The Mercedes-Benz brand, later joined by BMW , which acquired Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in 1998, as well as Volkswagen which much later controlled or acquired additional brands such as Audi , Porsche , Bentley , Lamborghini , and Bugatti brands. In the Soviet Union, the manufacturer ZiL (then called Zis) began producing representational limousines in the mid-1930s. In the early 1950s, GAZ joined with
4059-521: The Silver Frost 'Press Cars' of 4 coupés and 1 convertible. Jaguar considered a luxury Daimler version to be marketed as the Daimler-S , notably without the buttresses and with only a single prototype built in 1986. Paul Banham did produce some custom notch back coupés without buttresses, larger rear side windows, and a narrow C-pillars. In the mid-90s, Banham also made a reworked version called
Jaguar XJS - Misplaced Pages Continue
4158-459: The UK. Between 1988 and 1989, a total of 326 XJR-S cars were produced with the 5.3 litres (5,344 cc) engine which has a power output of 318 hp (237 kW). After September 1989, the displacement of the engine was increased to 5,993 cc (6.0 L) and it was now equipped with Zytek fuel injection and engine management system. This was different from the standard 6.0-litre engine used in
4257-528: The US. Some luxury crossovers are built on a platform shared with sedans or hatchbacks. For example, the Infiniti FX is based upon the same platform as the Infiniti G35 sedans and coupes. While early luxury crossovers released in the late 1990s have resembled traditional boxy SUVs, later crossovers, such as the Infiniti FX and BMW X6 , have been designed with a sporting appearance. Despite
4356-574: The Walkinshaw/Percy car lead the race until retiring on lap 6 with no oil pressure after easily holding off the 313 kW (420 hp) Holden Commodore of Peter Brock on the circuit's 1.5 km (0.93 mi) main straight, while the Hahne/ Denny Hulme /Walkinshaw car only lasted until half distance before retiring with a broken differential. Despite not being eligible for Group A racing in 1987, TWR ran their two Jaguars in
4455-544: The XIV Grand Prix Brno, the cars simply proving too fast for their rival BMW 530/530i and Alfa Romeo GTV6 opposition with Walkinshaw qualifying 5.37 seconds faster than anyone else on the 10.925 km (6.789 mi) Brno Circuit . After more victories for the team's Jaguars in 1983 (including lapping the 20.81 km (12.93 mi) Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in 7:56.00), the TWR Jaguars were
4554-532: The XJ-S HE and received the new High-Efficiency V12 engine for much better fuel economy. A positive side effect of the more efficient "Fire Ball" combustion chamber designed by Swiss Engineer Michael May was that power output was increased to 295 hp (220 kW; 299 PS) or 263 hp (196 kW) in North America. At the same time, the XJ-S HE received changes to its exterior and interior: there
4653-469: The XJ-S in the wake of a fuel crisis, when the market for a 5.3-litre V12 grand tourer was small. The buttresses behind the windows were criticised at the time as German authorities feared these would restrict rearward vision, and refused to give type approval to the XJ-S (and to the similarly designed Lancia Montecarlo ) – requiring German XJ-S buyers to obtain road approval for each individual car upon registration. Sales remained stubbornly low, and production
4752-418: The XJ-S was noted for its prominent rear buttresses. The early styling was partially by Jaguar's aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer —one of the first designers to apply advanced aero principles to cars—however Sayer died in 1970, before the design was finalised. Its final iteration, produced from 1991 to 1996, was manufactured after Jaguar was acquired by Ford , who introduced numerous modifications – and eliminated
4851-614: The XJ40 saloon. Outboard rear brakes replaced the more complicated inboard brakes of previous models from May 1993. In April 1994, substantial revisions were made to the 4.0-litre AJ6 engine, which was now equipped with coil-on-plug ignition and given the new code name AJ16. In 1995, the final specification changes were made and the car was referred to as the Celebration model, to celebrate the 60th year of Jaguar Cars. Celebration cars feature diamond turned wheels, Jaguar embossed seats, and
4950-494: The XJSS based on the XJS. The XJS was relaunched in its final form in May 1991 under Ford Motor Company 's new ownership, as a division of its Premier Auto Group. Ford dropped the model name's hyphen, marketing it as the XJS. By removing the frames, the rear side windows appeared enlarged despite having identical glass apertures as the earlier cars, the windscreen was flush fitting, while the buttresses remained – somewhat minimised by
5049-615: The car or engine reliability and results were not forthcoming, though on occasions where the track had a long enough straight (such as Sandown Raceway in Melbourne or the Adelaide International Raceway ), the Willmington Jag was usually the fastest car in a straight line. John Goss also ran his own privately entered XJS in the 1986 James Hardie 1000 after Jaguar-Rover Australia pulled its backing of
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#17327720341395148-681: The car's instant retirement and the race's first ever restart after the track was blocked at the start/finish line. The Scot was determined to come back in 1985 and win the race in the first season of Group A in Australia and in 1985 the three TWR XJS Jaguars were brought out of retirement for the James-Hardie 1000 . The cars were clearly the class of the field, finishing Hardies Heroes in 1st (Walkinshaw/Percy in #8), 2nd ( Jeff Allam /Ron Dickson in #9) and 6th (Goss/ Armin Hahne in #10). This time
5247-465: The car. Group 44 succeeded in again capturing the driver's championship for Bob Tullius and also captured the manufacturer's title as well, by entering Brian Fuerstenau driving the 1977 car at some venues to gain additional manufacturer's points for Jaguar. The silhouette car survived and has surfaced recently in the SVRA historic sports race series. The 1977 factory chassis race car is believed to still be in
5346-531: The cars got off the start line and Walkinshaw and Percy dominated most of the race, only losing the lead to the Goss/Hahne car during pit stops (the Allam/Dickson car went out on lap 3 with engine failure). The drivers of the #10 car, who had to battle a broken seat which was held loosely in place by straps and cable ties for well over 100 laps, sat in second most of the way until a split oil line late in
5445-581: The cars to beat in the ETCC, with Walkinshaw claiming the 1984 ETCC Drivers' Championship. During the championship season the TWR Jaguar team also won the prestigious Spa 24 Hours race with an XJS driven by Walkinshaw, Hans Heyer and Win Percy , proving not only the speed of the cars but the reliability of the 5.3 litre V12 engine. By 1984 the TWR Jaguars had a new challenger in the ETCC. The turbocharged Volvo 240T run by Eggenberger Motorsport arrived on
5544-401: The conversion process. The standard package included increased engine displacement to 7.0-litres, a modified fuel injection system with four additional injectors and throttle bodies, larger engine valves along with connecting rods manufactured by Cosworth , a new crankshaft, new cylinder heads, new inlet and exhaust valves, new bearing caps, and a new body kit featuring a spoiler at the rear with
5643-438: The electronic ZF4HP24E transmission. A 2+2 convertible was also introduced, as was a customised insignia line. At the same time, the car received more aerodynamic front and rear bumpers that were now painted the same colour as the body. The main interior change was to the instrument pack; the original featured distinctive drum type ancillary gauges - this was replaced by a more conventional style binnacle similar to that found in
5742-455: The engine. Under license from Jaguar build by Paul Bailey Design. The Sultan of Brunei is said to have purchased two of the 11 cars completed. For 1977, the " Group 44 " racing team had a very successful season in Trans Am with a race car based on the actual production XJ-S chassis and running gear. The team won the series' 1977 drivers' championship cup for Bob Tullius but missed winning
5841-576: The entry-level luxury segment remained strong throughout the GFC, due to prices being lowered to compete with well-equipped non-luxury cars. For example, in Canada, several luxury manufacturers set sales records in August 2009, due mostly to discounted pricing on entry-level luxury vehicles. Some auto manufacturers market their luxury models using the same marque as the rest of their line. Others have created
5940-421: The first SUVs produced by these luxury car brands. Some of these early luxury SUV models used unibody construction, becoming part of the trend moving away from the body-on-frame construction traditionally used by off-road vehicles. During the mid-2000s, SUVs from luxury car brands grew by almost 40% in the United States to more than 430,000 vehicles (excluding SUV-only brands like Hummer and Land Rover ), at
6039-511: The front wheels. The later Jaguar full convertible had a heavier padded top that did not fold as low as the H&;E convertible, but retained nearly all of the original components of the coupé. The number of H&E Jaguar XJS produced is unknown, partly because a fire at the Hess & Eisenhardt factory destroyed most of the records pertaining to the Jaguar XJS conversions. According to some sources,
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#17327720341396138-462: The great TWR specials. Notes Bibliography Luxury car A luxury car is a car that provides above-average to high-end levels of comfort , features, and equipment. Often, more expensive materials and surface finishes are used, and buyers expect better build quality . The usually higher pricing and more upscale appearance are often associated with the users' higher social status compared to low- and mid-market segment cars. The term
6237-440: The hands of Group 44's Bob Tullius. In April 1979 a Jaguar XJS driven by Dave Heinz and Dave Yarborough was entered into Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash , widely known simply as the Cannonball Run. They completed the 4,608 kilometres (2,863 mi) from New York to Los Angeles in a record time of 32 hours and 51 minutes, a record that stood for 4 years, until it was beaten by David Diem and Doug Turner in
6336-505: The history of the automobile. Several car classification schemes include a luxury category, such as: Luxury cars have traditionally emphasized higher levels of comfort and safety. Manufacturers often introduce new safety technologies and comfort amenities on luxury models before they are available on more affordable models. Some brands, like Audi and BMW have expanded their marketing by "introducing lesser priced and strip-down economy versions of their products." Luxury vehicles can be
6435-525: The hyphen in the name, marketing Jaguar's longest running model simply as the XJS. The XJ-S was introduced on 10 September 1975. The design and development had begun in the late 1960s by the code name of project XJ27, with an initial shape penned by Malcolm Sayer, but after his death in 1970 it was completed by the in-house Jaguar design team, headed by Doug Thorpe. Power came from the Jaguar V12 engine with
6534-526: The increased popularity of crossover models, traditional luxury SUVs remain in production. Examples include the Lexus LX , Infiniti QX80 , and Lincoln Navigator . Research data from the mid-2000s suggested that luxury SUV buyers did not consider traditional luxury cars (e.g. sedans and coupes), therefore the SUV is becoming the key to bringing new customers into luxury dealerships. Luxury car companies have increasingly introduced SUV or crossover models in
6633-482: The lack of a historical legacy has hindered these efforts. In 2014, Citroën introduced DS Automobiles sub-brand to market luxury cars. Pre World War II intermediate car manufacturers like Renault , Fiat , Opel , Lancia , Škoda , Riley , Praga , Peugeot , Hillman and Tatra made luxury cars but were forced to make economy cars and superminis post World War II . Following World War II, Germany rose to become an export powerhouse, building on success with
6732-693: The last laps to make it a Jaguar 1–3, with Walkinshaw following Goss across the finish line in a formation finish. The TWR XJS Jaguars were next seen late in 1986 at the Fuji 500 in Japan in what was meant to be its Group A swansong as it ran out of FIA homologation in at the end of the year. Against old foes in the BMW 635 CSi and Volvo 240T, as well as newer Group A cars such as the Australian Holden VK Commodore SS Group A V8 and
6831-413: The late XJS models and was unique to this model. The power output was raised to 333 PS (328 hp; 245 kW) at 5,250 rpm and 495 N⋅m (365 lb⋅ft) of torque at 3,650 rpm due to a higher compression ratio of 11.0:1, a new forged steel crankshaft, increased bore and forged alloy pistons. A modified air intake system and a low loss dual exhaust system was also standard on the model. The engine
6930-423: The later Jaguar-built XJS convertible as its un-padded top folded down deeper into the body structure of the car resulting in a cleaner rear profile when the roof was lowered. To accommodate this design element, the Hess & Eisenhardt convertibles have two separate fuel tanks, positioned to allow for the roof to fully retract. The process of converting the stock Jaguar XJS coupé into the H&E Convertible included
7029-482: The manufacturer's title by two points (only one Jaguar was competing in the Trans-Am series compared to many more Porsche entrants). In 1978, a purpose-built tube-frame "silhouette" style XJS race car was constructed which greatly reduced the weight compared to the full production chassis car campaigned in 1977. This silhouette car had only the production car's roof panel as the sole piece of factory XJS sheetmetal on
7128-551: The market. In the 2000s, both Ford and General Motors produced luxury pickups: 2002-2013 Cadillac Escalade EXT , 2002-2003 Lincoln Blackwood , and 2006-2014 Lincoln Mark LT . In the late 2000s, the Cadillac CTS and Cadillac DTS led to a resurgence in the brand's luxury sedans. The equivalent sedan from the Ford group, the 2008 Lincoln MKS , was also regarded as a significant improvement over previous models. In 2010, BMW
7227-642: The marketing of luxury cars. The first of these was the 1986 launch of Acura (a Honda sub-brand), followed by Lexus (Toyota) in 1989, Infiniti (Nissan) in 1989, and Genesis (Hyundai) in 2015. The time of the 2007–2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession was the first time since the Great Depression that the luxury car market suffered considerably, something not seen in previous economic downturns. Many such customers saw their net worth decline during this time. For example, some of
7326-474: The needs of individual customers, not an entire family. The longest running model lines were the 1958-1997 Ford Thunderbird , 1956-1998 Lincoln Mark Series , and the 1967-2002 Cadillac Eldorado . In 1990, American luxury brands dominated, with Cadillac selling over a quarter-million cars, and Lincoln had its best year ever at 231,660 units. However, the market was changing with an ever greater acceptance of smaller, more efficient imported luxury brands while at
7425-456: The new side window trim. Designer Geoff Lawson noted the buttresses were part of the car's character. The rear fascia and trunk lid were redesigned, with new black tinted rear lights being fitted. The V12 engine was also upgraded with new injection and fuel system, new spark plugs, and a tidier engine room. Power for the catalyzed, European-market version inched up from 273 to 280 PS (201 to 206 kW; 269 to 276 bhp). The car received
7524-584: The newest automotive technology. Several models are available in long-wheelbase versions, which provide additional rear legroom and may have a higher level of standard features. Examples of luxury saloons / full-size luxury sedans include the BMW 7 Series , Jaguar XJ , Cadillac CT6 , Genesis G90 , Audi A8 , Mercedes-Benz S-Class , Lexus LS , Hongqi H9 , Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte . Luxury cars costing over US$ 100,000 (as of 2007) can be considered as "ultra-luxury cars". Examples include
7623-427: The platform of a mid-size car (also known as large family car or D-segment ), while some models may be based on a compact car (also known as small family car or C-segment ). Executive car is a British term for an automobile larger than a large family car . In official use, the term is adopted by Euro NCAP , a European organization founded to test for car safety. It is a passenger car classification defined by
7722-417: The post-production removal of the roof, cutting the body in several sections, the addition of steel reinforcements behind the driver's seat, and 9.1 kg (20 lb) weights placed just behind the headlights to eliminate harmonic resonance caused by the significant modifications to the car. H&E XJS convertibles are easily identified by the lower folding top, as well as two small badges located just behind
7821-565: The postwar era. From 1946 until the late 1990s, Cadillac was the top-selling brand of luxury cars in the U.S., while Lincoln was second. The most successful and long-running model names during this era were the Cadillac DeVille , Lincoln Continental , and the Chrysler Imperial . The Lincoln Mark Series and Cadillac Eldorado were positioned in the personal luxury category, and competition between them continued into
7920-415: The promise of more to come in the "Hardies Heroes" Top 10 runoff through the use of special tyres. However, the tyres failed to arrive at the circuit in time and Walkinshaw eventually qualified 10th having to use front wheels on the car as no suitable rubber was available. Clutch failure saw the car fail to get off the start line and a helpless Walkinshaw was hit from behind by a Chevrolet Camaro Z28 , causing
8019-473: The proposed TWR return to Bathurst due to a severe downturn in the Australian car market forced him to defend his crown alone, though he did receive some technical assistance from TWR. Electrical problems in the race saw Goss finish 24th with veteran Australian driver Bob Muir. Today the XJS continues to be extensively campaigned in club level motorsport both in the United Kingdom and overseas. Best known of
8118-579: The race cost the Walkinshaw/Percy car 3 laps and any chance of victory. 1974 Bathurst 1000 winner Goss won his second "Great Race" while Hahne, who had won the Group A category in the 1984 race driving a TWR Rover, maintained his 100% record with his only Bathurst 1000 win. After having the oil line replaced, Walkinshaw resumed in 4th place but easily caught and passed the JPS Team BMW 635 CSi of 1985 Australian Touring Car Champion Jim Richards in
8217-512: The race series is probably the Jaguar Enthusiasts' Club XJS championship, currently in association with Toyo Tires . Their championship has now been running for over a decade, offering an affordable entry into club motorsport in the UK, and continuing to attract large grids of this unlikely racing car. Cars compete in various states of modification, from barely modified road cars through to full race-specification cars built in homage to
8316-400: The removable soft top, making it a strict two-seater car. The XJ-SC was not a full convertible but was a fixed profile variant with a non-removable centre targa-type structure, fixed cant rails above the doors, and fixed rear quarter windows. The six-cylinder cars can be identified by a raised bonnet centre section. Between 1983 and 1987, the six-cylinder-engined cars were only available with
8415-497: The same time, the domestic manufacturers were downsizing their models with product decisions that backfired on quality and brand respect. Since the late 1990s, Japanese and German brands have sold the most luxury-type cars in the United States. However, the Cadillac Escalade has led the luxury SUV segment sales in the United States since its introduction in 1998, with the highest sales for 15 out of its first 20 years on
8514-458: The scene and had the speed to match the V12, though with turbocharging new to touring car racing it took a number of races for reliability to match the cars' speed. By the end of 1984 the TWR developed V12 engines in the XJS were rated at approximately 336 kW (451 hp). By 1985 the XJS had been retired from European competition and TWR was committed to running the 3.5L V8 Rover Vitesse in
8613-967: The somewhat smaller "Chaika" model range. In 2018, Aurus Motors was established to produce luxury vehicles for the Russian market. The luxury car phenomenon began at the start of the automobile industry when the wealthy frequently invested in manufacturing such models to gain social prestige. Emphasis was also placed on custom-built coachwork. The 1920s and 1930s were the apogee of production of these very large luxury automobiles from many manufacturers. The significant North American manufacturers from 1910 until 1940 included Auburn , Buick , Cadillac , Chrysler , Continental , Cord , Daniels , DeSoto , Duesenberg , Franklin , Imperial , LaFayette , LaSalle , Lincoln , Marmon , Packard , Peerless , Pierce Arrow , Ruxton , Stearns-Knight , and Stutz . The Great Depression put many luxury car manufacturers out of business; others would hold on before going defunct during
8712-537: The steepest drop-offs came at the high end, including the BMW 7 Series and Rolls-Royce Phantom , and in 2010 Mercedes-Benz dropped the price of the W212 E-Class . The unusually sharp decline in luxury car sales has led observers to believe that there is a fundamental shift and reshaping of the luxury automotive market, with one industry official suggesting that the marques no longer command the premiums that they used to and another saying that conspicuous consumption
8811-497: The turbocharged Nissan Skyline DR30 RS , Walkinshaw qualified the XJS on pole, proving how competitive the car could still be in Touring car racing (the cars had been entered in the 1986 Bathurst 1000 and had undergone testing and development which gave a reported an extra 37 kW (50 hp), though the car ultimately did not race due to a lack of funding from Jaguar Rover Australia to help with freight costs). The Fuji race saw
8910-563: Was a leading producer of powerful luxury automobiles before World War II. After World War II, the French government used puissance fiscale tax regulations to encourage manufacturers to build cars with small engines, and French motorists to buy them. The Maserati-powered Citroën SM and the Citroën C6 were arguably the last domestic French luxury cars. In the 2010s, some French manufacturers have attempted to develop luxury cars, however
9009-428: Was also modified and now had Recaro racing bucket seats and a new steering wheel with optimised feedback. The modified engine was rated at 496 bhp (370 kW) and 500 lb⋅ft (678 N⋅m) of torque. The engine was mated to a 5-speed Getrag manual transmission. The cars were fitted with 17-inch wheels with wide Pirelli tyres measuring 10 inches at the front and 13 inches at the rear. Performance figures include
9108-524: Was body-coloured boot trim in place of the standard previous black, new five-spoke "Starfish" alloy wheels fitted with 215/70R15 Pirelli Cinturato P5 tyres, chrome inserts on the upper part of the bumpers, and burled elm inserts on dashboard and door cappings. In 1983, the new 3.6-litre Jaguar AJ6 straight-six engine was introduced along with a new convertible model called the XJ-SC . The coupé's rather small rear seats were removed in order to make space for
9207-469: Was halted for half of 1981, to allow unsold stock to be moved. Because of the slow sales, Leyland Cars had decided to discontinue the car but decided to give it another chance with a light facelift and engine revisions. Italian styling house Pininfarina introduced a 1978 concept car based on the XJ-S, called the Jaguar XJSpider; which did not see production. From July 1981, the XJ-S was renamed
9306-611: Was later carried out by several aftermarket companies on owners cars, not with the approval of the works. From 1986, a full convertible version was available through some dealers, modified by Hess & Eisenhardt in the USA. The Hess & Eisenhardt coachbuilding firm was located in Ohio, USA, and built convertible modifications for the XJ-S under contract from Jaguar, before the official Jaguar-built XJ-S full convertible became available in 1988. The Hess & Eisenhardt convertible differed from
9405-475: Was mated to the 3-speed GM400 automatic transmission utilising a recalibrated valve body and had faster shift times. The car was equipped with 16" Dunlop D40 M2 tyres for better grip. These modifications resulted in a top speed of 260 km/h (160 mph). During a comparison test conducted by Motorsport magazine in 1997, the XJR-S outperformed the other competitors which included a BMW 850i , Porsche 928 GT and
9504-454: Was no longer attractive in poor economic conditions. Additionally, mainstream brands have been able to offer amenities and devices such as leather, wood, and anti-lock brakes, previously found only on luxury cars, as the costs decline. However, luxury vehicle sales remained relatively high compared to their non-luxury counterparts. This was aided by growing interest in luxury vehicles from emerging markets such as China and Russia. Sales in
9603-532: Was the best-selling luxury vehicle manufacturer by sales, with Audi and Mercedes-Benz the second and third highest selling luxury brands. Chinese manufacturer Hongqi was launched in 1958, making it the oldest Chinese luxury car marque. Later newcomers joined taking advantage of the rise of electric powertrains, with NEV brands such as Nio in 2014, Lynk & Co in 2016, HiPhi in 2019, and Zeekr in 2021 producing luxury electric and hybrid vehicles. Japanese manufacturers have been producing luxury cars since
9702-420: Was the first off-road SUV to offer a V8 engine and automatic transmission along with luxury car trim and equipment. Standard features included bucket seating , a center console, air conditioning, a seven-position tilt steering wheel, a vinyl roof , and gold-colored trim panels on the body sides and tailgate. By the late 1970s, optional equipment included an electric sunroof. The 1978 Jeep Wagoneer Limited
9801-488: Was the spiritual successor to the Super Wagoneer and was the first four-wheel drive car to use leather upholstery. The Range Rover was released in 1970 as a two-door vehicle for off-road durability with few "creature comforts." A four-door version was added in 1981, and the model was pushed upmarket in 1983 by introducing an automatic transmission (Chrysler's A727 TorqueFlite ) as an option. The Range Rover had
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