Jaguar - Jaguar XJ6
The Jaguar XJ6 was the model that replaced Jaguars spacious Mk10 / 420G in late 1968, initially with both 2.8 and 4.2 litre versions of Jaguars XK engine. A Daimler badged version of the XJ6 was called the Daimler Sovereign. The Jaguar XJ6 really set the tone for Jaguar saloons for decades to come and was the last creation of William Lyons before his retirement at the age of 70, in 1972. Various changes were made to the 6 cylinder car, including an upgraded gearbox and detail changes, and by 1972 a longer wheelbase option was made to allow for more rear passenger legroom.
The Jaguar "Series 2" XJ6 was first shown in 1973 and looked virtually identical to what went before it, other than for a lowered front grille, and a considerably altered dashboard. The XJ6 Series 2 was only available as a 4.2 litre, alongside a 12 cylinder version, and available in 2 wheelbase lengths although the shorter length version was deleted within a year. Continual improvements and upgrades were made over the years, the most significant coming during 1977 when the British made Borg Warner gearbox was dropped in favour of the American General Motors gearbox, due to quality control problems at Borg Warner. The Jaguar XJ6 Series 2 was in production to 1979. During the production of the XJ Series 2 there was also a batch of XJ6 built called the XJ Coupe, a two door version, based on the short wheel base (9 ft. 1 inch) XJ, and again these were available with the 6 cylinder 4.2 litre (and a V12 version) in both Jaguar and Daimler options, the Daimler version being the Daimler Sovereign Coupe.
The Series 3 range of the XJ was started in 1979, staying in production to 1992 with the XJ12 version. Bodywork tweaks were at the hand of Pininfarina, but keeping to the original William Lyons format. A 3.4 litre option had been introduced with the Series 2, so for the Series 3 XJ's everything continued as normal with the 3.4 and 4.2 six cylinder cars and the XJ12 5.3 litre, the larger engines now fuel injected. An interesting side note was Swiss Michael May (the first person to put a spoiler on his car - a Porsche 550, that the organisers would not allow) altered the V12 cylinder head combustion chamber, and cars with this design of head fitted were called the HE (High Efficiency). Although XJ6 production ceased in 1987 to be taken over by it's replacement the XJ40, the Series 3 XJ12 's carried on in production until 1992.
Tyre sizes for all Jaguar XJ6 was 205/70VR15 (also called ER70R15) with the larger tyre size 215/70VR15 as an option, as was used on the 12 cylinder version. Blockley produces both these high speed rated correct tyre sizes which we guarantee will transform the handling of the XJ's - see full details of these Jaguar XJ6 tyres at the links below:
