Jaguar - Jaguar XJS
The Jaguar XJ-S was introduced in 1975 as a coupe, which was the grand touring replacement for the Series 3 E type. The V12 engine was their tried and tested unit from the V12 E Type Series 3 that it replaced, and when the stocks of the manual Series 3 E type gearboxes ran out, all the subsequent XJS were fitted with automatic gearboxes as standard fitment. Although Malcolm Sayer had designed the bodywork he had died in 1970, and his work was finished off in house. Some complained about the lack of visibility from the rear "buttresses", and a consequence of this feature the XJS could never get its Type Approval in Germany. One only wonders what it would have looked like had William Lyons penned it! The first series of the XJS was replaced by the Series 2 from 1981 when the cars were known as XJ-S HE , the HE being the High Efficiency cylinder head developed in Switzerland. By 1983 a simplified 6 cylinder version of the XJS was also introduced, called the XJ-SC, which had a kind of Targa top and rear portion soft top. From 1991 Jaguar had a new owner in Ford.
For the Jaguar XJS there were two tyre sizes specified, both of which Blockley produces, namely :
- First series Jaguar XJS V12 original tyre fitment was 205/70VR15 tyre size. These were the XJS built between 1975 and 1981.
- Second series Jaguar XJS V12 was specified with the larger 215/70VR15 size. These were the XJS built between 1981 and 1991.
- The 6 cylinder XJS SC, available from 1983, was also specified with the larger 215/70VR15 size.
Blockley Tyre Co. produce both these Jaguar XJS tyre sizes with high speed rated high quality period correct 205/70R15 (W speed rated) and 215/70R15 (V rated) tyres, at very sensible prices which we are able to do by selling these direct, and not through the Classic tyre wholesalers - see full details of these XJS tyres at the links below:
