1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II
The 1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II were improved follow-ups to the brilliant "Series I" XJ sedans, announced for Europe in October 1973 and for the U.S. in 1974.Jaguar Cars Image Gallery
1978 Jaguar XJ12. See more pictures of Jaguar cars.
Initial changes involved stronger, higher-set bumpers (the front one prompting an abbreviated grille) and updated instrument panel with all gauges grouped in front of the driver and a large center vent for the improved air conditioning. Late '74 brought four additions to the line: six- and 12-cylinder XJC hardtop coupes and a similar pair of "L" (long) sedans with the wheelbase stretched four inches for additional rear leg room. The latter sold so well that they eventually supplanted the original standard-wheelbase sedans entirely.
Few other year-to-year changes save switching the automatic transmission from the outmoded Borg-Warner to a more modern GM Turbo Hydra-Matic during 1976. Both V-12 and XK six retained dual carburetors (fuel injection for American cars in 1978-79) and power ratings close to Series I levels, even on emissions-tuned American models.
The XJ6 2.8 remained a tax-beating "economy special" mainly for Europe. Equivalent Daimler Sovereign and Double Six continued (respective total production: 20,075 and 4292), but again not for the U.S.
Pluses of the 1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II:
- Grace, pace
- Luxurious wood-and-leather cabin
- Silken engines
- Good performance (0-60: 10.5 seconds, XJ6; 8.5, XJ12)
- Super sedan handling
- Full power assists
- XJ12's rarity
- All versions still relatively inexpensive
- Tidier dash than the 1969-73 Series I
- Even lower asking prices today
Minuses of the 1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II:
- Not much space
- Jaguar's usual reliability and rust worries
- "Vintage" ergonomics
- Avoid ratty specimens -- there are lots of them
- Front end slightly "chubbier" than the 1969-73 Series I
- Workmanship even spottier
than the 1969-73 Series I
Production of the 1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II:
-
1973: 1,656
- 1974: 18,270
- 1975: 14,229
- 1976: 15,440
- 1977: 10,956
- 1978: 15,422
- 1979: 1,528
Production of the 1973-1979 Jaguar XJ12 Series II:
- 1973: 168
- 1974: 4,744
- 1975: 2,239
- 1976: 3,283
- 1977: 1,913
- 1978: 3,284
- 1979: 429
Specifications
of the 1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II:
Length, inches: 194.8 (L: 198.8)
Wheelbase, inches: 108.8 (L:112.8)
Weight, pounds: 3,950-4,300
Price, new: $10,300-20,000 (in U.S.)
Engines
for the 1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II:
TypeSize
HorsepowerYears dohc I-6
2,792 (171 cid) 140
1973-1975dohc I-63,442 (210 cid)
1611975-1979dohc I-64,235 (258 cid)
245/162-1861973-1979ohc V-125,343 (326 cid)
265/244 1973-1979
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