XJ40

Throughout the 1970s Jaguar had been developing “Project XJ40″ which was an all-new model intended to replace the original (by now Series III) XJ6. Due to problems at British Leyland and the fuel crisis, the car was continually delayed. Proposals from Jaguar’s in-house designers and Pininfarina were received. Eventually, it was decided an internal design would be carried through to production. This car was finally released in October 1986 with (in European markets) controversial square headlamps on all but the lowest specification; these were a lingering feature from the 1970s development. The car was considered more evolutionary than revolutionary,[citation needed] and had to fight off a new competitor: the recently enlarged BMW 7 Series (E32). While the British press favoured the Jaguar, the XJ40 tended to lose comparison tests run by German publications. Only six-cylinder models were initially offered: a 2.9 L (in Europe) and a 3.6 L. The V12 (XJ12) and a long wheelbase model, including a high-roofed Daimler Majestic model (reviving the used Jaguar model name of 1958-1962) and destined for official use (one was used by the British prime minister), were again delayed, being launched at the very end of the XJ40’s life.