In the mid-1960s Jaguar decided to create a new car that would maintain the prestige and elegance of the carmaker, but also manage to bring design innovations that would not disappoint enthusiasts. Thus was born the XJ series, an acronym for 'eXperimental Jaguar', the last car designed under the direction of founder Sir William Lyons, who remained in charge despite the new takeover by the British Motor Corporation. There were several models launched in those years and the acronyms referred to the engine they mounted.

In 1968 the XJ 6, a luxury saloon, was unveiled at the Paris motor show and immediately became the company's flagship model. The streamlined body design, characterised by unprecedented taut lines, immediately appealed. It featured a new engine bonnet with bold ribbing and a new low, rectangular grille. On the other hand, there were some misgivings about the interior, which was more modern and rational but judged to lack the traditional opulence typical of previous models. For the first time, the dashboard, although of excellent workmanship, was veneered in painted wood; likewise the natural leather upholstery, standard only on some versions, no longer included the door panels which were in vinyl. The engine was rear-wheel drive with independent-wheel suspension with transverse arms. The model went through two more series, Series II (1973-1979) with the main update in the grille making it lower and wider and, to ensure adequate air flow to the engine, opening a large slit under the bumper itself, and Series III (1979-1986/1992) in which the major cosmetic changes were the revised radiator grille, redesigned and enlarged rear light clusters, the unprecedented chrome tail profile, new thicker bumpers with an attached rubber profile and a slightly taller cockpit.

After almost a decade of gestation between studies and refinements, a new XJ debuted in 1986, whose project name was XJ40. In spite of the malicious rumours that it was yet another restyling of the Series III, it was instead a completely new and redesigned car. New was the line, more aerodynamic and contemporary despite the obvious stylistic continuity with the Series III, which remained in production in V12 version only. Also new was the rear suspension system with lower triangular arms and, on some versions, the self-levelling system with automatic attitude recovery, as were the new twin-shaft straight-six engines. The range was made up of the two usual trim levels: Standard and Sovereign, and there were also two powerplants. Initially the starting version was the 2.9, powered by the 6-cylinder 2,919 cm³ engine with 165 hp, fuel injection and two-valve cylinder head, while at the top of the range was the 3.6 version, powered by the 6-cylinder 3,590 cm³ engine with 24-valve cylinder head and fuel injection and 212 hp. Both engines were made entirely of aluminium.

The car presented is powered by the 4235 cc engine with 205 hp. It belonged to a collection of various Jaguars that had been out of use for some years due to a broken petrol pump. The bodywork in good condition has some rust blisters around the windscreen and also at the base of the rear window. The black leather interior appears to be in perfect condition.
Easy to restore, a car of certain appreciation.