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Some cars have the rare distinction of being even more exquisite in the metal than they are in PR photos – such as the Jaguar XJ Coupe. The brochure stated, ‘The addition of black vinyl to the roof, wider doors and tinted glass with the absence of central pillars, give the XJ12C a rakish elegance’. If anything, this was an understatement, for it achieved the rare distinction of enhancing the lines of the saloon.

The Coupe, aka the XJ-C, debuted at the 1973 London Motor Show as the flagship of the XJ Series II range. There was a choice of four versions - XJ6, XJ12, Sovereign and Double-Six. Jaguar did apparently evaluate a two-door Daimler Vanden Plas but this sadly never entered production. The Coupe was based on the SWB saloon, and the two versions shared many parts in order to minimise development costs.

Here was a four-seater grand tourer ‘for men or women who need the comfort and amenities of a saloon yet demand the more exclusive styling which only a two-door coupe can provide’. However, the XJ-C would not arrive in showrooms until April 1975. One reason for this delay was problems with the doors and the side-windows; the goal of Browns Lane was that they could be raised and sealed sans fault at 130 mph.

Further challenges facing a hard-pressed Jaguar dealer included inadequate factory production capacity, the impact of the OPEC Oil Crisis and the fact that 10^th September 1975 marked the debut of the XJS. Yet, the XJ-C was indeed a splendid machine. When Clive Richardson evaluated the 12-cylinder version  in the August 1975 edition of Motor Sport he concluded:

If this new “two-door pillarless saloon” is identical to the four-door saloons in performance and general behaviour, it does offer a certain dash and youthfulness of style which sets it apart, as ought to be the case for £7,280. In performance, comfort and quietness it has few, if any, peers anywhere in the World.

And the XJ-C indeed had very few direct competitors. By December 1976, the 4.2-litre version cost £7,625 and the 5.3-litre £9,417, with the Sovereign and the Double Six priced at £7,895 and £9,688 respectively. As compared with £16,924 for a Bristol 412 and £30,122 for a Rolls-Royce Corniche, these were positively bargain sums.

A  Jaguar enthusiast might have also looked at a C107-Series Mercedes-Benz  SLC, but they lacked a proper rear seat. Browns Lane did consider the BMW 6-Series as potential XJ-C rival, but a 633i was priced at £14,599. The Fiat 130 Coupe cost a more reasonable £8,990, but it had a slightly different persona – more Marcello Mastroianni than a dynamic young barrister.

However, production of the XJ-C ceased in 1978 after just 10,426 units, the rarest version being the Daimler Double-Six.  As Keith  Adams noted in https://www.aronline.co.uk/ ‘The customer effectively paid more for less car, and in these pragmatic times, it effectively sealed its fate’. The Coupe was a favourite of Sir William Lyons, and today it is regarded by many as epitomising Jaguar’s famous slogan – Grace, Space, Pace.

Why choose Lancaster Insurance?

Here at Lancaster, we love classic cars as much as you do and we understand what it takes to protect them for future generations.

We have links with some of the top classic car clubs around the country and some of our policies even offer discounts of up to 25% for club members.

Other benefits of classic car insurance through Lancaster can include:

• Historic rally cover
• Static show cover
• Limit mileage discounts
• Choice of repairer
• 24-hour claims helpline

Give your classic the protection it deserves and get a quote for your Jaguar today.