1973-1979 Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 Series II

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:

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