For those of you that have or driven both a XJ6 and an XJS I was wondering what you think the differences are?
I own both and can say that they both drive extremely well but definitely are different--I can definitely tell which car I am driving.
The XJS is definitely a smaller car and takes turns slightly better than my XJ6. The XJ6 is a luxury car that handle quite well. They are both a thrill to drive.
I am curious what other people think.

 

XJS is heavy but mine feels nimble vs the X300 I guess because of the shorter wheelbase, lower sitting position, and its stiffer-than-many springs and shocks (the 5-speed doesn't hurt). But X300's body feels stiffer to me, and solid. The feeling of accelerating hard uphill always impresses me, like a locomotive surging forward unstoppably...pump up the tires a bit and it can feel pretty nimble too.

 

The XJS is a true Grand Tourer, and Downunder is the place to use them best. Mine has done the coast road of OZ twice @ 25000kms each time,sealed and unsealed roads, and an AWESOME Beast all day long.

The X300's, one, a Poverty Pack XJ6, and the other, an XJR, were good, but simply not in the same class as the 2 door.

Now, ridddled with arthritis, and one working leg, the XJS's are gone. as are the X300's, and the fleet now has an S Type (2001), and a Pretend Jag, AKA X Type (2010), and the Interstate road trips are a thing of memory.

 

Horses for courses I’d say. Depends on the road, the mood and the day as far as driving experience goes.
At the risk of saying the unsayable, the XJS never quite worked for me aesthetically whereas the X300 did and still does.
Reliability and durability would favour the X300 I would have thought, ditto economy, but hats off to anyone keeping and XJS alive and driving.

 

For some time I had a Series III XJ6 (everyday car) and a V12 XJS (highway car). For high speed cruising 80-100 MPH my XJS was really marvelous. Very secure, stable, glued-to-the-road feel. Better even than my XJR/6 which began to feel light over 90 MPH....at least compared to my XJS. The XJ6 was good in this regard as well...but not like the XJS.

I really loved that XJS. It was a dream to drive. Negatives for me were less-than-great outward visibility, seats that didn't quite work for me, and a bit of a nuisance climbing in and out.

A Series III V12 sedan (my current daily driver) has the best of both worlds. The Series III cars respond very well to minor suspension tweaking and will feel just as great as an XJS.

My X300/XJR was my daily driver for a number of years. So far advanced compared to my older Jags. Tons of ooomph, great comfort, great cornering for a car that big. Jaguar got a lot of things right with that car. But.....it lacked some of that olde world feeling that my older Jags had and wasn't the easiest car to own in terms of repairs. I went back to a Series III when I sold it along.

I think Series IIIs are my favorite. Built like a tank and drive like velvet. "The most modern of all antique automobiles"

Cheers
DD

 

I have both with the same engine, AJ16 4.0. The XJS is a true Grand Tourer that I use on quiet country roads and mountain roads. The X300 is more for highway but also drives great on country roads. I really enjoy driving in both and that is mainly due to the AJ16 4.0 engine. Lots of torque at low rpm.

 

Doug is most eloquent and has expressed just what I feel about the XJS and the Series 3, better than I did. And my German Shepherd concurs. The '86 XJ6 has his favourite seats, front and back. He does not like the XJS, front or back.

 

A particular issue in countries which have salted roads like the UK was that all bar the last XJS were prone to dissolving , ditto all other XJ products before the X300. Whilst not entirely immune, the X300 series finally put the dreaded rust demon in its place.