Great and thoughtful post. I am the lucky owner of a 2003 X308 XJR in Anthracite and black leather interior. I has a mere 40100 miles on it and is as mint as it possibly gets. I view it as the last truly magnificent Jaguar saloons ever built.
All the new Jaguars are technological marvels with incredible power yet somehow lack the unmistakable, classic appearance of my X308 XJR complete with the hood "leaper" and "growler" on the front. is a real "head turner. I live just west of Boston and have never even seen the mate of this car. There aren't any. My wife calls the car "a thug in a sharp suit". it is Magnificent

 

Hi Ronco1,
I think your wife has the right of it! Poetically put, too. "The thug in a sharp suit".
Perfect.
Many thanks for your kind words. I always feel honoured when a person takes the time to read something I've written so thank you...
WS

 

I loved your article and I have to say I agree with all of your opinions. The X308 is the best of the best of all the XJ's. The Series III is a close second, in my opinion.

Thank you again for posting this fabulous article. I truly enjoyed it.

 

Wonderful read Will, I'm not a pedant so won't be commenting on the structure of the piece! The content is comprehensive so it's a big ask to discuss the lineage of family XJ, but you've done it very well.

I've owned, driven and worked on all of them from series 1 to the last 308's, and the family all share what you suggest. It's very difficult for me to decide which of them is the best. I recall a squadron blue series one V12 short wheel base that was just stunning in every way, a petrol blue S2 with a 6lt engine conversion that was equally breathtaking in comfort and performance.
For me the 308's where the last of line, the last True Jaguars, why? Because they where built at Browns Lane, that sadly gone almost magical production base that always punched above its weight, no other manufacturer has ever produced multiple LeMans winning cars from the production parts bin. That heritage is weaved into the Browns cars no doubt so to me they where all great cars.

 

Very heart felt article. Having been there at Whitley during those times, I add the following.


With a drag coefficient of 0.37 and the interior room of only a Mercedes W124 (one class down)- the Jaguar X308 is most definitely FORM over function. It's no worse off for it IMO.


"It was approaching what could reasonably considered a near-perfect 6-cylinder engine, the likes of which we wouldn’t see again until BMW produced the incredible M3 E 46, 6-cylinder engine in 2000.'
Although the AJ6 and AJ16 are no doubt tough old units and torquey, I wouldn't dismiss BMWs previous straight sixes prior to the S54, such as the M30, the M88 and even the all alloy M52 as 'behind' the AJ6. The BMW engines are certainly smoother- with their much lower reciprocating mass and similarly efficient and far more free revving not to mention MUCH lighter and more compact.


"I cannot help but think that that was a carryover and something of a feminising influence from the X100."-this is connected to my next point- this article is remiss in not mentioning the XJ90- which was supposed to be the XJ40 replacement. I've had the fortune of seeing a model of one- it looks almost identical to the X300 and was on the drawing board around the same time as the similarly ill fated XJ41. The X100 has very little influence on the overall X300 style (except for perhaps wheels and minor details).


"It is, in my opinion, without doubt, the most beautiful four-door saloon car in the world, bar none, and with the introduction of the supercharged engine Jaguar really did create a unique type of super saloon car."


It should be mentioned that were it not for Jaguar XJR X308- BMW were not going to produce their V8 M5, it was the Jag that kicked started them to doing so, probably hastily. That's why the S62 V8 is not as impressive an 'M' engine than others before and after, (its intake ports are similar to the standard 4.4, the exhaust manifolds are not tubular heads but carry over from same M62) and the engine makes only about 80bhp/litre)


And one last point, I think those picking on grammatical and other similar structural mistakes of an article are petty and very small minded. There's a saying:


"Great Minds Discuss Ideas; Average Minds Discuss Events; Small Minds Discuss People"- I think this can be adapted- mentally challenged petty minded bureaucrats will comment on grammatical errors....