Jaguar XJ-S
Not a new E-Type but a silent, 150 mph V12 express.
The story
Arriving in the middle of a fuel crisis with a thirsty V12 was bad timing, and the buttresses behind the rear window divided opinion. Jaguar kept improving it and the XJ-S outlived its critics, staying on sale for 21 years.
Inside
Surprisingly, the first cars had no wood at all, just black trim and leather. Between the main dials sit small vertical drum gauges that roll up and down like a fruit machine.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
It starred in The New Avengers and Return of the Saint.
On screen
The New Avengers TV, 1976
Mike Gambit drives a red XJ-S.
Return of the Saint TV, 1978
Simon Templar swaps his old Volvo for a white XJ-S.
Meanwhile, in 1975
British Leyland was nationalised to save it from collapse, and Bohemian Rhapsody was number one.
Best-selling single of 1975: Bye Bye Baby by Bay City Rollers
Before you buy a 1970s car
- Rust is common in sills, wheel arches, front panels and the bottom of the doors.
- Check the wiring and electrics carefully, as they age badly.
- Many volume-selling cars still have good parts support, but badge-engineered and low-volume models can be harder to source.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.