1997 Jaguar XJ Sport

The Jaguar X300 was in production from 1994 until 1997. Styled in house, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive saloon range seating five adults.

The X300 was intended as a clean sheet design for Jaguar under the project code of XJ90, but Jaguar was haemorrhaging money and under Ford, money was only approved for what amounted to a heavy facelift of the outgoing XJ40. The engine was new, a revision of the AJ6 into the AJ16 as a stopgap while Jaguar finished development of its new V8. Multiple Jaguar X300 specifications were available – XJ6 as a base, Sport for younger buyers with contemporary trim, Sovereign for traditional Jaguar clientele and the Daimler Six for those who wanted everything. The similar but V12 engined X305 was available in a choice of two trims – Sovereign-spec XJ12 and Daimler Double Six. In America, where the Daimler name isn’t used, Jaguar Vanden Plas variants were available with the crinkled Daimler plinths.

92038 Jaguar X300 sales across three years compares favourably with the 208000 sales of its predecessor over an eight year lifespan. Most were automatics, though theoretically manual transmission was standard on XJ6 and Sport models and a no cost option on all other six cylinder models. Automatics are the most desirable with the exception of the XJR, which is covered elsewhere. From 1995 there was a long wheelbase variant of the Jaguar X300 available on all specs barring the Sport and XJR, which became the standard specification for Sovereign and Daimler models unless specified. Short wheelbase cars are more desirable as they’re deemed more attractive, but the long wheelbase cars offer genuine seating for four rather than the standard car’s cramped rear.

Alternatives to the Jaguar X300 then and now would include the Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz W140 S-class and BMW E38 7-series, though when new the base XJ6 competed in the class below in terms of price. It’s therefore not unrealistic to consider the BMW E34 5 series as an alternative to the Jaguar X300 XJ6, likewise the upper echelons of the Rover 800 range.