IN THIS FEATURE A retrospective Jaguar XJ (1968 - 73) Jaguar XJ (1968 - 73) Jaguar XJ (1968 - 73) Jaguar XJ Series II (1973 - 79) Jaguar XJ Series II (1973 - 79) Jaguar XJ Series II (1973 - 79) Jaguar XJ Series III (1979 - 86) Jaguar XJ Series III (1979 - 86) Jaguar XJ Series III (1979 - 86) Jaguar XJ40 (1986 - 94) Jaguar XJ40 (1986 - 94) Jaguar XJ40 (1986 - 94) Jaguar X300 (1994 - 97) Jaguar X300 (1994 - 97) Jaguar X300 (1994 - 97)

The XJ-S continued too, and 1981 saw an entry in the Trans-Am series in the USA. Running with a modified version of the V12 engine, it lost the championship only narrowly to a Chevrolet Corvette, and gave an entirely creditable performance. This was of immense benefit to Jaguar's image in the States, not least because the company had extricated itself from the dying British Leyland and was now independent again, under the control of John Egan. Egan then went on to sign a deal with Tom Walkinshaw to run an XJ-S in the 1982 ETCC, and the TWR XJ-S again made a respectable showing. More of an image boost was provided by the advent of the V12 XJR racing cars - bearing very little relation to the XJ production cars, but featuring versions of the V12 engine. These brought Jaguar two World Sports Car Championships titles, two Le Mans victories and wins at Daytona, as well as in the IMSA GT series and Group C races, largely down to the expertise of TWR, who worked under contract to develop, produce and run the cars.