Width: 205 | Jaguar XJ12 Series 1 5.3 1972 to 1973

Jaguar's ground-breaking luxury saloon with the unique production V12, built from 1972 to 1973. The original standard tyre was a 205/70VR15 radial.

The XJ marked the start of a revolution at Jaguar. This sleekly styled saloon replaced the S-Type, the 420 and the Mk2 when it arrived in 1968, with the 420G being killed off soon after. While this one-model policy could have decimated Jaguar’s sales, it did the opposite, the new car instantly making its predecessors look very dated. Despite this, much was carried over, including the XK six-cylinder engines, the rear suspension and the transmissions.

At launch there were 2.8 or 4.2-litre straight-six engines then in 1969 the Daimler Sovereign was introduced; this was identical to the Jaguar in every way apart from the badging. Things got more interesting in 1972 with the arrival of the Jaguar XJ12 and Daimler Double Six, along with the Vanden Plas Double Six, the latter sitting at the top of the range. A long-wheelbase option was introduced in 1972 with the 4.2-litre engine; by 1973 this had become standard, but in 1974 these Series 1 models were discontinued, replaced by the Series 2.

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