Widely considered the most beautiful sedan ever designed. Sir William Lyons personally sculpted the shape in clay. The XJ6 combined Jaguar's sporting character with limousine refinement, at a price that undercut its German and British rivals.
History
Sir William Lyons was 67 years old when he personally oversaw the final clay model of the XJ6. It would be his last design and his masterpiece. The low, sleek body combined visual elegance with engineering substance.
The XJ6's ride quality stunned reviewers. The suspension combined sophistication with supple damping that absorbed imperfections better than a Rolls-Royce, while the XK inline-six provided performance that embarrassed BMW and Mercedes.
At GBP 2,129 for the standard model, the XJ6 cost less than a Mercedes 280 SE and offered more refinement, more performance, and incomparably more beauty. Jaguar could not build enough to meet demand.
78,628 Series 1 XJ6s were built. The design was so right that Jaguar kept evolving it through Series 2 (1973) and Series 3 (1979), with the basic shape surviving until 1992. Twenty-four years is extraordinary longevity for any car design.
Clean Series 1 XJ6s command GBP 25,000 to GBP 60,000.
Production & Heritage
Value estimates are editorial assessments based on recent auction results and market trends.
Technical Specifications
Engine Details
Performance
Tags
Designed by Sir William Lyons
