Jaguar XJ-S launched in 1975 in the wake of a worldwide fuel crisis
which resulted in little demand for a luxury grand tourer with a 5.3
litre V12 engine. All credit to those people at Jaguar who, over a
period of 20 years, turned the ugly duckling into a swan. The
comprehensive story of the Jaguar XJ-S written by one of the most
prolific motor sports writer in the world. James Taylor remembers very
well the disappointment among his pretrol-head friends when the XJ-S was
announced in 1975. It was not a replacement for the legendary E-type;
its colours were uninspired; and its interior was drab. All credit,
then, to those people at Jaguar who truly believed in the car and, over
a period of nearly 20 years, turned the ugly duckling into a swan. From
the moment the XJ-S HE arrived in 1981, there seemed to be renewed hope,
and from then on, the car went from strength to strength to become the
much-admirred grand tourer it always should have been. The book contains
a timeline of the key events in the history of the XJ-S and an overview
of the evolution of the XJS from the XJ27 prototype. There are
Appendices covering identification/serial numbers, UK showroom prices
through the years and sales in the US by year. Packed with detail, James
Taylor tells the complete story of the Jaguar XJ-S from ugly duckling
into a swan A timeline of key events in the history of the XJ-S and an
overvierw of the XJS from the XJ27 prototype. James Taylor has been
writing professionally about road transport since the late 1970s, his
primary interest is in those models that made the British motor industry
great.
Author: James Taylor
Author Bio: After graduating from Oxford and pursuing further academic studies at Reading, James Taylor spent 12 years working in central government. However, the lure of writing about cars – which he was doing in his spare time – proved too great and he decided to turn it into a career. James has now written well over 100 books in all, and among them have been several definitive one-make or one-model titles. He has written for enthusiast magazines in several countries, has translated books from foreign languages, and even delivers effective writing training in both the public and private sectors. He spent the best part of ten years as the editor of Land Rover Enthusiast magazine and has always counted the products of the old Rover Company and of Land Rover as his favourite subject. He also co-organised the “15 Years of Rover V8” event at Donington in 1982.
ISBN: 9781785005831
Publisher: The Crowood Press UK
Binding Type: Hardcover
Illustrations: 192 color & b/w photos
Language: English
Pages: 176
Printing Status: In Print
Edition: NA
Country Made: NA
