The Jaguar XJ40 is the rear-wheel-drive sedan built in Coventry from 1986 to 1994, the last Jaguar developed independently: Ford arrives shortly after the launch. In 1990 the AJ6 six-cylinder becomes a 4.0 and analogue instruments return. If you are buying one used, you check the hydraulic rear suspension, the ZF gearbox oil, the engine and the electronics.
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Model | Jaguar XJ40 (sedan, successor to the Series III) |
| Production | October 1986 – October 1994, Browns Lane (Coventry) |
| Cars built | about 208,700 (Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust) |
| Engine | AJ6 inline-six; 2.9 and 3.6 at launch, from 1990 the 3.6 becomes a 4.0 |
| Gearbox | ZF four-speed automatic |
| Drive | rear-wheel drive |
| Trim levels | Sovereign, XJR, Insignia, Majestic, Sport |
| With us | 4.0 Sport, 86,000 km, petrol, automatic, metallic green |
A door stamped in a single piece, instead of the three used by the previous generation. It sounds like a workshop detail, but it says a lot about the XJ40: a sedan that Jaguar designed from scratch, without hurry and with plenty of pride, in Coventry. If you want to see what it is like in the flesh, there is this XJ40 4.0 Sport in Rome.
What is the history of the Jaguar XJ40?
A story fourteen years long. The project starts in 1972, with the first scale models. In February 1981 the British Leyland board approves an investment of 80 million pounds. Production at Browns Lane (Coventry) runs from October 1986 to October 1994: about 208,700 cars in total, according to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.
The XJ40 replaces the Series III, a sedan whose origins go back to 1968, and for a few years the two are sold side by side (until 1992). It is also the last Jaguar developed in full independence: Ford arrives shortly after the launch. The in-house design, for the record, won out over the proposals from Pininfarina.
The XJ40 was built at Browns Lane, in Coventry, from October 1986 to October 1994.
Four things you may not know about the XJ40
- A simpler body. A quarter fewer parts than the Series III: the door is made in one piece.
- The “cinema” dashboard. The first XJ40s had a fluorescent display with the Vehicle Condition Monitor, nicknamed “Mäusekino” in Germany, the mice’s cinema. From 1990 Jaguar goes back to analogue instruments, because the digital ones proved fragile.
- Inline-six. The engine is the AJ6: 2.9 and 3.6 at launch, from 1990 the 3.6 becomes a 4.0 litre. The automatic is a ZF four-speed, with the “J-Gate” gated shifter that stops you from selecting reverse by mistake.
- Many models, many badges. Sovereign, XJR (developed with TWR, in England from 1989), Insignia, Majestic and the Sport versions: the XJ40 family is richer than it looks. Among its well-known users are the British prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair.
Does a used XJ40 still make sense?
Because it is a rear-wheel-drive sedan with an inline-six, a leather cabin and an English-club atmosphere that nobody builds any more. For anyone who loves 1990s youngtimers, it is a piece of history you can drive, not a museum piece. In Rome, among the cobblestones and the Tiber embankments, an XJ40 turns heads: and its character is better appreciated on the open road than in traffic.
Is the Jaguar XJ40 really unreliable?
An honest clarification: the myth of “Jaguar means always broken” comes from the first XJ40s, the ones with quality and electronics problems. From 1990, with the 4.0 and the analogue instruments, the tune changes.
If you like youngtimers, also take a look at other youngtimers from the Nineties and the used cars in Rome in our catalogue.
What to check on a used Jaguar XJ40
When you are looking at an XJ40, these are the points to check:
- Hydraulic self-levelling rear suspension: it is cited among the most delicate points. Jaguar removed it from the cars from 1993 onwards.
- ZF gearbox oil: cherry red is typically a good sign, brown means it needs changing.
- AJ6 engine: considered robust if well kept. Listen for the timing chain (noise) and check the head gasket.
- Electronics: instruments and warning lights. In the early years this was the known weak point, but after 1990 the situation improves.
- Documented service history: with a car like this it makes the difference.
This XJ40 is with us
Jaguar XJ40 4.0, Sport trim
- Mileage: 86,000 km
- Fuel: petrol
- Gearbox: automatic
- Colour: metallic green
- Drive: rear-wheel drive
Want to see it in Rome? Come and visit us: The right car? We’ll find it for you
How we prepared it
Before it goes on sale, this XJ40 goes through a complete check in our workshop, a few steps from the sales area. We check everything: mechanics, engine and gearbox, brakes, suspension, electrical system and electronics, bodywork. The service is done. So when you come to see it, you know what you are getting.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Jaguar XJ40 built?
From October 1986 to October 1994 at Browns Lane, Coventry: about 208,700 cars according to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.
What engine does the Jaguar XJ40 4.0 have?
An AJ6 inline-six: from 1990 the 3.6 becomes a 4.0 litre. The automatic gearbox is a ZF four-speed.
Which wheels does the XJ40 drive?
The rear ones.
Is the Jaguar XJ40 reliable?
The myth comes from the first XJ40s, with quality and electronics problems; from 1990, with the 4.0 and the analogue instruments, the situation improves. With a car like this, a documented service history matters.
What should I check on a used XJ40?
The hydraulic self-levelling rear suspension, the ZF gearbox oil, the timing chain and the head gasket, the electronics and the service history.
What checks has this car had?
Every car goes through a complete check in our workshop, next to the sales area: mechanics, engine and gearbox, brakes, suspension, electrical system and electronics, bodywork. The service is done.
Sources
- Wikipedia EN/IT: Jaguar XJ40
- Motor1 Italia: «40 anni di Jaguar XJ40»
- Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust (production figures)
- Jag-Lovers (buying guide)
More car stories on our blog.
Updated on 30.10.2026
