Thinking About Cars — Jaguar XJ40

Jaguars are the cars of the elite. From royalty to rappers, it’s the go-to brand when you want to be seen as better than everyone else.

But, the flagship Jag of the 80s and 90s, the XJ40, has some humble underpinnings. It’s actually based on the Ford Panther platform, the platform used by cops and taxis since time immemorial. Underneath the stately British exterior is good ol’ American iron.

Most XJ40s were powered by a tuned 4.6L Ford Modular V8, making around 200 horsepower in the early models. That figure later increased to 220 when the 90s rolled around, with the help of some ex-Cosworth engineers.

The engineers at Jaguar wanted a smoother, more gentle ride than a New York taxi so some suspension components were switched out (instead opting for an independent rear suspension) in an attempt to make the XJ40 stand out from its blue collar origins.

Some fancy suspension and a more refined exterior can’t hide what’s essentially a county sheriff’s car. When it comes to comfort and style, The Queen still owes a lot to the Americans in Detroit.