Paris, MotorMartin has been informed, has a special significance to the Jaguar XJ as in 1968 the XJ made its debut at the show, with Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons revealing his vision for a saloon car with the handling of an E-type.
According to contemporary reports, this new luxury model was a revelation with its combination of beauty, poise and performance. Since then, the presentation halls of Paris have played a regular role in the life of the XJ – the XJ ‘X300’ was unveiled at the event in 1994 and the revolutionary XJ ‘X350’, with its lightweight aluminium monocoque made its debut there in 2002.
So what then have the following models all got in common?
- Jaguar XJ Series I: 1968
- Jaguar XJ Series II: 1973
- Jaguar XJ Series II Coupé: 1973
- Jaguar XJ Series III: 1979
- Jaguar XJ XJ40: 1986
- Jaguar XJ X300: 1994
- Jaguar XJ X308: 1997
- Jaguar XJ X350: 2003
- Jaguar XJ X351: 2009
- Jaguar XJR575: 2017
- Jaguar XJ XJ50: 2018
This quite unique convoy representing the very best of the Jaguar XJ will journey from the Jaguar Castle Bromwich plant in the UK to the Paris Motor Show to celebrate 50 years of the flagship luxury saloon.
Starting at Castle Bromwich, where the luxury saloon is produced, the 839km (521-mile) drive will take in a series of important locations, including Jaguar Classic, Bicester Heritage Centre and the Goodwood and Le Mans race circuits, which have played a significant role in the life of Jaguar and the XJ. Journey’s end for the convoy is the Paris Motor Show, where the Jaguar XJ Series I made its debut in 1968.
For more information on the XJ, MotorMartin recommends you visit www.jaguar.co.uk
Where will you go?