Design plans for the XJS got underway in 1965, with the first production car being sold in 1975. The car was primarily designed by Malcolm Sayer, with input and control from Sir William Lyons. With Jaguar struggling financially at the time, the XJS needed to be a big success.

The highly anticipated XJS was seen by many as a direct replacement to the very popular E-Type. However, when the XJS was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1976, it was clear that the car was intended to be in a league of its own.

Externally, the XJS is most noticeable for its ‘flying buttresses’, sweeping from the top of the rear roofline down to the rear of the wings. Although initially widely criticised, this design gave the XJS an excellent drag coefficient – better than the E-Type, and allowing the XJS to reach speeds of comfortably over 150mph.

As more and more customers recognise the classic Jaguar XJS as a good investment opportunity, we are pleased to report that business is booming here at KWE. To meet growing demand, we’ve expanded our operations on Greenham Business Park and taken on two new recruits.

We’d like to introduce Andy Branning, our new Production Manager, and new Technician, Phil Alexander. These additions bring our total employee count to seven. Here we all are enjoying the spring sunshine yesterday – see photo below.

We have also acquired an additional plot of land next to the existing premises. The new plot has been designed so that we can park customer cars while restoration work is waiting to be carried out or is in progress – ensuring maximum workshop efficiency.

Stay up to date with our latest news and receive useful tips on classic Jaguar cars by signing up to our newsletter via our website: www.kwecars.com.

It’s a debate that is likely to go on amongst motoring enthusiasts for the foreseeable future: which are better – classic or modern cars? On the face of it, modern cars seem like the better option; they’re safer, cheaper to run and better for the environment, right? However, for those drivers looking for a sense of excitement and individuality – you can’t beat a quality classic.

The real question is: why choose a classic vehicle over a newer model?

Driving a classic car can be perceived negatively – particularly when it comes to the environment. Environmentalists sometimes view classic cars as being gas guzzling planet destroyers, due to their poor fuel efficiency. In reality, salvaging a classic car is in fact an excellent example of recycling – maximising the use of something rather than just disposing of it.

Keeping an old motor running, rather than just replacing it at the

We thought you’d like to know about this special one-off magazine from Practical Classics. Providing a unique insight into the Jaguar XJS, it includes everything you need to know about buying, restoring and running these classic cars.

http://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/partnership/classics-bookazine/propck2/guidetojag

It’s the perfect gift for any Jaguar XJS enthusiast and, as it’s available for just £6.99 including postage and packing, we’d recommend you order quickly before they sell out!

Here at KWE we think that the Jaguar XJ and XJS models are two of the most beautiful luxury and accomplished sports cars ever made. If you are the lucky owner – or would like to be the lucky owner – of one of these stunning cars, then you’ll probably agree with this sentiment. By choosing to purchase and restore one of these models, you are not only bringing new life into a classic car, you are reducing the cumulative environmental impact the production of yet another new car would bring.

Deciding which company to trust to restore your car properly can often be a difficult one. We’ve come up with six very good reasons why KWE should be at the top of your list:

As specialist engineers with years of experience and a passion for classic Jaguar cars, we can re-engineer and

Classic car experts have warned that chrome plating will disappear as a decorative feature from 2019 if new EU regulations come into force. The EU seeks to prevent the use of hexavalent chromium, which it views as a carcinogen and is on its list of banned substances.

The proposed substitute, trivalent chromium, has caused concern for plating companies as it’s not viewed as tough enough to withstand the rigours of everyday driving. Unlike hexavalent, trivalent does not self-repair – if the surface is scratched the part is likely to corrode.

As classic car parts are often no longer in manufacture, the ability to re-chrome existing parts is important for restorers. Unless an exclusion to the ban is sought and granted, this option will no longer be available to us in Europe.