1968: The Merger Year

May 

May 1968 witnessed the merger to end all mergers, between British Motor Holdings and the Leyland Group, now embracing Rover and Triumph cars as well as vast commercial vehicle interests, becoming British Leyland. Discussions were already taking place about the replacement for the E-type with the XJ21. Critically. Jaguar needed to attract a new sector of society, a younger, affluent clientele.

September 

While 1968 was a watershed for the British motor industry, it also marked the pinnacle in the career of Sir William Lyons. In September Jaguar unveiled his supreme creation, the XJ6 saloon. For Sir William, it was the model that he had longed for, attractive to the eye, well balanced and free from unnecessary embellishment.

The former Bristol aerodynamicist, Malcolm Sayer, had been responsible for designing Jaguar’s racing cars since 1950 and was given the difficult task of finding a replacement for the E-type. Sayer had worked extensively on the C-type, D-type and E-type projects, particularly as regards the aerodynamics of the cars. He wanted to take this process further by harnessing the aerodynamic forces so that they positively contributed towards road holding and vehicle stability. He pursued the idea of a traditional front-engined, rear wheel drive car; this new Coupé would eventually be christened the XJ-S. Sayer submitted his design brief of a two-plus-two sports car based on a shortened XJ6 saloon platform on the 9 September 1968 to Sir William Lyons for consideration.

With falling sales and a low return on investment, funds for the development of a new car were extremely low. The XJ21 project, inspired by the E-type, had been conceived but the usual E-type model was synonymous with open cars. Their market had diminished and they faced an uncertain future in the important North American market. The company produced a mock-up of the XJ21 which was supposed to be the E-type replacement, but in reality the XJ21 and the E-type were very similar in appearance.

For Jaguar, there were five basic steps to designing the new car:

Step 1 - Develop styling models until a qualified and general approval can be given for the basic shape

Step 2 - Produce and test a readily modifiable wind tunnel model. At the same time, start to modify a scrap XJ under structure to make a full sized mock-up for internal conditions. The styling design and model development would proceed until a more detailed approval had been given to produce a quarter scaled model

Step 3 - Build a full-sized mock-up of the approved exterior features

Step 4 - Proceed with the mechanical and structural designs

Step 5 - Build the prototype from the drawings based on the finally approved versions of the exterior, interior, mechanical and structural designs

Malcolm Sayer produced the first drawings of the XJ-S in 1968 but due to the possibility of convertibles being banned in America, only the closed coupé version was developed further. Sayer submitted his design brief of a two-plus-two sports car based on a shortened XJ6 saloon platform on the 9 September 1968 to Sir William Lyons for consideration.

One surprising comment made by Malcolm Sayer was:

“From the general description of the car the aim of the project was to produce a low wide high speed car at least as eye-catching as those the Italians will produce, even if it means sacrificing some of the more sensible values such as luggage and passenger space.” 

October 

Sir William Lyons, Malcolm Sayer and Chief Stylist Doug Thorpe, worked extensively together on this project and originally considered a lower bonnet line. However, international regulations on crash protection and lighting caused a major re-think. Like all other Jaguar models, they wanted this car to surpass all other competing models currently being produced by other manufacturers. 

A third member of the design team was Chief Stylist Doug Thorpe, although his involvement with the project did not occur until the closing stages of the body design. Doug Thorpe suggested making certain changes to the body shape and ordered a clay model to be produced that reflected his recommendations, a design which was created by the stylist Oliver Winterbottom. The styling department were not completely happy with design, so they continued to produce sketches and drawings for alternative body designs and offered them for consideration but to no avail.

Sir William Lyons commented: 

“We decided from the very first that aerodynamics were the prime concern, and I exerted my influence in a consultative capacity with Malcolm Sayer. Occasionally I saw a feature that I did not agree with and we would discuss it. I took my influence as far as I could without interfering with his basic aerodynamic requirements and he and I worked on the first styling models together. We originally considered a lower bonnet line, but the international regulations on crush control and lighting made us change and we started afresh. Like all Jaguars we designed it to challenge any other of its type in the world – at whatever price and still come out on top"