1994: XJS receives the new improved AJ16 4.0L engine

January

After 3 years of supply from VPL it was decided that the commercial benefits to be gained from moving Jaguars body panel pressings to Ford’s Halewood factory was to big an opportunity to ignore. Since the 1963 Anglia 105 Halewood had the ability to produce cars from sheets of metal to fully assembled cars all on the one site. Halewood produced all body panels for Jaguar XJ, XJS and XK8 until the (2000s) when Castle Bromwich took over the process. In 2000 Ford changed the factory from the Escort production to the X-TYPE. All X-TYPEs were produced there until 2010 at the end of production.

July

In the summer of 1994 the AJ6 engine was replaced by the AJ16 4.0 litre engine as fitted to the new X300 saloon, the idea behind the new engine was to improve performance and fuel economy, as well as meeting stricter standards for emission control. The AJ16 engine was fitted with a magnesium cam cover.

November

Coinciding with the 1994¾ mechanical changes, the exterior and interior was revised again. It was felt that there should be more differentiation between the six-cylinder and 12-cylinder models. The external changes for the 4.0 litre models included: Colour-keyed headlamp surrounds; Colour-keyed radiator grille; Colour-keyed door mirrors; New 16in five-spoke diamond turned alloy wheels with eggshell painted inner faces; Silver “growler” badge on red wheel centres. Internal changes to the 4.0 litre models included: Seat panels in cloth with shallow grain leather facings. The external 6.0 litre model changes included: Chrome headlamp surrounds; black radiator grille; Twin coachlines; New badges on front wings; New 16in 20-spoke alloy wheels with eggshell painted inner faces. Internal changes to the 6.0 litre included: Autolux leather to the same design but ruched in style with contrasting piping and stitching; Full leather centre console; Leather door trim; Burr walnut veneer with matchwood inlay; Walnut gearshift lever knob. Internal changes for both models: New seats with integrated head rests and four horizontal pleats; In-car entertainment – the system was substantially improved with a new radio cassette and the optional choice of a six-disc CD autochanger fitted in the boot; A new cellular telephone. 

December

Sales were on the up again with 6, 918 cars being produced in 1994.