Old Top Gear , (XJR8 TEST etc), 1/2, 1997.

[@DemonAsh40]

That XJR is still fast by today’s standards, it’s very reliable and very good looking too. The only problems you get are rust and saggy headlining. Everything else is almost bulletproof

[@johnthomson3225]

Yeah I can agree with that comment. Having owned a low mileage example for 5 years the only sad story is the headlining that sat on my head. I recently chased a B M W M 4 up the road and he wasn't getting away from me. Although admittedly I don't know how hard he was trying.

[@hansmaulwurf3831]

Rust and headliner, totally agree. But also fuel pumps can die. And the s/c has two of them, one of the for priming and higher revs. Great concept but not easy to fix. Having a Nikasil engine i never had trouble with it or with the tenioners. But uppers were replaced

[@dovic5201]

Any suggestion on fixing the headlining?

[@darrenbootland2316]

@@dovic5201 Most Jag Indies will deal with that for a reasonable cost.

[@stephensomersify]

@@dovic5201 After Market headliners are available in UK - I fitted one - approx 1hour out and 1hour to refit - just fiddly screw and fitting around the inside = simples --- old git, UK

[@mplewp]

Those jags . And the e38 . I love those 2 sedans . Glorious glorious cars

[@millionpoundlisting9717]

This is the most beautiful car British has ever made. Even in 2020 I think it is still stylish!

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

...well yeah but this 1997 was a bit different to the old XJR...I've heard that apparently underneath the arm army dinner jacket it was still a rock star ...7:06. I mean it's just something I've heard that's all, but then again you probably think the person I heard say it was being silly ...7:28.

[@vglotovas]

Confirming it in 2022

[@garypeatling7927]

Unless you go back to 1970 mk2 takes some beating

[@gaz1tinsley]

@@bradford_shaun_murray It is made in Germany !!!

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

@@gaz1tinsley that's cool

[@scottrider8445]

4:40 The origin of the Clarkson smug face.

[@TheShikerWolf]

That's what I was thinking😂😂

[@CrashForce]

These were the testing stages of the smug face haha

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

the smug meister

[@emekaiheanacho6971]

xjr is still a fast car even today

[@hugochavez4382]

Emeka Iheanacho and still a money pit ;)

[@jameslatimer1432]

@@hugochavez4382 fill up ans do a runner cheap to run lol

[@AgentFTW1]

@@hugochavez4382 what do you mean by a money pit

[@eddyrocket8737]

Sam money pit in that when they came out the engine had issues with plastic timing belt tensioners. Also sulfur in cheap petrol temporarily ruined the cilinder linings. They also suffer from rust. Other than that, if maintained they are pretty reliable but it’s a heavy and powerful car so it can cost ya. I have one from 98 and it’s never failed on me but only because I throw in approx 1500 $ every year for maintenance.

[@sakariaskarlsson634]

@@hugochavez4382 i dont care. Gotta go fast!

[@cactusthomas914]

Love the fact at 5.55 you can see the marks from the gaffer tape which was hiding the V8 badge. This car was the X308 press car back in the day.

[@paleoph6168]

5:55

[@walshy2866]

Great feature on the XJR8. Bought a 98 (R) last year for less than £1300 and it was immense. Spanked a few M-series Beemers, a couple of AMG Mercs and all for the price of a main agent service for them! These are a superb car, but like anything nearly 15 years old they can break and are very complicated with lots of fuse boxes and ECU's etc. Get one and keep your fingers crossed, you will not regret it!

[@mihailhidler5400]

Sure you spnked everybody

[@Xsidon]

This comment did not age well

[@stephensomersify]

DIY /enthusiast repair is do-able on all aspects - by my own hand :-) - old git, UK

[@American-Motors-Corporation]

" and then the factory went Marxist" lol

[@lucrativeelfmongrel]

Great consumer advice, "If you want a lot of space, buy a field!" Love it!

[@timonsolus]

And what did Clarkson do in the end? He bought a field. In fact, he bought a whole farm...

[@oddities-whatnot]

I used to drive one of those Jaguars many many years ago, its was a fabulous relaxing and luxurious place to be. It also had a very nice stereo system which did a splendid job of entertaining me when it had one of my jazz cassettes in place. Happy days

[@iloverush123]

This is probably the best car jag's ever made, it's not as pretty or as pedigree'd as the e type, but even now the xjr is something special

[@unconvincingrebel]

he's only 37 in this lol

[@Landshark928]

Haha, JC was born with the look of 50plus and stays this way forever

[@ramolokikhanye9122]

😂😂😂😂🤔

[@CrashForce]

What??? No way? He’s barely aged since then lmao

[@djyems1021]

@@CrashForce No he hasn't. He has aged HORRIBLY

[@CrashForce]

@@djyems1021 What do you mean? He looks almost the exact same lmao... He likely aged alot in his 20s and now has hit a constant for a while.

[@milfordcivic6755]

The Brits were so cool in the 1990s and were making great TV. Good times.

[@georgfriedrichhendl9881]

Blur, Pulp, Oasis, Robbie Williams, Underworld, Goldie, Tricky, Massive Attack, Aphex Twin, Radiohead, Portishead, Paradise Lost, ... they had the best of the best bands.

[@Christ4King]

@@georgfriedrichhendl9881 Yes, yes we did.

[@tribalandtattoostudio5723]

XJR IS SUPERB !!

[@christopherdean1326]

Still one of the best looking big cars ever to grace tarmac.

[@IceMan-il7dx]

Beautiful & timeless. No shame in a 20yo 'Jaaaaag.'

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

7:51 I've heard it runs on alcho pops or something...

[@mazdapremacy97]

If you want a lot of space , buy a field . I laughed to death.

[@wyoming8814]

the fact is that, its true

[@haoyuan5]

I don't get it. Can you explain

[@henryshu6265]

@@haoyuan5 Well, Jezza(Jeremy, the presenter)meant that Jaguars, especially the XJR is so exquisite that you could simply overlook the lack of space for its exterior size and some minor issues it has, if you're worry about things like its space, you probably shouldn't get a Jag, because that's not the point, so things that's as plain as a field would suit people who can't appreciate the artistic factor of Jaguars, I know my explanation is kind of long, but I don't want you to miss anything

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

Love this old TopGear..!!! 30 minute show on a Thursday evening...!!!

[@gottliebdee263]

The days when Clarkson was a trainee Clown. Now he's a fully qualified one. Did like TG back then though.

[@frankb4199]

My favorite model jaguar. Such a perfect design.

[@noneofyourbusiness3356]

If you drive one, you will want one. XJR, XKR either one is great. I have both. But as an everyday car with room and a serious attitude. The XJR is the one to get

[@wheelbarrow01]

I just love that the auto captions at the opening credits called him “Action Man Tiffany Dell” - made my night 😅😅😅

[@timrains5011]

Perfect proportions the last gorgeous xj

[@bumpsangrimez]

time travel. just saw one of these jags for $2200. could be a fun project

[@neilsmith6092]

Jaguar has always been a work of art

[@Aleksandrovitch95]

Un pure avion cette berline. Tenue de route irreprochable surtout en pack sport en jante 20 pouces et train XKR. Un regal !!!

[@bradford_shaun_murray]

I've heard that it rockets from nought to sixty in _five_ seconds...6:30.

[@kernals12]

I sprain my fingers just watching Clarkson shut car doors by pulling at the top of the window frame.

[@-Gunnarsson-]

Top Gear kept clarky from aging. Just look at his face its the same 23y later!

[@montinaladine3264]

Wow that was awesome performance for that Jag back in the mundane 90s. And looks great too IMO. Jeremy C hasn't changed his style - very distinctive narrating style but still a bit tiring to listen to after a few sessions. It just sounds like he is trying a bit too hard to be cool with his constant vocal inflections.

[@TheTarrMan]

@7:43 Was that Jeremy Clarkson's house? The one on his farm? How long has he lived out their? He must really like it.

[@lilpumpernickel4259]

Holy shit that Prodigy in the background at 8:11 I love it so much

[@AlexandraStarr1974]

I had that happen to me in my h reg cavalier, it broke as i drove to work, had to leave it in some farmers driveway for a couple of days before i got it towed away.. Vert odd period in topgear history, it tries to be funky and appealing to younger viewers with its crazy camera angles, but also still gives very 1980s style consumer advice. Gotta admit though, loving the soundtrack they used for this episode!

[@glenkelly998]

Nickasil linears are only ruined when 4 star fuel is used so buy a 2000 model registered after January as 4 star fuel was no longer available. I have a 2000 xjr with 120,000 on it no problems. Puts a smile on my face every time I use it 😀

[@dennisnorton3880]

Not the case. Petrol with high sulphur content caused the problem. Usually from supermarkets. No longer a problem as our fuel is low sulphur now.

[@jermaineonealnumber7]

I love these old Top Gear bits, thx daddy281202!

[@mulletmanpete]

Watched TG since the 80s and love revisiting these episodes from the 90s to marvel at the evolution of Jezza. Also hilarious how just 23 years ago 370 brake was considered colossal firepower!

[@repetetivebeats]

I mean it's still a lot...more than most cars have nowadays

[@HarryNicNicholas]

i had a straight six XJR, it was like being in a video game. i didn't know you could do burn outs with an automatic. never knew what gear it was in either - silk.

[@jonathanpardoe8722]

I never got over the demise of the series 3 XJ6 all subsequent Jags have been mediocre in looks, not quite in the same bracket, Jaguar spent the next 20 years trying to make their cars look like series 3's and now we have a grotesque 'orrible shaped xfor x somthin or other. but nothing compares to the origonals .

[@hugochavez4382]

That rolling sculpture with a F in the name, what was it again? You know, the one that sounds even better than my Corvette?

[@joebeastyg5686]

Had an '83 XJ6 Vanden Plas in the mid-to-late 90's. LOVED every second I spent in that car. It spent a lot of time in the garage which was a bummer considering I was the only one of my friends with a car in High School. But it was still a cool experience to have had such an awesome car so young. It eventually rusted away when I left for college. Holes right through the floorboards. The engine only had 70K on it and it still ran great. But I had to sell her off for parts :( Some day I'll have one again!

[@NullCreativityMusic]

Wow, old Top Gear sounds like Fifth Gear, ten years later, with special guest Jeremy Clarkson

[@coastaku1954]

Well, that was the point, Fifth Gear was Channel 4's (Or was it ITV, I don't know, I'm just a Canadian Anglophile) continuation of the Old Top Gear format, they even wanted to call it Top Gear. That's why it had Tiff Needel and other Old Top Gear presenters. Tiff and the rest went to do Fifth Gear while Jeremy Clarkson and Andy Wilman went back to the BBC to create the new Format we know, love and miss so much.

[@gwishart]

Fifth Gear was on Channel Five - hence the name.

[@midas1929]

The last good looking XJ

[@huntylayd]

my dad used to have one of the jaguar xjr's, although his was a more rare manual version. I can honestly agree with Jeremy when he says its bonkers fast. you really don't expect the speed and acceleration it gives.

[@stephensomersify]

Manual / supercharged V8 ? must be 'bonkers' !!

[@huntylayd]

Nope was a 4ltr straight 6 with an Eaton m90 twinscroll supercharger

[@barnseyfrommossley]

Fast forward 20 years. Zafira catches fire, Vauxhall say it's due to 'fake' parts. Other manufacturers don't seem to have the same problem.

[@mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm420]

Top Gear when it was watchable.

[@antonykryvo]

Like for Jeremy and BBC team. Love this most stylish classic car even made

[@CTG4-b3x]

RIP Saab 💙💛

[@TheCarArchives96]

that Vauxhall Astra first registration is 04 02 1994 and date of liability 29 11 1999

[@scottrider8445]

I know this is "Old Top Gear" but this was already starting to become what the popular iteration of the show was.

[@VoVilliaCorp]

It was slowly changing since Clarkson was brought on to become what we all know and love.

[@dfcvda]

picking up a 2000 4.0 XJ8 £750 this week.. worth a challenge.

[@jezmonjezmon5505]

dfcvda , is it still running?

[@dfcvda]

Jezmon Jezmon yes but they are not cheap to maintain!

[@jezmonjezmon5505]

Thanks, I'm looking at a black 3.2 local to me for a grand, hoping to run for a year without any major issues lol .. I've even got a great flat cap at the ready.

[@dfcvda]

I maybe getting an XJ6 4.0 Straight 6 cylinder this week I have never had a straight 6 and definitely not 4 LTR! (from Ebay) which is never the best way to do it but buying a car this time of year is the best time.

[@dgfg42]

I have a 2000 XJ8 and its a problematic car FYI... chain tensioners are bad, knock sensors are bad, ABS sensor also bad, had to replace transmission and breaks...

[@jobbythehutt]

Aaaah, Quentin Willson's funny wee voice. How I miss it on Top Gear.

[@strictlyyoutube6881]

The colour of this Jag now seems so horrendous, but I remember when I saw it in 1997 in Earls Court car show and it was a colour to behold.

[@enigmatwist6548]

About the only car I prefer a beige/cream interior, very nice.

[@Foxbat1155]

me too. bring back the old reporters and share 50/50, clarkson crazy gang/old top gear great reporting

[@hugochavez4382]

Hope you're not still waiting lol

[@RomeoKiloLimaWasTaken]

what about the aston?

[@Weird.Dreams]

Majority of these Vauxhalls rusted away into oblivion long before the control arms failed anyway.

[@AdamAus85]

Old XJ is a bit like the E39 5 series. You look at both those cars and you think they'll be plenty of leg room relative to the size of the car.

[@kiranommi175]

nvr expect legroom in a jag....mmm...just yday i was watching a friend of mine ..trying out thr latest flagship and it had really unblv less legroom ....he was sittting there like a pinched duck ..and i was like... such a loooong car... and such squeeze in the legroom space... what were they thinking ... it was like the ferrari of the seventies ... they dont realise that the old daddies who can afford their flagships are in their fifties and need generous space...lol

[@jameslatimer1432]

Quentin Wilson was really good on Top Gear why don't they bring him back BBC bring him back please

[@ashleysmith4281]

Because he's nearly a thousand years old now lol

[@HJ-vs7lf]

The x308 XJ is one of the prettiest modern sedans ever made, only really competing against the Rapide and Quattroporte GTS. Especially a black XJR or a Sovereign or Daimler spec in blue with a tan interior. It still looks like a Rolls Royce alternative. Whereas modern Jaguars look like Nissan alternatives.

[@epicbanana4317]

Old top gear just hits differently.

[@johnsun11]

'' If you want a lot of space, buy a field'' haha

[@ivorgotten2368]

In the early 90s, I used to have a 1990 Calibra 2.0 16v Redtop, and this is the first I've heard of this control arm issue.

[@liamkirk9066]

The best. Looking car end

[@szili76]

Clarkson was born 48 years old

[@Kwippy]

i miss this old, old Top Gear that was primarily a car show and not so much a comedy show. I like the new (but NOT the new new) Top Gear too but I miss the consumer advice of the original.

[@jrd33]

Fifth Gear became basically the old Top Gear but it was never as successful, in part because it was never as much fun.

[@Jwdude123]

Love these all steel X308 Jags......oh yeah.

[@johntechwriter]

They X-308 delivered on the Coventry line was Sir William’s final gift to us, and long may they run.

[@TJSaw]

A modern restomod of this Jaguar XJR would be the business.

[@notsocialatall]

I think he means that XJ6 that appears in the introduction for the XJR.

[@djsteveshevron3418]

Thanks for posting.

[@stevep2611]

“If you want a lot of space buy a field”….. I guess he wanted a lot of space lol

[@armonrakhman3791]

I miss my xj6! The most beautiful car i ever owned!

[@annkeville8355]

Germany love your vlog thanks Richard love your work

[@jippalippa]

What happened to Jeremy between 1995 and 1997? just 2 years and he looks more than 10 years older.

[@dfcvda]

certainly the last two.

[@hotstixx]

40 a day man.

[@bigbill74scots]

Got married.

[@lotusjaggarage2989]

He was looking like bob ross at the start of the 90s and the average s type owner by the end

[@TheCarArchives96]

that Jaguar XJ6 is still on the road and first registration is 17 09 1968 that Mercedes-Benz SLK is still on the road and first registration is 25 10 1996 that Porsche Boxster first registration is 07 07 1997 and date of liability 01 12 2008 that Vauxhall Astra first registration is 12 02 1991 and date of liability 20 10 2006 that Vauxhall Cavalier first registration is 22 05 1991 and date of liability 01 04 2006

[@emekaiheanacho6971]

TheCarArchives how do you know

[@Cowcharge]

@@emekaiheanacho6971 Why would he care?

[@KeyToTime]

I have a Cavalier from 1990. Think I might get my front control arms checked...

[@MagnyCoors]

After 4 years later I would concur..take a corner at 65 mph and let us know how you get on.

[@KeyToTime]

@@MagnyCoors Still got the car and all is well thankfully!

[@GurpreetHira]

its 2017 and i have a 2001 jaguar x308 xjr silver exterior and solid black interior... i only take it out once or twice every two to three weeks. i wanna keep it forever and take it to car shows when im 50 years old loll and of course shes garaged! loll

[@trannguyen5575]

I hear you but prices are ticking up so buy another sub 100K example as a daily driver while they are still 4 figures. I have a 1999 Black/Black XJR and I try to drive it sparingly but hey, life is too short. Like you I will never sell so if it's going to be with me a while I can probably find the time and money for an engine overhaul if/when the time comes. The Mercedes 5G Tronic transmission is near bulletproof if you change the fluid and filter every 60K or so. Enjoy your car, even a well used car can look great in 30 years, just don't drive it in snow of course!

[@Leo060708]

Also because it doesn't have the electro chromatic lights I'm not sure how the auto lights would have worked that JC refers to.

[@aaronbays4]

Always loved these, would love to have one today, but they weren't exactly reliable even when they were new, can't imagine 20 yeas later. Seems like 1997 was the start of the 2nd horsepower war, this car came out, then Lexus came out with the V8 GS400, then BMW took everybody to school with the 1998 M5 BMW. Even American cars were getting pretty fast, 1st year for the LS1 in the Corvette with 350hp, could get the same engine in a $20,000 Camaro as well and run with those expensive sedans that cost 3 times as much.

[@trannguyen5575]

By now all of the major problems have been corrected with upgraded parts easily available (water pump, timing chain guides.). Nikasil problems were caused by high sulfur gas that was phased out in the US in 2001 so any on the road today were likely unaffected. I have owned 4 X308s in total and currently have a 99 XJ8 and a 99 XJR. They are as reliable as any car I have owned and I have driven Acuras, Hondas, Nissans, Lincolns and Jeeps. I drive old Jaguars because you can get them for nothing compared to any new car and they are still more luxurious and smooth than most cars on the road. The XJR especially as it can still rip 5 second 60 runs and surprise a lot of people and that body style, the best looking Jag sedan ever IMO. I drooled over these as a kid and thanks to worries about reliability that are rectifiable I'm living the dream on the cheap! If you want one (or an E39 M5 for that matter) jump now before prices shoot up.

[@aaronbays4]

@@trannguyen5575 Glad to hear you've had good luck with your Jags. They are still dirt cheap, E39 M5's, at least here in the USA are getting pricey for low mile/maintained examples.

[@ianoconnell8678]

2:48 the beast is unleashed

[@Thecoriscaman]

I wonder if you can get a 98 venture with a sunroof like the similar model behind the Vauxhall guy lol.

[@TheShikerWolf]

8:31 omg Richard was old back before he was like 18 in the newer episodes

[@biggusdickus6548]

Bought one new in 97. Fragile car, lots of maintenance .

[@kernals12]

I think GM took such serious action towards these control arms because they didn't want another Corvair incident

[@WhuDhat]

Always had a thing for the XJ, of course I'd have the R if be torn between this and the XKR if I could have any jag of those times

[@Acct1941]

Yeah, the XJR is the one we see the plate of, the XJ6 is the black one

[@paulhunter123]

how does a car the size of a jag have so little space where does it go, like the opposite of a tardis

[@grievuspwn4g3]

+paul hunter It was an old chassis platform updated steadily over decades - even the some of machinery was from the original production line they purchased second-hand in the twenties.

[@mosesbullrush8051]

Jags get their limo quality ride from a double suspension system which makes the wheel wells large, resulting in small front footwells and narrow rear passanger space.

[@soundseeker63]

6ft for the engine bay, 6ft for the boot, and 6ft for the passenger compartment ;-D

[@johntechwriter]

The original 1968 XJ sedan was designed to provide a fuselage-type fit for the average British man of the time, who weighed 167 lb. Today, the average woman weighs that much, and understandably they feel cramped. This car sits 3” to 4” below today's luxury sedans and that previously mentioned fuselage design wraps around the top of the car as well as rolls under the rocker panels. Being at the wheel is like sitting in an airplane cockpit. At 5’10” and 175 lb. my 2001 XJR fits me like a glove. The rear seat is snug but not what I’d call cramped. I’ve never been short of luggage room and never had a problem with the fantastic supercharged 4.0 V8, which made it the top performer of its time. And in my opinion, this car made every other sedan of that time look about 10 years out of date.

[@karlstewart2081]

paul hunter /

[@brendangarvin7787]

5:28 Jaguar goes electric 20 years before Tesla 😁

[@michaelkennedy8573]

Tesla weren’t the first to make an electric car mate

[@brendangarvin7787]

@@michaelkennedy8573 And where in my obviously tongue-in-cheek comment did I say that it was?

[@pumpkin6429]

@@brendangarvin7787 It wasn't tongue and cheek. You fucked up. What would you even be implying otherwise?

[@Leo060708]

How sad am I but it does not have an auto dim rear view mirror, I thought all the X308s had auto dim electrochromatic rear view mirror's.

[@kasteman1]

X308's are a pinnacle of automotive design. Call it blasphemous, but i would love to stuff a Mercedes M113K in an X308 chassis. That's my ultimate matchup.

[@DavidMorgan-pf7vz]

why is that Calibra wearing a Volvo 850 T-5 alloy wheel at 10 mins 40 secs?

[@CrossfireStG]

Bought same for my mondy looks great

[@martinnevey7258]

I had the xj8 sport....best car ever..yeah 22mpg...but boy oh boy that v8

[@waytosacramento3843]

The XJ8 is the only XJ I’d ever buy. It seems to have the best quality of the classic design bunch and got rid of the stupid black tinted rear lights.

[@iantownsend5480]

Can't wait do a XJ LWD with a LS3

[@CCTalkabouts]

The only entertaining part of this was Jeremy reviewing the XJR... this is why this generation was cancelled and Jeremy was held through for the next... now they took him away, along with top gear.

[@xl5556cforcharlie1]

A Star is born :)

[@josephbennett4236]

Who?

[@silverliteway]

4.0 vs 2.3 isn't really a reasonabke comparison but the jag is still v.quick and impressive 25 years+ after launch. I'm sure there are very few still on the road though as they didnt have the build quality of the m5 e39 for example.

[@simonjohnhinton1938]

Xjr6 will outlast an xjr8. I agree with the layout it's much better in the v8 but I prefer the xj6 interior, maybe it's my age showing. Doesn't matter which you have you're guaranteed a magic carpet ride. You don't drive in a jag you waft along. Brilliant cars.

[@bryanhead2670]

That jaguar car is britain on a sunny cloudless day!!!!! 😎

[@samt6021]

rip saab :'(

[@lifeinrussia1991]

Sadly SAAB got what they deserved. They died in all ways but name when GM took them over - just becoming Opels in fancy bodies and completely destroying their reputation. Just think how different the story could have been if a decent company like VW or Honda had bought them. It was a terrible shame to see what GM did to them but absolutely no surprise.

[@nazimelon6653]

so, i dont know how perfect that dragrace was But that isnt even funny anymore Thats just kicking puppies

[@jayshields1234]

Does anyone know what the song is when he drives away in the jag?

[@drankfrebin]

No

[@AndyK.1]

Old before I die. By Robbie Williams

[@abduceran9728]

2018 ☺️

[@Terminator775]

What is the song from 0:39? I know it is happy birthday but from what movie/cartoon, anything? It is vintage

[@PitlordWeedsmurph]

Richard Marx - Hazard

[@willzer808]

lol you're not sad man, just interested in auto dim mirrors