XJ6
The second generation of the XJ6 was bowing for model year 1973. In the U.S., the only body style at this point was a 4-door sedan. Wheelbase was about 109 inches. Curb weight was about 3750lbs. Power disc brakes were standard. It was motivated by a 4.2L I6 with twin 1bbl Stromberg carburetors. It produced 150hp and 213tq. Backing it was a 3-speed Borg-Warner automatic. Rear axle ratio was 3.54:1. Zero to sixty was respectable for the time at 11 seconds, with a top speed of 115mph.
By 1974, the rear axle ratio was dropped to 3.31:1; This in theory should have helped highway fuel mileage, but it was also a detriment to acceleration. Another negative point was the weight, as the car now porked up to about 4000lbs.
In 1976, the coupe was now offered to the U.S.; Europeans for a time were offered a choice of standard and long wheelbase versions of the car, but at this point all U.S.-bound cars became the long wheelbase versions. This meant a measurement of 112 inches now. Weight increased slightly to near 4100lbs. In 1978 the 4.2L carbureted I6 was replaced with a 4.2L Fuel Injected I6. The end of the generation was 1979.
For 1980 the car was redesigned giving it a much cleaner look. These newer years had several axle ratios that ranged between 3.31:1, 3.07:1 and 2.88:1 . We’ll end with a picture of the 1983 version…
