Hot Wheels, Maisto, and Road Champs Jagaur XJS coupe

It's hard for a manufacturer to make the next generation of a successful model, such as the Jaguar E-type.  The XJS was designed to be a more modern version of the successful E-type and while it has the Jaguar qualitites it lacks the charm of the E-type.  Nevertheless there are plenty of diecast examples out there.

In 1975 the XJS was introduced to replace the E-type with a more modern vehicle that was best suited for grand touring.  The XJS was based on the XJ sedan platform, yet still retains the long-hood and short deck of the E-type.  The body was more aerodynamic than the E-type and has four headlights rather than two.  The headlights were later changed to a flush unit and the taillights were changed to go across the rear in the 1990's.  The flying buttress at the rear was controversial at the time, yet some argue that it adds character to the XJS.  At the beginning the only engine available was the 5.3L DOHC V-12 motor that produced an estimated 280 horsepower through a G.M. soruced 4-speed automatic transmission.  By the 1980's the I-6 was returned and so was a 5-speed manual transmission.  A convertible also returned though the window structure still remained to give support in the event of a rollover; essentially it was more like a targa than a convertible.  In 1996 the XJS was replaced by the XK8 that draws styling infuences from the E-type.

The Hot Wheels version was one of the earliest released in 1978.  Painted in silver it has the XJS logo on the sides with a leaping cheetah cat.  The front has the detailed four round headlights with the sloping hood meeting a narrow grille and front bumper that is part of the interior piece.  The side profile is rather clean for this car with a bit of detailing on the B-pillar as well.  At the rear the taillights are there (barely) and the rear bumper is part of the interior piece and wraps around the rear.  The basic Hot Wheels wheels look great on this car.  The metal base has excellent details of the front engine, exhaust system, and rear suspension along with the rear-mounted fuel tank.  The interior has seating for four even though the rear seats are useless.  The dashboard has a simple layout if it lacks precise details; the dashboard is long and flat with three-spoke steering wheel and central auxiliary gauges just like the E-type.  I sat in one of these cars and it does feel a bit cramped with the low roofline and large central tunnel for the drivetrain.  Hot Wheels has released many other colors of this model before disappering sometime in the 1980's.

Then Maisto, or MC Toys, came out with their version.  The burgundy model you see here was the last release of this casting at the turn of the century and it looked great alongside two other V-12 coupes at the time: the BMW 850i and Mercedes-Benz 500SL coupe.  (When the XJS was released Maisto also rereleased the BMW and Mercedes in similar, if yet slightly different tone, burgundy color.)  The Maisto version goes for the smoother flush headlights up front and more grille detailing, though the bumper that is now part of the plastic base is poorly done.  The side profile has more detailing than the Hot Wheels version with visible door handles, pillar trim, and wheelwell lips.  The rear has the detailed flying buttress panels and rear trunklid with detailed taillights, black trim on the sail panels, and the dual exhausts here are more prominent than the Hot Wheels version.  The basic wheels look rather plain on the car, but also at the same time work well and comes with a working suspension.  The tan interior is a nice touch with detailed seats, but the dashboard is barely there and lacks any detailing outside of the steering wheel.

The more interesting XJS goes to the Road Champs version.  Yes, Road Champs has made a small assortment of 1:64 scale vehicles in the 1980's and these cars were well-detailed and very sturdy for their time, not to mention all had opening doors with some having detachable parts.  Sitting in red with black lower trim and hood stripe the car has more sport in its look than the others.  The front has headlights with a bug-eye grid pattern, a detailed center grille, and a lower bumper with detailed signal lights and chin spoiler, all done in metal from the base.  The side profile adds the same details that the Maisto version has and then adds their own copy of the Hot Wheels basic wheel design, but problem is that the car sits too high compared to the real vehicle.  The rear has separate clear red taillights and a metal bumper to finish off a body that has a lot of great detail in it.  The base is metal and has the drivetrain and exhaust layout, though it looks rather sloppy in layout.  The doors open to show off the interior where there are four seats well detailed, a 3-spoke steering wheel, shifter on the console, and an accurate dashboard layout.  Road Champs did a surprisingly great job with the Jaguar XJS coupe and is also one of the best 1:64 scale models from the brand yet.