Jaguar XJ40 Tyres
1986-1989 Jaguar XJ40
Jaguar XJ40 1986–1994
- In 1986 the first Jaguar XJ40 and Sovereign took advantage of TRX Michelin technology and fitted 390mm wheels.
- These early millimetric wheels fitted 220/65R390 either Dunlop SP Supersport or Michelin TRX.
- Today for the Jaguar XJ40 cars fitting millimetric wheels we have the 220/65 VR 390 Avon CR39.
- Tyres with a profile below 70% (e.g 220/65 VR 390 Avon CR39) should not fit innertubes.
- From 1990 some of the Jaguar XJ40 and Sovereign cars moved on to 225/65 WR 15 PIRELLI CINTURATO P5 tyres.
- Later the XJ40 moved on to 16” wheels some fitted 225/55R16 Dunlop Performa 2000 and some Pirelli P700-Z.
- The last of the Jaguar XJ40 4.0 Sport, Sovereign and Daimler Double 6 fitted 225/60R16 Pirelli.
- Longstone's own Dougal Cawley was recently featured in Jaguar World Magazine, click the link to see our Jaguar World Magazine Longstone Tyres Article.
Jaguar XJ40 Tyres Explained
Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign Tyres
Jaguar XJ40 Original Equipment
The Pirelli P5 was an OE tyre fitted by Jaguar from new on the XJ40.
My 1992 built 1993 model year (according to the handbook) was available with:
Jaguar XJ40 Red
- Pirelli P5 225/65 R 15 99V.
- Pirelli P4000 225/65 ZR 15 (IIRC the load rating was 99).
- Dunlop SP Super Sport 100TD 220/65 R 390 97V (Michelins were also fitted in the same size - but presumably in earlier model years.)
- On the 8Jx16 forged Sports lattice wheel:
- Pirelli P600 225/55 ZR 16.
- Dunlop Performa 2000 225/55 ZR 16.
- The following year the XJ40 moved to 7Jx16 on cars with alloy wheels, replacing the 15" Teardrop and Roulete, and thee Metric Teardrop.
- These used a Pirelli tyre in 225/60 16 size.
For a long time only the Pirelli P4000J (and later the Pirelli P4000E) were available in 225/65 15. Pirelli stopped making them - and I had to switch to 16" lattice alloys. It’s always the way; if the P5s had been available from you back then, I may not have changed wheels!
Jaguar XJ40 History
Throughout the 1970s, Jaguar worked on the iconic Jaguar XJ40, an all-new vehicle designed to replace the original XJ6. The automobile was repeatedly delayed due to issues at British Leyland and the fuel crisis. Jaguar's in-house designers and Pininfarina submitted proposals. It was eventually determined that an internal design would be used for manufacturing. This automobile was ultimately introduced in October 1986, with controversial square headlights on all except the lowest spec models, a holdover from the 1970s development. The car was considered evolutionary rather than revolutionary, including innovations such as the second version of Jaguar's IRS. It had to contend with a new rival, the freshly expanded classic E32 7 series BMW.
While the Jaguar was favoured by the British press, the XJ40 consistently lost comparative tests conducted by German magazines. Initially, just two six-cylinder variants were available: a 2.9 L and a 3.6 L. The V12 and a long-wheelbase variant, including a high-roofed Daimler Majestic type designated for official usage, were delayed further still, arriving at the end of the XJ40's lifespan.
The delay in installing the V12 engine was caused by the design of the engine bay, which was too narrow to accommodate a V formation engine, and was said to have been done on purpose because the designers feared that their parent company would insist on using an engine based on their widely used Rover V-8. Following Jaguar's acquisition by Ford in December 1989, work on modifying the engine bay to fit the V12 commenced. Ironically, owing to Ford, Jaguar was subsequently reunited with another member of the old Rover family, Land Rover, where they had previously been owing to British Leyland. However, after developing their own more contemporary V8, they saw the opposite happen with a version of their engine installed to now-classic Land Rover vehicles, from which the old Rover V8 was eventually withdrawn.
XJ40 4.0 Sovereign Tyres
A: The first of these Jaguars fitted 220/65R390 Michelin TRX or Dunlop Supersport. The only option currently is the Avon TurboSpeed. Then in the early 1990s, the XJ40 sport and Sovereign models fitted 225/65R15 Pirelli Cinturato P5. Then they later fitted 15” wheels with 225/55R16 Pirelli P700-Z then from 1994 they fitted 225/60R16 Pirelli.