THE RETURN of the two-seater convertible” was how Autocar excitedly introduced the XJ-S Cabriolet back in October 1983 and it’s this headline more than any of the advertising from the period which reinforces just what a big event the model was for Jaguar. Indeed it was the first open car since the demise of the E-Type and despite the many surviving examples sporting rear seats, the Cabriolet was officially sold only as a two-seater.
Ironically, major news though it was for Jaguar’s marketing strategy and its dealers – especially in the crucial North American market – the Cabriolet was intended only as a temporary stop-gap addition to the range, which explains its design and production.
The accepted version of events is that Jaguar’s US-market dealers were clamouring for an open car, yet the automotive industry in general had been fearful of potential legislation outlawing convertibles in the US market – one famous product of this thinking being the Triumph Stag with its Targa-style rollover hoop.
