Jaguar and Daimler XJ40 (and XJ81) all variants 1986 to 1994

1. Jaguar XJ40 and XJ81 Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN)

The XJ40 VIN is based on the VIN system which was introduced in 1978, and revised in 1981. It is made up of 17 characters, detailed below, each of which are the equivalent of DNA, so (in theory) given a specific VIN, you should be able to visualise a Jaguar (or Daimler) just be asking for the VIN, paint and trim codes!

Below is a link to a table of XJ40 VIN codes, allowing you to decipher the VIN of any XJ40 or XJ81. This is followed by an explanation of the character meanings.

How to read a Jaguar XJ40 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

Character Meanings:

Characters 1 - 3 denote the manufacturer.
1. Country of Manufacture
2. Vehicle Manufacturer
3. Marque

NB: The above 3 letter prefix was added to all Jaguar and Daimler cars from 1981.Some sources state that the first 3 characters, together, denote the "world manufacturer identification code" SAJ for Jaguar Cars Ltd, Coventry, and that these do not break down individually. Other sources break the 3 digits down as displayed here, hence the repetition of "Marque"

Characters 4 - 11 carry information about the vehicles specification
4. Marque
5. Model
6. Market
7. Body
8. Engine
9. Transmission and Drive
10. Series
11. Emission Equipment

12-17. Sequential production number - unique to each car and allocated in production order, regardless of specification etc

A full explanation on Jaguar VIN evolution can be found on our Facts and Information page.

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