Jaguar XJS Hot Wheels: Gray, Blue and Gold Versions

The yellow cat stretched across the doors is the detail that gives this Jaguar away. On the early gray XJS, it runs over large red-orange lettering; the long hood and flying-buttress rear pillars leave little doubt about the car underneath the decoration.

The featured gray car is a documented 1978 Hong Kong example. Photos: The Race Case.

The gray first release

Hot Wheels introduced the Jaguar XJS in 1978 with a gray finish, black interior, blue-tinted windows and blackwall wheels. The side decoration uses yellow, black and red. The example here shows how much of the design extends across the door and rear quarter.

Check the printing on each side, especially the cat’s head and tail near the ends of the graphic. Around the cabin, inspect the narrow roof pillars and the edges of the small rear-quarter windows. Reflections can hide both paint chips and scratches in the blue glazing.

Blue cars: turn them over, then turn them around

Blue Hong Kong examples are documented for 1980, with Malaysia-made blue cars following in 1982. Paint color alone does not settle that distinction; check the base and, when available, the card or package.

This is why one flattering side view is not enough. The blue example looks quite presentable in the first photograph, but the reverse has a large bare-looking patch across the door. Its owner suspected an unfinished stripping project. The photographs establish the uneven condition; they do not establish how or when the finish was removed.

Other finishes need their own identification

The 1979 Golden Machines six-pack used a gold-chrome finish. Later production includes gray, white and metallic-brown cars, with regional differences in decoration and wheels. A French gray version without side printing is documented, so missing graphics are not automatically an error—or proof of stripping.

For a claimed plain version, compare the base, finish and full configuration. That is a different question from assessing the visibly damaged blue car above. Gold-chrome examples also need close photographs of the reflective surface, where rubs and plating loss can disappear in glare.

What to keep with the car

A pair of side photographs and a readable base shot make a useful starting record. Add the full card or pack if it survives, and note any repaint, wheel replacement or other repair. When comparing loose Hot Wheels, keep the release identification separate from condition: the right color is only the beginning.