XJ-S Anniversary Special: Ed Abbott, Senior Development Engineer, XJ-S

Jaguar Enthusiast Magazine has teamed up with our heritage partners, The Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, to track the human stories behind one of Jaguar's best-selling model ranges that was in production for nearly a quarter of a century!

Launched in 1975 as the successor to the legendary E-type, the XJS celebrates 50 years this year. So, buckle up — we’re going to explore the highs, lows, and lasting impact of Jaguar’s misunderstood masterpiece: the XJS.

Our guest today is Ed Abbott — an engineer, innovator, and one of the key figures in the story of Jaguar during the XJ-S era.

Ed began his career at Jaguar in the 1970s, where he worked as a development engineer on the company’s road cars and competition projects. His work spanned chassis, suspension, and performance development, giving him a front-row seat as Jaguar navigated one of the most fascinating and challenging chapters in its history.

After his time at Jaguar, Ed went on to found Abbott Racing, a specialist engineering company that built a reputation for extracting performance and reliability from both road and racing machinery. That blend of hands-on engineering expertise and entrepreneurial drive has made him a respected voice in the world of automotive development.

With first-hand experience of the XJ-S from the inside, Ed brings invaluable perspective on what it took to turn Jaguar’s grand touring vision into a reality — and how those lessons carried forward into his own engineering journey.

As we celebrate 50 years of the Jaguar XJ-S, it’s a pleasure to welcome Ed Abbott to share his memories, insights, and stories from an extraordinary career in engineering.