In side profile, the difference between the Series III and its Series II predecessor was immediately noticeable and rather pleasing rear seat passengers also benefited, thanks to the extra rear headroom provided by this Pininfarina-penned restyle. But the biggest styling upgrade was at the rear, where the roofline was raised and squared off for a surprisingly different – but rather attractive – new look. It was a thorough job, of course, with a new grille and more modern bumpers once again leading the way, along with minor trim changes like flush-fitting door handles. The XJ range was already well over ten years old by the time the Series III was officially launched in March 1979, successfully updating an elderly design by giving it some ’80s-style tweaks.
