The Jaguar AJ-V8 is a compact DOHC V8 piston engine used in many Jaguar vehicles. It was the fourth new engine type in the history of the company. It was an in house design with work beginning before Ford's purchase of the company. In 1997 it replaced both designs previously available on Jaguar cars: the straight-6 Jaguar AJ6 engine (or rather its AJ16 variant), and the Jaguar V12 engine. It remained the only engine type available on Jaguar until 1999 with the launch of the S-Type, when the Jaguar AJ-V6 engine was added to the list. The AJ-V8 is available in displacements ranging from 3.2L to 5.0L, and a supercharged version is also produced. Ford Motor Company also used this engine in other cars, including the Lincoln LS and the 2002–2005 Ford Thunderbird, as well as in several Land Rovers, and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage.
The AJ-V8 was designed to use Nikasil-coated cylinders rather than the more-common iron cylinder liners. However, like the BMW M60, high-sulphur fuel reacted with the Nikasil coating and caused engine failures. Jaguar replaced affected engines, and has used conventional cast-iron linings ever since.
The engine originally used a two-state Variable Valve Timing system to switch the intake cam timing by 30°. Newer variants use a more sophisticated system which can vary intake timing incrementally up to 48°. The Lincoln version was made in the United States.
Other engine features include fracture-split forged powder metal connecting rods, a special one-piece cast camshaft, and reinforced plastic intake manifold.
The AJ-V8 was on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list for 2000.
Ford ceased production of the AJ-V8 engine in September 2020 when it closed the Bridgend Plant. However, in August 2020 JLR was able to take over production means for the AJ-V8.
Manufacture The AJ8 engine was manufactured in a dedicated Jaguar facility located within the Ford Bridgend Engine Plant in Bridgend, South Wales. The Jaguar "plant-within-a-plant" saved considerable investment costs by Jaguar. It was staffed by workers dedicated to Jaguar engine production and included a linked flow-line of computer numerically controlled machines with automated loading and assembly. Component supply was on a "just-in-time" basis.
Jaguar Land Rover has subsequently produced the AJ supercharged petrol V8 Jaguar Land Rover engines in a state-of-the-art Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton.
4.0 L
The AJ26 engine was introduced in 1996. The number "26" comes from 12+6+8 (cylinders), because when the first ideas were sketched, a family of 6-, 8- and 12-cylinder engines was contemplated, although only the 8-cylinder version was produced. It has a square bore and stroke. It was updated in 1998 as the AJ27 with continuously variable valve timing. The AJ-V8 was updated again in 2000 as the AJ28. The naturally aspirated version produces in the 2000–2002 XK8.
Vehicles using this engine:
AJ26 1997–1998 Jaguar XJ8 1997–1998 Jaguar XK8 1997–1998 Daimler V8 AJ27 1999–2003 Jaguar XJ8 1999–2003 Jaguar XK8 1999–2003 Daimler V8 AJ28 2000–2002 Jaguar S-Type ,
Supercharged
The supercharged version of the AJ26 is used in the high-performance R versions of Jaguar's cars. The engine was updated with AJ27 specifications for 2000. It produces and with the help of an Eaton supercharger (modified Roots-blower). The supercharged engine did not use variable cam timing as the normal benefits of improved volumetric efficiency are not noticeable on a boosted engine.
Vehicles using the supercharged version include: AJ26S 1998–1999 Jaguar XJR 1998–1999 Jaguar XKR 1998–1999 Daimler Super V8 AJ27S 2000–2003 Jaguar XJR 2000–2003 Jaguar XKR 2000–2003 Daimler Super V8
3.2 L
The 3.2 litre variant was the second to be introduced. It reduces the stroke to and power falls to and . This variant was not available in the North American market. This engine did not use variable cam timing.
Vehicles using this engine: 1997–2003 Jaguar XJ8
3.5 L
The engine, marketed as a "3.5", was only used in the XJ series. The stroke was . Output was at 6,250 rpm and at 4,200 rpm.
Vehicles using this engine: 2002–2007 Jaguar XJ8 3.5, and
3.9 L
The AJ30/AJ35 variant is a unique displacement used only by Ford and Lincoln and is built in Ford's Lima, OH engine plant. Bore and stroke is . The AJ35 version introduced for the 2003 model year added variable valve timing of the intake camshafts and electronic throttle control. While the block, crankshaft, pistons, and connecting rods are all unique to this displacement, many other parts are shared with the AJ-V8 engines produced in the UK by Jaguar.
Vehicles using this engine: 2000–2002 Lincoln LS, 2002 Ford Thunderbird, 2003–2006 Lincoln LS, 2003–2005 Ford Thunderbird, Ford Forty-Nine concept
The last AJ35 was produced in March 2006 after only 3 years. Total run of AJ30/35 was nearly 250,000 units
4.2 L
The , AJ33 and AJ34 versions retain the bore with stroke. It was introduced in 2002 as the AJ33 and produces at 6,000 rpm with of torque at 4,100 rpm, later increased to and .
Vehicles using this engine: 2003–2006 Jaguar XK-series , 2006–2008 Jaguar XK-series , 2002–2008 Jaguar S-Type 4.2, and 2004–2009 Jaguar XJ8, and 2008–2010 Jaguar XF, and
Supercharged The AJ33S is a supercharged/intercooled variant of the AJ33. It was introduced in 2002 to replace the 4.0 SC and produces at 6,100 rpm with of torque at 3,500 rpm. The engine was later updated to AJ34S specification to include Variable Valve Timing as well as other minor updates.
Vehicles using this engine: 2004–2009 Jaguar XJR/Super V8, and 2003–2006 Jaguar XKR, and 2006–2008 Jaguar XKR, and 2003–2008 Jaguar S-Type R, and 2005–2009 Daimler Super Eight 2008–2010 Jaguar XF, and
Land Rover also offered a supercharged version of the 4.2 L as that company's high-performance engine. Land Rover's version is not the same as the Jaguar's version but it was adapted from it.
Applications: 2006–2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport and 2006–2009 Land Rover Range Rover and
4.4 L
The AJ41 version features an bore and stroke. This engine replaced the BMW M62 engine used in 2003-2005 Range Rover models.
Applications: 2005–2009 Land Rover Discovery 3 / LR3 - , 2006–2009 Land Rover Range Rover Sport - at 5,500 rpm, at 4,000 rpm 2006–2009 Land Rover Range Rover - at 5,750 rpm, at 4,000 rpm
Aston Martin 4.3/4.7
Aston Martin hand-assembles a special version of the AJ-V8 for the 2005 V8 Vantage known as AM05 – or while it was under development as AJ37. This unit displaced and produces at 7,000 rpm and at 5,000 rpm. This engine is unique to Aston Martin and features race-style dry-sump lubrication, which enables it to be mounted low to lower the centre of gravity. The firing order is the same as the other AJ-V8 engines although the cylinder numbering is different (AJ37 = 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 vs. AJ26 = 1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8). The engine is assembled by hand at the AM facility in Cologne, Germany, which also builds the V12 for the DB9 and Vanquish. The cylinder block, cylinder heads, crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, camshafts, inlet and exhaust manifolds, lubrication system and engine management are all unique to the Aston Martin version.
In May 2008, Aston Martin released a new design that used pressed cylinder liners instead of cast-in liners. This allowed for thinner liners, and a higher capacity of for the V8 Vantage. Called the AM14, power output increased to (an 11% increase on the previous 4.3-litre unit) and peak torque to (a 15% increase). The Aston Martin V8 Vantage S features the same 4.7-litre V8 engine found in the base Vantage, but with improved intake airflow, new mufflers, and new programming that keeps the exhaust system's bypass valves open longer. The engine in the V8 Vantage S now develops at 7,300 rpm and torque of at 5,000 rpm representing an increase of and respectively. This engine is also used in the bespoke Aston Martin DB10 concept car for the 2015 James Bond film Spectre.
4.3, bore and stroke
4.7, bore and stroke
Applications: 2005–2017 Aston Martin V8 Vantage 2014–2015 Aston Martin DB10 (concept car) 2018 Aston Martin V8 Cygnet (one-off)
AJ-V8 Gen III 5.0 An all new direct injection 5.0 L engine family was introduced in 2009, for the 2010 model year. The AJ133 is a 90° V8 engine available in either supercharged or naturally aspirated form, with a bore & stroke of and a compression ratio of 9.5:1 for the supercharged version and 11.5:1 for the naturally aspirated one respectively.
The main structural components of the engine are all manufactured from aluminium alloy. The engine is built around a very stiff, lightweight, enclosed V, deep skirt cylinder block, with an open-deck design. A structural windage tray is bolted to the bottom of the cylinder block to further improve the block stiffness, minimize NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) and help reduce oil foaming. To further enhance the stiffness of the lower engine structure, a heavily ribbed sump body is installed. The sump body also helps to reduce engine noise.
A spheroidal graphite cast-iron crankshaft is utilized with high-strength cast pistons and fracture-split forged steel connecting rods manufactured from 36 Mn VS4 steel.
The engine uses a Bosch high pressure direct injection fuel system with fuel pressure provided by two, cam driven high pressure pumps which are driven by a dedicated camshaft. The high pressure pumps supply the fuel rails which in turn supply the four injectors for that bank with fuel at a controlled pressure.
The four camshafts incorporate VCT (variable camshaft timing). VCT allows the timing of the intake and exhaust valves to be adjusted independently of each other.
The naturally aspirated engine features cam profile switching and variable tract length inlet manifold.
Supercharged engines make use of a sixth-generation 1.9L TVS (Twin Vortices Series) supercharger, which is located in the 'vee' of the engine and is driven from the crankshaft by a dedicated secondary drive belt.
Denso's Generation 1.6 Engine Management System was used on earlier models, later switching to Bosch's MED17 engine management 2013+ (except for the XKR and XKR-S).
The direct fuel injection system, advanced piston and combustion chamber design and the supercharger provide improved fuel consumption and emissions, as these engines meet EU5 emission regulations in Europe and Rest of World (ROW) and ULEV 70 emission regulations in North American Specification (NAS) markets.
The naturally aspirated engine was replaced by the AJ126 supercharged V6 engine starting for the 2013 model year. It has since been replaced by the all-new Ingenium turbocharged inline-6 engine.
As of December 2024, Jaguar has discontinued most of its internal combustion engine (ICE) models, including those featuring the AJ133S, as part of its transition to an all-electric lineup by 2025. The 2024 Land Rover Defender V8 is the final vehicle to use the AJ133S engine. For the 2025.5 model year, it was joined in Defender by BMW’s 4.4L N63 twin-turbo V8 in the Octa derivative, (NC11 had already been introduced in the 2022 Range Rover and 2023 Range Rover Sport).
AJ133 Land Rover version is called 'LR-V8 Petrol engine'.
Years Model Power output Torque 2010–2015 Jaguar XF 2010–2015 Jaguar XJ 2009–2014 Jaguar XK 2009–2015 Land Rover Discovery 4 / LR4 2010–2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport 2010–2014 Land Rover Range Rover 2018-2020 Land Rover Defender Works V8
AJ133S The AJ133S is the supercharged variant of the AJ133, featuring an Eaton TVS1900R supercharger. It incorporates twin water-to-air intercoolers and a front-mount heat exchanger, with a shared cooling circuit. Differences over the naturally aspirated engine include; flat-top pistons for a lower compression ratio (9.5:1 vs 11.5:1), piston-oil spray jets, and different intake camshafts without cam-profile switching capabilities.