Premium or Standard: which audio system does your Jaguar have?
A one-minute check before you order a Bluetooth adapter — it depends on your model.
Many Jaguars of the 1990s and 2000s came with one of two factory audio systems: Standard, where the radio drives the speakers, or Premium (often Alpine or Harman Kardon), with a separate amplifier and subwoofers. A Bluetooth adapter is built for one system or the other, so it's worth checking before you order. It takes a minute, and the check depends on your model.
Press Mode once and look for “Sub”
- Switch the radio on.
- Press the Mode button on the radio once. On cars with the touchscreen, it's on the radio panel below the screen.
- The audio settings appear straight away: bass, treble, balance, fade.
- If one of them is “Sub”, your car has the Premium system. If there's no “Sub”, it's Standard.
On the touchscreen, the setup menu with brightness and volume presets is a different screen — the audio settings are the ones that open with Mode. Another sign of Premium: subwoofers on the rear parcel shelf.
Look for the amplifier above the CD changer
- Open the boot and remove the trim where the CD changer sits.
- The CD changer is mounted on a small rack. If there's a flat metal amplifier on the rack above it, your car is Premium. If the rack holds only the changer, it's Standard.
An “Alpine” badge on the speakers is only a hint — speakers get replaced over twenty years. The amplifier is the reliable sign. If your car has Harman Kardon audio, it's most likely Premium.
Nothing to check
On the XK8, XKR and XJ8 built before 2000, one adapter fits both systems. The XJ6 (X300) and XJ40 adapters connect at the radio, so the audio system doesn't matter either. Just choose your model and year.
Send me a photo
The VIN tells the model and year, but not which audio system was fitted. If you can't tell, send me a photo of the radio's audio settings or of the rack in the boot, and I'll tell you which version you need. I also check this with every order by email before it ships.
Adapters for your car: JAGAUX Bluetooth adapters.
Have a question?
Write to me at [email protected] or on the contact page — tell me your model and year, and I'll help you choose.