The V12 is a dying breed in the automotive landscape. Jaguar was in a sense quite ahead of the current zeitgeist, because the last 12-cylinder predatory cat rolled off the production line in 1997. This Jaguar XJ12 belongs to that last generation.
1994 was quite a turning point for Jaguar. The new XJ with model code X300 was the very first XJ that was completely developed and produced under the care of Ford. Compared to its predecessor XJ40, the silhouette hardly changed, after all, it was also a thorough development of the XJ40, but viewed from the front and back, there is a completely different car in front of you. With the double round headlights, the then-new XJ clearly harked back to Jaguar’s past. Tastes differ, but the X300 looks a lot less dated than its angular predecessor. This will partly be due to the fact that Jaguar held on to that design for a long time: it was not until the introduction of the X351 in 2010 that the XJ got a completely different face.
The XJ12 is not called X300 internally, but X305. Under the hood is an old Jaguar engine: the 6.0 V12 underwent some modifications, but basically it was the same engine as in the E-Type Series III. The XJ12 was not the most powerful XJ you could get: that was the XJR with its 331 hp and 512 Nm strong supercharged six-in-line. However, with 318 hp and 478 Nm of torque, the V12 was not much better. In terms of design, the two versions cannot be compared in any case: the XJR is a much more sporty orientated howler buoy, while the XJ12 was intended to allow its occupants to zoom to their destination very quickly but without vibration and in peace and comfort.
Running into an XJ12 X305 on the street is certainly not something to be taken for granted. It is reported that Jaguar only produced 3,400 units of this latest XJ12, not all of which, of course, have stood the test of time equally well. Fortunately, this original Dutch delivered example with a short wheelbase still looks pretty fresh. The beige interior forms a nice contrast with the dark blue exterior, where the color of the ‘pinstripe’ on the flank fits nicely with the interior. The fourth private owner has owned this XJ12 since 2012 and it seems that he/she takes good care of the top limousine. Nice to see this piece of history from Jaguar’s latest V12 chapter continues to be seen on the country’s roads!
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl