Harry Metcalfe presents us one of his latest acquisitions, a very rare 1978 Jaguar XJ C V12. Only about 1,200 units were given the 5.3-liter V12 engine, which makes the elegant coupe 10 times rarer than the most sought-after E-Type, the Series 1 3.8.
Back in the day, the car was able to reach 150 mph (241 km/h) and to cover the 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint in 7.6 seconds, thanks to the 285hp and 295lb-ft (400Nm) of torque produced by the V12 engine.
However, the previous owner of the car was not happy with that and made a significant change to it in 2001, replacing the 3-speed automatic gearbox with a 5-speed manual. He also boosted the engine to 325hp and 330lb-ft (447Nm), with the obvious result being a more engaging driving experience, as you can find out from Harry’s Garage latest video.