Carlex Design Joins The Restomod Market With Beefed-Up Jaguar XJ Coupé

The demand for classic cars with modern underpinnings has caused more and more companies to present their own restomod projects. In that context, Polish tuner Carlex Design unveiled renderings of the XJC, a heavily modified version of the Jaguar XJ Coupé.

The two-door variant of Jaguar’s flagship sedan was originally introduced in 1973, based on the XJ Series II. Between 1975 and 1978, the British company built a total of 10,487 units of the XJ Coupé (or XJ-C) which is considered to be one of the sexiest XJs ever.

Carlex is no stranger to the car since in 2017 they presented a tasteful makeover of the XJ-C with respect to the original design. This time however things are quite different since the tuner has opted for wild visual modifications that admittedly won’t please the purists.

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The XJ-C got wide fenders on both axles, covering the massive wheels that have grown in size with custom rims and performance tires. A new suspension brings the car lower to the ground while the front and rear tracks have been widened. At the front there is a redesigned grille and lower intake, turbine-themed LED headlights graphics, and a slimmer body-colored front bumper.

The long tail is characterized by a rear bumper delete, blacked-out taillights, and a diffuser housing quad exhaust pipes. The car is painted in British Racing Green without the signature vinyl roof, and comes with chrome touches on the character line, bonnet, and trunk.

Brown hand-aged quality leather upholstery, exotic wood, and metal are dominating the cabin which has been completely renovated without any plastic components. While many of the metal parts including the instrument cluster, the seats, and the steering wheel appear to be new, Carlex didn’t add any screens on the retro-flavored dashboard. Last but not least, a rollbar behind the seats helps with rigidity.

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While the original XJ Coupé was available with either the 4.2-liter six-cylinder or the 5.3-liter V12, Carlex has fitted the XJC with a significantly more powerful V8 engine producing 400 hp. The motor of unknown origin is mated to a new gearbox sending power to the rear axle. There are also modern brakes, and suspension setup, improving the road-holding abilities without ruining the signature smooth and comfortable ride.

Carlex has already started working on the first three cars, with two of them being offered for sale at an undisclosed price. The tuner will undertake a few conversions each year under the Carlex Jewel brand that is focused on classic car modifications.