If the sole criteria to select the label of greatest Jaguar ever is rarity, the judgment will be simply matter. That is because there is only one XJ13 in this universe. Thanks to Malcolm Sayer, an aerodynamicist, who made this car as one of the most gorgeous racing cars of all time. A combination of jaw-dropping presentation and exclusivity has labeled mythical status among fan.
Built as a prospective rival of Le Mans, its production was second place to road car manufacture, and by the time the Jaguar XJ13 was completed, its design was out of date compared to new cars such as Ford’s GT40. Thus, the automaker decided to mothball the XJ13 project and the car never raced. The cancellation didn’t cease people to respect this prototype engine. The car with 5.0-liter V12 engine producing 502 bhp assisted famous test driver Norman Dewis to do the MIRA test track at over 161 mph in the year of 1966.
Unfortunately, XJ13 crashed heavily in 1971 when lapping for filming purposes on the same track. A wheel broke when speeding up more than 140 mph sending the XJ13 to retirement. After undergoing a thorough restoration, this mighty kit is still in complete working order. Now, the Jaguar XJ13 is the pride of the Jaguar Heritage collection in Coventry. You should experience the vibrations and the roar of V12 engine to believe the legendary feel. The automaker learned a lot in the development of this Jaguar XJ13, and applied the lessons to their production of the famous Jaguar’s V12.