Corgi VA08618.(C) Jaguar XJ12 in lavender blue

This item has a limited edition certificate included A V12 engine in a saloon car costing -ú3726 in 1972 was nothing short of sensational. William Lyons had produced another world-beater that left the opposition looking out of date, expensive and unrefined. Companies had made V12 saloon cars before, but no one had dared enter the volume market in this way. The engine had its roots in the un-developed XJ13 Le Mans project, although by the time it was launched in the Series 3 E-Type of 1971, it had developed from a highly stressed twin cam racing engine into a silky smooth single cam per bank 5.3 litre power plant. The unit developed an unstressed 256 bhp when fitted in the saloon and was ideally suited to the role the XJ12 performed so brilliantly, that of a continent shrinking luxury car. At the time this car was launched it is difficult to make a case for it being anything other thatn the best car in the world. It was quieter and more comfortable that a Rolls Royce, handled better than most sports cars and was able to cover the 0-60 sprint in 7.4 seconds.