The Jaguar XJ is a full size luxury sedan offered by the British marquee since 1968. She's spawned an array of different models and configurations but was never particularly well-known as a sporty vehicle. The reliability was also circumspect with the stately cat experiencing numerous electrical and engine issues.
British firm Retropower set out to fix those problems mating the classic lines of the Jaguar XJ with a modern drivetrain and interior and tech refinements. The end result is beautiful, fast, reliable, and something any proper British gentleman would be proud to tool around in. Let's take a look at Retropower's Jaguar "XJC430."
The Jaguar XJ Reimagined
According to Retropower, "[t]here are few cars more imposing, more refined and more infused with automotive gravitas than a classic Jaguar, with those cars produced by Coventry in the early to the mid ’70s being among the most imposing of all. That being said, while big cats from this particular decade might have looked and sounded the part, and even gone like the clappers, they were never exactly known for their reliability or anti-corrosion properties."
Consequently their build focused on eliminating those weak points in the classic cat with an attention to frame work, body detail, and the solid, strong bones of the GM LS3 engine. Put them all together and you have something immediately identifiable as a vintage Jag but with all the kinks ironed out and ample power to boot.
Bowtie Power
Under the hood of the XJC430 sits GM's legendary LS3 engine. "The customer was at pains to point out that he wanted the completed car to be both powerful and reliable...which is why we collectively opted to go down the GM LS3 route. It really isn’t hard to see why ‘crate engines’ of this kind are so popular on either side of the pond; they’re powerful, available new, can be tuned to high heaven and are incredibly reliable, all valuable traits in a car destined to spend as much time blatting through Europe as it is the UK show scene. The one now housed in the XJC makes a cool, unstressed 430bhp, a figure aided by the use of an Omex ECU and wiring loom."
Clean Looks Inside And Out
While the body might look stock virtually every inch of the car was softened, smoothed, blended and redone. The frame was blasted down and refinished. The interior was stripped and reimagined. Modern suspension, brakes, ECU and tech were added inside and out as per the customer's need to drive the car anywhere and not be worried about getting back home. The end result is something that does the old cat proud. Buckle up.
Source: Retropower