XJ12

Introduced in 1972, this was Jaguar’s V12-powered variant of the XJ luxury saloon, created to pair the company’s flagship six-cylinder executive car with its smooth 5.3-litre twelve-cylinder engine. It quickly became the most prestigious and most powerful version of the XJ line, and Jaguar’s own history highlights the model as the first XJ fitted with the V12 and, at launch, one of the fastest saloons in the world. The nameplate carried through the Series II and Series III eras, maintaining the same basic mission: a refined long-distance luxury sedan with extra performance and an unmistakably Jaguar character. The badge later returned on the XJ40/XJ81 generation, where Jaguar used it for the V12-powered top version of the new XJ family. That final run extended the nameplate into the early 1990s before production ended in 1994. Across its life, the model became an enthusiast favorite for combining traditional Jaguar elegance with the smoothness and presence of the V12 engine, making it one of the most memorable variants in the XJ family.