'Le Mans' 7.0-litre Lister Jaguar XJ-S for sale
Siri, show me 1980s excess to a tee...
The managed demise of the V12 engine might be a hard one to take, but sadly there's not much arguing with it. Even the most refined of 12-cylinder powerplants can't match an electric motor for instant torque and eerie quietness; furthermore, Ferrari's new 'piccolo V12', the 2.9-litre V6 in the 296 GTB, is unlikely to draw anything by way of criticism. But if we aren't quite at the stage of not knowing what you've got until it's gone, then the inherent charms of a V12 feel more obvious than ever. Because aside from one-percenter options like the upcoming Aventador, there won't be many, if any, new ones.
Here, then, is a car with one of the biggest V12s ever fitted to a production car. Yes, in a 1985 Jaguar XJ-S. Its engine is larger than that found in any Lamborghini, Ferrari - even the McLaren F1. We can only think of the Pagani Zonda's V12 being larger than the 7.0-litre wedged in the front of this old Jag. If you are a fan of a dozen cylinders in one car - and who isn't, quite frankly - then this ought to be right up your street.
Now, all the Lister XJ-Ses churned out in the 1980s were special, but this one is notable even by those exceptional standards. It was first registered to Jaguar themselves in fact, back at the end of 1985, before being acquired by the newly rejuvenated Lister operation (WP Automotive Lister Cars) in 1987. From there the various stages of the famous 'Le Mans' transformation took place over the years. You wouldn't quite call this a development car, but there's undoubtedly a certain appeal as the XJ-S owned by Lister itself. It's reckoned this is the only cabriolet ever made, too.
Don't assume that means it's any less of a brute than the infamous coupes. This XJ-S still received the mighty engine transformation, the venerable 5.3 V12 bored and stroked out to an enormous 7.0-litres, with almost 500hp and more than 510lb ft resulting. All the Lister transformations got a Getrag five-speed manual, too, as the auto so often paired to the V12 just couldn't cope. And let's be honest: that sort of power would always be more enjoyably managed with a stick and clutch than the automatic gearbox technology of the 1980s.
Additional upgrades included the Lister suspension kit (with 100 per cent stiffer springs at the front supporting that monster engine), the bespoke bodykit, those incredible Lister wheels and a big-bore exhaust. Because who wants a 7.0-litre V12 in a widebody XJ-S that doesn't shout about the fact? As the advert for this one says, it's a wolf in wolf's clothing...
There's more good stuff, too. Purchased by its previous owner a decade ago, the Lister was subjected to an extensive restoration soon after with XJ-S specialists KWE. And we really mean extensive - the bill came to more than £100k. But nothing was left untouched; the body came off to replace (and then protect) all vulnerable steel, the paint was redone, the gearbox rebuilt, the brakes overhauled, the interior reupholstered and the engine made even more powerful. Yes, seriously - KWE worked its magic with the ECU and fitted a bespoke exhaust, freeing up another 60hp, showing just how much headroom there was in the old V12.
Given all that, and the fact that the big Jag has only covered 2,000 miles since the restoration (taking the total to almost 10k), the asking price of £125,000 becomes much easier to grasp. Let's not forget the regard in which any XJ-S is now held, with the majority on PH now for sale at POA. Add to that this one's incredible rarity, outrageous looks and impeccable condition and you have one epic Jaguar - with one heck of a V12, too...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqqZ28m8uCo
If I had £125k burning a hole in my pocket I think I would spend it elsewhere.
even as a kid I could tell the one that really scared them was the lister.... The supercharged mk3 was even faster
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