The Jaguar XJ13 story is one of the great 'what ifs' of British motorsport history. What if management had cared more about racing in the 60s, what if the GT40 hadn't happened, and so on and so forth. Despite its lack of race provenance and the fact that only one exists, however - perhaps because of the latter, actually - the XJ13 has endured to become one of the most iconic sports cars in history.
As such, a lot of replicas have been created, most notably by British outfit Building the Legend - an XJ13 built under the guidance of original team members and with the knowledge of the Jaguar Heritage Trust. Now BTL is going one step further, making its own quad-cam V12 engine inspired by the XJ13's for enthusiasts to buy and do with as they please. Make an XJ12 really silly, perhaps, turn a V12 E-Type into a proper hot-rod, or build a TWR XJS replica with even more power...
Called the 'tera' and described by Building the Legend as a "what might have been" for the V12, this new engine builds on the foundations of the original for what promises to be a sensational powerplant. Where the XJ13 V12 was 5.0-litres in capacity, BTL is offering it in either 6.1- or 6.8-litre form, still revving beyond 8,000rpm. While retaining Lucas mechanical fuel injection (electronic is also offered), the tera is capable of anything up to 650hp and 600lb ft in its most potent specification. Street and circuit configurations are also going to be made, with anything as docile as 250hp and 300lb ft possible.
Building the Legend will launch the tera V12 at the Race Retro show later this month, where more details will be announced. Though how you ramp up excitement for an engine like this any further, we're not entirely sure! Indeed, its very makers say, "applications of this engine are limited only by your imagination", and they are only too happy to assist in restorations, engine swaps and more. So let your thoughts run wild, get searching for a project car, and stay tuned for more information after Race Retro.
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