1994 Jaguar XJ12 Is One Smooth Ride
There’s a reason this Jaguar gets a double-take, one of which is a V12 engine that makes every drive pure poetry.
There are vehicles that hold a truly special place in our heart and our lives. It isn’t just because they are beautiful or that they handle exceptionally well, well, it’s not just that. It is that they become a part of our lives, they become a passion. Sometimes they are the reward we give ourselves for hard work. Sometimes, they are a surprise we didn’t expect, but had to get. Sometimes they are a project that pour our heart into. Jaguar drivers certainly get it. In the latest video in Petrolicious “Made to Drive” series, we get to spend some time with one such special car: a 1994 Jaguar XJ12.
“A car to me is something more than just an object,” says Jaguar XJ12 owner Peter Muurman. “I think it is a kind of experience. The formations we make in our brain with a certain type of car, because we’ve connected to it…that’s really what a car is to me.”
When it comes to experience, few have the remarkable tapestry that Muurman has to draw from. The Ducati motorcycle adventurist is known for his epic videos that document his cross-country road trips.
But when it comes to four wheels, there is only one, his Jag.
As he speaks about his car in the video, we are treated to gorgeous shots of his car, driving along lush countryside roads. It as stunning as it is envy-inducing.
Muurman first got involved with Jaguar by his keen interest in owning a V12 car. Upon receiving a book, The V12 Engine, he dove into it wholly. Initially, he set his sights on attaining a Jaguar XJ40. He then started scouring the web, and the XJ12 crossed his path. He had to have it. And thus, his Jaguar journey had begun.
The 1994 XJ12 is the first year featuring the X300 body shape and is outfitted with a 6.0-liter V12 engine.
“It’s a simple engine,” he says. “It’s only 2 valves per cylinder engine. there’s no turbos, let alone twin turbos. She’s just an atmospheric engine.”
And it is clear this atmospheric engine makes for a luxurious and powerful drive.
Muurman appreciates the power that comes with a V12 and the substantial torque with a low RPM. It runs so smoothly. He considers it the perfect car to enjoy local drives. And it is a head-turner.
“If you don’t look back to your car, you probably bought the wrong car,” says Muurman, as he gazes back at his Jaguar XJ12. It certainly definitely a statement we relate to, and a good piece of advice to adhere to when buying a car. A car that earns the double take, definitely a keeper.
He does talk about the downside of Jag ownership, in particular, the Jaguar XJ12 does suffer quick wear to its front bushings. A proper replacement requires the dropping of the subframe, or removal of the engine for full access to lower pins.
This is no problem for Muurman who enjoys working on his Jag in his man cave. To Muurman, he receives an extra value to working on his cars himself; a familiarity shared between man and machine.
“It’s more of an experience to be driving around in a car in which every screw nut and bolt have gone through my own hands,” he says.
In response to claims that the XJ12 can be referred to as boring, Muurman talks of the driving experience it allows, which for him means an escape from the outside world. Boring? Not even close.
As the 1994 the XJ12 is the last Jaguar to be powered with a Jaguar engine before being outfitted with Ford engines, many consider it to be the last true Jaguar ever created. We we may not agree with that; but, should that be the case for some, this sterling example proves they went out with a bang.
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