Sonic Gold: Harry Metcalf’s V12 Jaguar XJ Coupe
Harry Metcalf says his restored Jaguar XJC might be the best-sounding car in his garage—and his garage is nuts.
Even among the Jaguar faithful, when Coventry’s V12 engine is mentioned, it’s with some trepidation. For instance, you’re more likely to hear about the maze of vacuum lines, finicky Lucas electrical bits, or the dangers of overheating the all-aluminum mill than you are about power or performance. But in this clip from Evo magazine founder and gearhead extraordinaire Harry Metcalf, we get treated to another take on big twelve-pot. Namely, how glorious the unit in his freshly restored 1978 Jaguar XJC V12 sounds.
In fact, Metcalf says if might very well have the best exhaust note in his stable. And given that we’re talking about a collection that features icons like the Ferrari Testarossa and Lamborghini Countach? That’s seriously high praise, from someone with enough street cred that they can speak their mind without any thought to what the internet hive mind might say. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I love the sound of an Italian V12, and while it’s been years, I still relish the fleeting moments I got to spend flogging a Ferrari FF.
But while this is a little embarrassing to admit, I’ve never paid a tremendous amount of attention to the sound of Jaguar’s V12 — and listening to Metcalf rowing through the gears proves that was a mistake. In the upper registers, there’s a lovely howl which must totally transform the driving experience of this rare, lovely coupe. At 6000 RPM, he says it “sounds like you’re on the starting grid at Silverstone, and while I’ve never been lucky enough to visit the home of the British Grand Prix, I’m picking up what he’s putting down.
Notably, while the intake and exhaust were replaced with high-performance bits during the restoration, the internals are the same spec as they were when this baby rolled off the line. There were other changes made, obviously, and toward the beginning of the video, Metcalf explains why he made some of the choices he did, including why he stuck with period-width tires, and whether the relocated license plate inhibits cooling. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t. So watch the video, because whether you’re a longtime fan of Jaguar’s V12 or a clueless neophyte like me, the soundtrack is sure to floor you!
Photos: YouTube