What if there existed a car that provided domestic sportscar performance with European premium amenities, all in a package that appeared on the surface to be an unassuming luxury sedan? A seller on ClassicCars.com has listed a classic Jaguar that might just be that ultimate sleeper.
The Pick of the Day is a 1983 Jaguar XJ6 that received an engine transplant from a C7 Chevrolet Corvette.
“This XJ6 is unlike any other,” the St. George, Utah, seller states. “This mint-condition XJ6 is the only one with an eye-popping 455-hp 6.2-liter LT1 engine with 460 lb-ft of torque, mated to a new 8L90 eight-speed transmission.”
The custom build of the Jaguar was completed by Velocity Customs in Las Vegas, Nevada, the seller says in the ad, and it emphasized preservation of the car’s factory look while giving it completely modified performance.
The Jaguar XJ full-size sedan first came to life for the 1968 model year and went through a variety of iterations since, but it always stayed true to its core characteristics as one of Britain’s finer luxury cars. The first-generation was produced for nearly a quarter century – 24 years, in fact – with only two facelifts, one in 1973 and another in 1979. The design was understated and therefore relatively timeless.
For the 1983 model year, every XJ came out of Jaguar’s Coventry, England, assembly plant with one of three engines: aa 3.4-liter inline-6, 4.2-liter inline-6 or 5.3-liter V12, which produced 295 horsepower.
Jaguar engineers probably never dreamed that, nearly 40 years later, their creation would be made into a resto-mod with equipment that reads like a hot rodder’s tweaks: high-volume radiator, custom headers, performance brakes, stainless-steel exhaust and a heavy-duty rear sway bar.
Purists will be pleased that the exterior and interior amenities on this Jaguar stayed largely true to their beginnings, though the interior was reupholstered. The steering wheel, sound system and 18-inch wheels from a later model XK8 model are reportedly the only things showing some wear despite the car’s age.
The Jaguar has been awarded honors on the show circuit, including a People’s Choice award at Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise in 2014, the seller says.
The seller calls this Jaguar a “muscle car alternative that looks innocent.” It would be fun to see how many performance-car drivers get their doors blown off by this vintage British sleeper.
The car appraised for $50,000, according to the seller, who has documentation available to support that claim. The asking price is $39,000 or best offer.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
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