Jaguar XJ 13

Jaguar XJ 13 at the Heritage Motor Centre

The Jaguar XJ 13 was a sports car prototype with a V12 mid-engine, with the Jaguar after many years break in 1966 or 1967 wanted to compete in the 24- hour race at Le Mans again.

Development

Over a twelve-cylinder engine for racing Jaguar had been thinking since the early 1950s. In 1964 the project on a concrete form, and soon there was a test engine with two overhead camshafts available. From design studies of Malcolm Sayer, the lines of this prototype, which was completed in mid- 1966 as a single piece developed. However, could not be pursued with the necessary vigor optimization in the small Jaguar Engineering Department. The rejection of pure motor racing involvement in the BMH, was fused to the Jaguar in 1966 with Austin, Morris and MG, and the success of the now dominant in racing Ford GT40 meant, however, that this project was not pursued since 1967.

Accident and restoration

In 1971 when the V12 engine in the standard version with only the Jaguar E-Type ever an overhead camshaft its world premiere, we turned to support the advertising also a short film sequence with the XJ 13, in which this drove at top speed to the camera. On January 20, 1971 was bursting at the movie on the MIRA proving ground at Nuneaton at about 220 km / h rear tire. The car overturned several times and was a total loss. The driver, Jaguar test driver Norman Dewis, but freed itself largely unhurt from the vehicle. After Lofty England had replaced the company's founder Sir William Lyons at the top of the company, he had the XJ 13, two years later get ready again. Fortunately, the wood forms still existed, with which the original body parts were manufactured, so that they could be true to the original. It was different with the wheels - in the accident, two of them were completely destroyed, and the mold used was no longer available. Therefore other, wider wheels were mounted on the vehicle.

The vehicle is in its present state is not an exact reproduction of the original. The wheel arches are now issued to accommodate the wider wheels. Some of the electrical and mechanical components were also changed.