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Once in a while, a newly introduced car is destined to achieve instant collector status. Such is the case with the JAGUAR XJ12 Coupé, imported to these shores from England a quarter of a century ago. In 1975, the XJ12 C was JAGUAR's celebrated flagship. Based on the 12-cylinder sedan, the infinitely more elegant two door hard top was the last automobile design Sir William Lyons himself had supervised during his decades-long tenure at the helm of this vaunted British marque.

Exclusivity of the XJ12 C was guaranteed by its lofty price, and a mere 821 examples , most of them in right hand drive guise, left the factory gates. Finding a nicely preserved XJ12 C with the steering wheel on the left side thus is a rare occurrence, indeed!
When was the last time you saw one?

Rumor has it that the car for auction here was originally owned by the singer ' Tiger ' Tom Jones. Jones, who maintained a pied à terre in Los Angeles' Wilshire district in the 1970s, simply parked his cat after some needed spares for a required engine repair could not be shipped in a timely manner. Mileage on the odometer was a scant 27,803. For over 15 years, the motorcar languished in the underground garage, watched over by his faithful valet. Finally, the 'Tiger' deeded the car to the man on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
Since the car had sat, unregistered, for so many years, all existing Department of Motor Vehicles records have long since been purged, but I discovered score cards from the Hillcrest Country Club under the seat; the posh golf club that was the scene of many memorable foursomes involving the singer. The glove box still contained some parking stubs from L.A.'s legendary Bistro, a preferred schmoozing place of the rich and famous in the 1970s. I can easily picture Mr. Jones sipping highballs while entertaining the restaurant's distaff clientele . . .

The new owner, in order to revive the dormant cat, did the right thing: he had a reliable 5.7 liter CHEVROLET V8 engine fitted, along with a GM Turbo-Hydramatic transmission. This conversion meets stringent CARB standards and the car is California emission compliant, as evidenced by the federal label attached to the left doorjamb. In fact, the car has just passed the smog inspection with flying colors and is currently registered through April of 2000.

One of the hallmarks of the XJ12 C are its sumptuous, specially hand-made seats, differing considerably in material and appearance from the more mundane 6-cylinder models.
The prolonged, UV-protected storage did wonders for the condition of the black interior. The exquisite CONNOLLY hides are virtually unmarked; there is no cracking, splitting or fading.

Wear on the individual rear seats is absolutely negligible. It is questionable whether or not they ever have been used at all. Ultra-luxurious interior appointments of the XJ12 C are evident above. Even the window control bezel is made from burl walnut, and both side panels feature storage compartments.

Above: close-up view of the leather.
You might be pleased to learn that CONNOLLY , the World's leading manufacturer of top-quality automotive leather, chooses only hides from healthy and deliriously happy cows grazing on protected areas of the Scottish highlands. It would be a futile task to try to replicate this outstandingly preserved interior. The craftsmanship so abundantly displayed here is simply priceless!

The burl walnut dashboard is breathtakingly beautiful. Aside from a Rolls Royce, there is nothing like it in the automobile realm. Mirror-like varnish provides lasting protection.
Floors are covered with the original black WILTON wool carpeting, not surprisingly also in excellent condition.

View of the beautiful instrument cluster. All gauges work. Note current mileage of 40,316 .

Stylish hard top is covered with EVERFLEX , the most expensive material of its kind.
The top is like new !
As so often before, Sir William Lyons' marketing genius helped create a world-class motorcar, on par with RR's Corniche, Ferrari's 400i and Mercedes' SLC.

This fine motorcar is historically significant as one of Sir William's pet projects. It occupied the manufacturer's top echelon in the mid-seventies.
Not a restored show car or a 'trailer queen', this cat's provenance is impeccable. With its smartly updated drive train, immaculate interior and unmolested body and chassis, it represents a rare opportunity for the knowledgeable JAGUAR enthusiast to acquire one of the few remaining LHD examples of the XJ12 C.
Ownership of a Coupé definitely has its rewards.