Cat Power

We debated long and hard about which car would best represent the concept of the ultimate super-coupé.Then we realised that we’re idiots, as the answer was staring us straight in the face all along: the Jaguar XJ-S V12 HE. It’s got continent-munching ability and leather-lined swankiness baked right in…

- Daniel Bevis

The E-Type was a tough act to follow. A cultural icon, beloved of many, revered upon a diamond pedestal as a symbol of great British grit and elegance, it felt like a slap in the face to many when the XJ-S appeared. Flying buttresses, angular bits, what’s that all about? A travesty.

With the benefit of hindsight, however, we can see the XJ-S for what it was: an ultra-modern revolution to fly in the face of the softly-softly evolution that had led inexorably to the Series III E-Type (which, let’s face it, wasn’t the prettiest – particularly in 2+2 form). And as time’s worn on, we’ve grown to love it more and more. So we decided to grab hold of one to see if the myth justified the legend.

It had to be a V12, naturally. The six-cylinder cars are nearly as quick while being nowhere near as thirsty, but life’s too short to worry about MPG. A bent-twelve it had to be.