It’s not too difficult to seek out discarded examples of the supercharged-V8-powered Jaguar XJR of the X308 generation, but the sooner X300-based XJR with its blown straight-six is a far more elusive Junkyard Gem. Here’s one which just turned up in a Denver self-service knacker’s yard.
For a few years, the Denver Pick Your Part was a cool, muddy operation on an industrial stretch of Federal Boulevard. I bought a variety of parts for various projects and documented dozens of discarded vehicles for this series there. On April first, LKQ moved that operation to a brand-new location a half-mile away and I showed up early to experience the grand opening.
I’ll miss the old Denver Pick Your Part, even with the treacherous footing, but sometimes even junkyards get junked.
The latest location is about in an enormous asphalt parking zone, which should make it easier for shoppers to get around and extract parts. One of the workers drives this seriously cool Scion xB project, in order that’s a very good sign.
As I walked the rows, this two-tone Jag caught my attention immediately. What’s happening here?
The VIN says it’s a real XJR, complete with supercharged 4.0-liter straight-six rated at 322 horsepower and 378 pound-feet. That beat the 313-horse V12 within the XJ12 that sat next to it within the showrooms.
The supercharger is a member of the identical Eaton family that was utilized in the Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe. This is smart, because Ford had purchased Jaguar in 1989.
The U.S.-market X306 XJR was available only with an automatic transmission; a number of hundred with five-speed manuals were sold in Europe. The version we came was good for 14.9-second quarter-mile times and ran 0-60 in 6.6 seconds— not bad for a automobile that scaled in at 4,215 kilos.
The MSRP was a cool $65,000, or about $134,206 in 2024 dollars. The 1995 XJ12 listed at $77,250, which involves $159,499 after inflation.
This generation of XJR was sold here for just the 1995 through 1997 model years, after which it was replaced by the V8 XJR. Just 6,547 were built.
This one received a heavy customization in some unspecified time in the future, including big SUPERCHARGED badging.
The bonnet is roofed with faux carbon fiber, which was all the trend throughout the early Fast & Furious Era.
The upholstery has been redone in well-executed two-tone embroidered leather.
I knew there needed to be some traces of this automobile online. Sure enough, Mecum auctioned it in Denver back in the summertime of 2015. It should have attracted loads of attention with those white wheels and supercharger whine.
It was loved deeply by the one that customized it, but now it faces the crusher.
The Plain Dealer described its suspension as a no-nonsense dominatrix.
Credit : www.autoblog.com
