Over in Krefeld, Germany, there’s an outfit called Arden Automobilbau specialized in all things Jaguar. Founded in Jochen Arden back in 1972, the company’s latest resto-mod comes in the guise of this XJ from the third series.
Based on the Daimler Double Six badge-engineered XJ with the V12 engine, the Arden AJ 4 features enlarged throttle valves and two in-house developed intake manifolds. The free-flow exhaust system and re-flashed control unit of the fuel injection level up the output to 316 horsepower (320 PS) and 323 pound-feet (438 Nm) at 2,950 rpm.
The German engineering also helps in terms of maximum velocity, with the Arden AJ 4 capable of hitting 148 mph (238 km/h) on full song. As far as the suspension system is concerned, it now comes with Koni shock absorbers which complement the wheel-tire combination.
245/40 ZR 18 Continental PremiumContact 6 tires wrapped around 18 by 8.5-inch light alloys is how the AJ 4 rolls. A different lip spoiler and black-painted trim are featured as well. Even the leaping cat that thrones over the hood is finished in matte black, adding to the visual drama.
Arden boasts 234 resto-mods of the XJ to date, with the first “new” one delivered earlier this year. The prospect of owning such a bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful and luxurious sedan is truly enticing, more so if you remember that the bone-stock XJ doesn’t have the best record for reliability.
Pricing information is extremely scarce, but there are older AJ 4 models listed in the classifieds for €30,000 or thereabouts. Not cheap compared to a Series III XJ12, but not expensive either considering the attention to detail that goes into every Arden-modified example of the breed.
On a different note, the XJ as we know it will be reborn in 2019 as a high-tech electric flagship. Ian Callum, the design director of Jaguar since 1999, describes the newcomer as “stunning outside” and “luxurious inside.”
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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