The past and the future are one.
Carlex Design has a long history of tuning vehicles. Polish tuning company Carlex Design has worked their magic on everything grand tours to SUVs. They’re going for the restomod route this time with the Jaguar XJ–C.
The Jaguar XJ-C model is the most rare. Over the three-year period, 10,426 units were produced at the Coventry manufacturing plant. Carlex didn’t let that stop him from trying to modernize the rare coupe. Restomods are a way to make or break a car. What did Carlex do with the Jag’s two-door?
Carlex refined the chrome and smoothed the edges of the front bumper. The bumpers are slimmer than the original model and the grille is now slats rather than the egg-crate style. The headlights shape is the same as before, but the tuning company updated it with a modern lighting system.
The Carlex XJC-C is adorned with a set of fender flares on its side and a chrome strip at the wheel wells. The flares can be extended to accommodate a larger tire and wheel combination. It has a lower and wider profile, so it is likely that it will have a different suspension setup and arrangement. The rear gets slim, color-keyed bumpers and tinted taillights. There’s also a chrome trim piece at the trunklid.
The interior of the Carlex XJ-C has been redesigned. The classic cues remain, although some of them have been modernized. The climate control system and the instrument cluster appear to be digital. The leather has a retro feel because it is hand-aged by the tuner. The tuner also redesigned the center console and door panels. The interior also features modifications to the seats, in-car luggage area and rear rollbar.
The original V12 or inline-six engine is not under the hood. It uses a V8 engine from an unknown origin. Carlex didn’t specify if the engine was turbocharged or naturally aspirated, but they did indicate its horsepower rating. According to the company, the engine in the XJ-C’s restomodified XJ is capable of producing 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts). Although it won’t chase supercars it is still better than the original XJC V12’s 258 horsepower (292 kilowatts).
It won’t please purists but it’s fascinating to see an unusual car used as a platform for modding. Carlex deserves a big pat on the back for this.