Legendary What-If: Driving Jaguar's Untamed 660-HP V-12 Manual XJ-S Dream Machine

The TWR Supercat emerges as a radical restomod, reimagining the classic Jaguar XJ-S into a 660-horsepower, supercharged V-12 manual muscle car that Jaguar itself never conceived. This extraordinary creation traces its lineage back to Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), a firm deeply intertwined with Jaguar's racing heritage since the 1970s.

Beneath its striking and wild bodywork, the Supercat utilizes the core structure of an old Jaguar XJ-S, but the transformation is profound. Unlike typical, aesthetically refined restomods, the Supercat embraces an unashamedly '80s aesthetic, appearing as if it's beamed directly from a decade known for bold style. Its design features flared and boxed wheel arches that broaden the car by over seven inches, a front splitter reminiscent of a submarine dive plane, and a dramatic rear wing. Further visual spice is added by split-rim wheels, side-exit exhaust pipes, and numerous vents, all contributing to its boisterous and brutish, yet undeniably stylish, appearance.

The original Jaguar XJ-S, produced from 1975 to 1991, was a grand tourer characterized by its "olde worlde tweedy charm" and often lived in the shadow of the iconic E-type. It was criticized for lacking the E-type's glamour, and its V-12 engine, while present, was initially designed for smoothness rather than raw performance, leading to the XJ-S being described as a "land yacht." Attempts to turn it into a sports car, such as the XJR-S, were hampered by limitations like a three-speed automatic gearbox.

The Supercat operates on an entirely different plane, yet at its core, and crucially, according to its VIN plate, it retains its identity as an XJ-S. This philosophy is deeply ingrained in the new TWR, founded in 2020 by Tom Walkinshaw's son, Fergus. The original TWR was Jaguar's partner in transforming the XJ-S into the production XJR-S and gained renown for winning Le Mans twice with Jaguar (1988 and 1990) and building the XJ220 supercar, before its eventual dissolution after an ill-fated F1 venture.

Under Fergus's guidance, TWR has made a far more comprehensive effort with the XJ-S, with the Supercat being the first of their intended re-creations of iconic road cars the firm was involved with. This is not merely a styling exercise but an in-depth, engineering-led project. The process begins with sourcing a donor XJ-S V12, which is then stripped down to only its engine block and chassis. A "heavy metal makeover" ensues, literally and figuratively.

The chassis undergoes extensive reinforcement, including the addition of a new front subframe, crash structures, a redesigned rear bulkhead, and a roll cage. The rear seats are removed, and the fuel tank is relocated from behind them to a new position under the trunk floor. This clever engineering creates a wide, flat, and shallow load area capable of accommodating golf clubs or overnight bags, with fitted luggage available as an option. Furthermore, the new bulkhead can flip down into a recess, creating a passthrough for items like skis, making the Supercat remarkably practical compared to many modern supercars.

Powering the Supercat is a highly unusual, supercharged V-12 manual combination, a rarity in automotive history with only a few brief instances, such as Franklin in the 1930s or later tuners like Novitec and Lister (who notably put a twin-supercharged V-12 in an XJ-S in 1991). The Supercat's 5.6-liter engine, with every component new save for the original block, is largely the work of Fergus Walkinshaw. Nestled between the cylinder banks is an efficient centrifugal Rotrex supercharger, boosting the engine to produce an impressive 660 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque.