Broadspeed XJ12 at Our Meeting (sort of)
Whilst at a meeting (actually a photoshoot for Practical Classics Magazine) at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon recently, I had reason to return to my car in the car park. What started out as a bit of a nuisance (you know how it feels when you accidentally leave something in your boot) Turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
How often these days do you get the chance to be standing next to the Broadspeed Jaguar XJ12 when it’s fired up? That’s where I found myself.
So, with mobile phone in hand, I stood by to listen and record the famed racket (music) that pops and bangs from the side exhausts that is so reminiscent of Touring Car racing in the 1970s.
By way of background, Ralph Broad set up Broadspeed Engineering to race Minis, Anglias and Escorts with plenty of success against factory teams in the 1960s/70s.
In 1975 Broadspeed built the XJ12 for the BTCC race series. Despite renowned drivers Derek Bell and Andy Rouse at the wheel, they were outclassed by lighter cars.
British Leyland then withdrew support and thus inspired (?) Ralph to retire to Portugal until his death in 2010.
Here we are in 2018 with only occasional opportunities to see and hear this beast in action… albeit on this occasion, simply driving on to a car transporter to leave the Jaguar Heritage Collection for some parade laps in Germany.
It then took me a while to return to my meeting (and to stop my ears ringing)!
Now enjoy our little film, with the volume on your computer/device cranked up:
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