Engineering genius Bob Knight’s obsession with refinement, and William Lyons’ ability to literally sculpt shapes more beautiful than any rival’s, had created a masterpiece in the original XJ6 of 1968. So when, as always envisaged, the XJ was fitted with the company’s smooth new V12 engine the result was, by some margin, the best car in the world. Delayed by politics within British Leyland, but finally launched in 1972, it cost only







