1991 Arden Jaguar AJ 6 2+2 Coupe

Chassis No. W09AJ6222MKA06016

Arden, the German manufacturer and tuning house, has been at the forefront of elevating the performance of British cars since the early 1980s. While Arden have occasionally dabbled with the likes of Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, they have largely devoted their attention to the performance and styling development of Jaguar sedans and coupes. Quickly gaining the reputation of creating many of the most exciting Jaguars to prowl the road, their lineup takes the well-known elegance, performance, and style of a stock Jaguar and elevates it to a new level.

Like many small continental automotive firms, Jochen Arden began as a successful dealer of performance cars, specifically Jaguar in Germany during the 1970s. In order to maintain competitive in the domestic luxury car market that began to outpace Jaguar, Arden began to develop their own technological and cosmetic upgrades. Joining companies like RUF and Alpina in the golden era of bespoke luxury, Arden Automobilbau GmbH put a uniquely German spin on the British manufacturer, modernizing the aging catalog of Jaguar and reinvigorating the brand across Germany.

Based on the already rare Jaguar XJR-S (one of just 448 pre-facelift models) with its 6.0-liter V12, this particular AJ 6 2+2 Coupe sports many of the features that encompass Jochen Arden's commitment to luxury, exclusivity, and performance. In addition to the cosmetic improvements such as the stylish quad Hella headlights, Arden massaged the exterior styling, removing of hard edges from the Malcolm Sayer penned body. Aerodynamic revisions featured a rework of the body with revised glass, side mirrors, and a shortened trunk lid. Despite the shortened trunk lid it retains the original's luggage and storage space. The roofline was raised and the extended runners were removed to create additional head clearance for passengers seated in the back. Most notably, the C-pillar was narrowed in order to improve the driver visibility a point of contention between Jaguar and the German authorities who would not grant type-approval to the standard XJ-S due to the restricted rear visibility. The menacing exterior style is completed with all-black exterior trim and Arden's own aerodynamic package.

The AJ 6 features an impressive 6.0-liter V12 as fitted to the TWR Jaguar Sport XJS-R, tuned to produce an impressive 302PS (221 kw) — a substantial increase over the standard 5.3-liter, 264 PS V12 fitted to the XJ-S. The enhanced V12 is mated to a special, Arden-stamped, four-speed ZF automatic transmission (as opposed to the standard three-speed fitted to the XJ-S), and is further complemented by an Arden four-tipped exhaust. Along with its unique body lines, the Arden further stands apart with a set of two-piece 17 inch OZ wheels decorated with Arden marked center caps. Dressed in black over beige upholstery, and further complemented with bonnet-to-boot pinstriping, this Arden AJ 6 is a fabulous example of a rare and unique Jaguar that stands out with its unique styling changes, performance upgrades, and fascinating story that distances it from any XJ-S.