One of the interesting things about the piston-driven, internal-combustion engine is the sheer variety of its packaging. There’s the number of cylinders, of course, but there’s also their size, how they’re arranged, where they go in the vehicle, how they get the fuel/air mixture that feeds them, etc. We love all types of engines at Hagerty, from two-stroke singles to quad-turbo W-16s, but if there’s a most “prestigious” type of engine, it’s got to be the one with 12 cylinders, placed in a “V” formation.
Carmakers have been building V-12s since the 1910s. Some have been smooth and silent. Others have been loud and powerful. But given their complexity, size, and thirst for fuel, V-12s have pretty much always gone in premium automobiles. The thing about complex, thirsty, premium automobiles, though, is that they tend to depreciate pretty quickly into the realm of “cheap to buy, expensive to own,” like the old $15,000 Rolls-Royce that needs $10,000 worth of work to make it worth $18,000.
So, take this list with a grain of salt. The bill of sale is just the beginning, but below are the cheapest (to buy) V-12–powered classics in our price guide.
1976–96 Jaguar XJ-S
Average condition #3 value: $14,700
In the mid-1970s, the slab sides of the XJ-S effectively replaced the supple curves of the E-Type, so it was set up for unfair comparisons from the beginning. Sort of like following Metallica with your band from open mic night. Even so, the XJ-S has nice, distinctive proportions, success in Trans Am and touring car racing, and a silky 5.3-liter V-12 to its credit. Jaguar also built it for 20 years and sold more than 115,000 units worldwide.
Now that almost 30 years have passed since the last cars were built, there are plenty of horror stories of XJ-Ss with rust, electrical issues, engine issues, or a combination of all three. Like any car in the cheap-to-buy/expensive-to-own camp, deferred maintenance is common, and you can’t exactly find a qualified mechanic for a V-12 Jag on every street corner. Jaguar started selling a straight-six–powered XJ-S in 1983, and today the six-cylinder cars are worth only marginally less, because they’re just less of a headache.
Historically, the XJ-S was a truly cheap classic in the sub-$20K range, but they did appreciate significantly during the pandemic boom in the early 2020s. Still, today they carry an average condition #2 (excellent) value of $30,600, and a #3 (good) value of $14,700.
1974–79 Jaguar XJ-12/XJ-12L
Average condition #3 value: $11,100
Jaguar introduced its groundbreaking XJ6 sedan in 1968, and in 1972 decided to cram its 5.3-liter V-12 under the hood to create the XJ-12 (also sold as the Daimler Double Six in the U.K.). It could be had in standard sedan form, or Jaguar could stretch the wheelbase four inches for you with the XJ-12L. A very handsome pillarless coupe called the XJ-12C was also available from 1975 to ’78.
In good tune, the V-12 offered buttery smoothness and 140-mph performance, but also fuel economy in the low teens or worse around town, and plenty of problems stemmed from overheating or fuel-injection issues. Any sane person who’s infatuated with the looks of a ’70s XJ would just buy one powered by the venerable old XK straight-six (there are quite a few XJs out there with small-block V-8 swaps as well), but if you have 12-cylinder dreams, the average values of 1974–79 XJ-12 four-doors are just $17,900 in #2 condition and $11,100 in #3 condition. Values have inched up slightly in recent years, but not enough to keep up with inflation. The XJ-12C coupe, meanwhile, is considerably pricier, with current values of $34,600 in #2 condition and $22,900 in #3 condition.
1936–42 Lincoln Zephyr
Average condition #3 value: $22,900
An early example of both steamlined bodywork and unibody construction, the Lincoln Zephyr also got a 267-cubic-inch V-12 that is similar in layout to Ford’s flathead V-8. The Zephyr slotted in below Lincoln’s higher-end K series and was available in all sorts of body styles from its introduction in 1936 until World War II put an end to civilian car production in early 1942.
As classics, Zephyr coupes and convertibles can be a bit pricey, but there are still plenty of choices at the affordable end of things, with two- and four-door sedans as well as town limousines all within a few grand of each other and average values currently at $36,900 in #2 condition and $22,900 in #3 condition. And while the Lincoln V-12 isn’t as sexy or as loud or as powerful as some of the European mills on this list, the Zephyr is a far simpler car and easier to live with.
2004–09 Mercedes-Benz SL600
Average condition #3 value: $21,300
The R230 generation of the Mercedes-Benz SL lasted from 2001 to 2011. There were V-6, V-8, supercharged V-8, V-12 and twin-turbo V-12 models, if you include the AMG versions. The SL600 with its powerful 5.5-liter V-12 (493 hp/590 lb-ft from 2003 to 2006; 510 hp/610 lb-ft from 2007) was the highest-spec non-AMG version of the SL, and it was a six-figure car when new.
But it’s not new anymore, and these luxury cruisers quickly depreciated once they became used cars. In fact, they’re still depreciating. Over the past five years, the #2 value for an SL600 has dropped 13 percent, to $30,800, and cars in #3 condition are worth just $21,300. That’s quite a bit of modern luxury performance machinery for the money.
1976–79 Ferrari 400 GT
Average condition #3 value: $37,000
The 400/412 series carried Ferrari’s four-seater, front-engine torch from 1976 to 1989. It has the not-so-sexy distinction of being the first Ferrari sold with an automatic transmission, in this case GM’s tried-and-true Turbo Hydramatic three-speed. Ferrari never sold the 400/412 here in the States, but a fair number have been brought in on an individual basis.
When it comes to values, the fuel-injected 400i and the final series 5.0-liter 412 are worth a fair bit more than the earlier, 4.8-liter 400. It has a #2 value of $49,500 and a #3 value of $37,000, making it one of the very cheapest ways to get a prancing horse on your key chain. Settle for an automatic, though, because the five-speed manual can command a premium of 40 percent over a two-pedal car.
1991–97 BMW 850i/850Ci
Average condition #3 value: $28,000
Internally known as the E31, the original 8 Series was a state-of-the-art luxury grand tourer available with either V-8 or V-12 power. Designed and developed during the heady 1980s but in showrooms during a weak global economy in the early ’90s, it wasn’t a strong seller and its complexities—particularly in 12-cylinder 850 form—relegated it to cheap used luxury-car status fairly quickly.
Today, they’re still not very expensive, with an average #2 value of $55,800 and a #3 value of $28,000.
1999–2003 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
Average condition #3 value: $28,100
The first Aston produced by the company under Ford ownership, the DB7 debuted in 1993 and was initially available with supercharged six-cylinder power. Aston Martin billed it as an entry-level model, but this was still an Aston Martin, and both coupe and Volante (convertible) cost well over $100,000 when new.
The DB7 got a 5.9-liter V-12 starting in 1999 and became the DB7 Vantage, which kept it going for a few more years before the DB9 replaced it in 2004. At the time, it was the most prolific Aston ever, with more than 7000 units built. Good examples are relatively easy to find, and average #2 values are $51,300, with #3 values currently sitting at $28,100. Coupes are worth a little more, and Volantes are worth a little less. As with the Ferrari, though, those prices vary wildly depending on what’s between the seats. The DB7 Vantage was commonly equipped with a ZF five-speed automatic, and the prices above assume an auto. Cars optioned with the Tremec six-speed manual can expect to bring 25 percent more money.
Report by Andrew Newton for hagerty.com
