A guide to V12 Classics

Magazine Subscription

Subscribe to Classic Motoring Magazine and save over 25%

Subscribe NOW

Available at all good newsagents including WHSmith

With petrol almost a fiver a gallon, just who in their right mind would want a gas-guzzling, polluting V12 as a classic? Well, as fellow owner Jeff Bailey concludes,it could be you - and you don’t have to be a lottery winner either!

V12. The very term sends a tingle of anticipation down any true enthusiast’s spine - for the V12 is to many, the ultimate engine layout. Be that in technical terms, or sheer glamour, the V12 is a rarefied beast found most often sitting at the very top of the range both in sophistication and cost. You know, I’ve lost count of the times that I’ve parked up in my V12 BMW 7 Series and heard the sucking of teeth as passers by mutter “Bet that’s heavy on the old juice”. Well, yes it is actually… but fuel costs are only part of the story when running a classic - and let’s face it we don’t use them every day, do we? No, for the extra pleasure these big engines give it’s a small(ish) price to pay - and anyway a lot of this is countered by the sheer used value of such big banger motors. I’m a convert andhere’s why perhaps you should be as well.

Why a V12?

The configuration of twelve cylinders in a V formation, six per bank, has perfect primary and secondary balance no matter which V angle is used and therefore needs no balance shafts. A V12 has even firing with power pulses delivered twice as often per revolution as a straightsix because there is always positive net torque output, as with any engine with seven or more cylinders. And V12s are so much smoother, too. This allows for great refinement in a luxury car; in a racing car, the rotating parts can be made much lighter and thus more responsive, since there is no need to use counterweights on the crankshaft as is needed in a 90° V8 and less need for the inertial mass in a flywheel to smooth out the power delivery. As a large, heavyduty engine, a V12 can run slower than smaller units, prolonging engine life.

Prior to World War II, twelve-cylinder engines were found in many luxury models, including cars from Cadillac, Packard, Lincoln, Franklin, Rolls Royce, and Hispano-Suiza. Packard’s 1912 “Double Six” is widely regarded as the first production V12 engine. Post-war, the type lost favour in the United States, where the V8 engine became the norm. Italian sports cars from such makers as Ferrari and Lamborghini used the V12 almost exclusively on their highest-performance vehicles, while Jaguar developed a V12 that was put into production in 1971 and lasted until 1997. Ferrari’s newest V12 (used in the 599) is based on the Ferrari Enzo unit, while the company’s famous racing flat 12 engine is really a ‘180°’ V12. BMW and Mercedes-Benz both introduced V12 designs in 1987 and 1992, respectively. The BMW-designed V12 also appears in the new Rolls-Royce, while the Mercedes engine is also seen in Maybach models. In 1997, Toyota equipped its Century Limousine with a 5-litre DOHC V-12, making it the first and only Japanese front-engine, rearwheel drive production car equipped with a V12. Aston Martin introduced a (Cosworth) V12 model in 1999, while Cadillac is re-introducing the V12 after 60 years absence with a V12 version of its superb Northstar engine range - while even Volkswagen offers one (a W12) with its upper crust Passat saloon called the Phaeton.

In cars, V12 engines have never been common due to their complexity and cost. They are used almost exclusively in expensive sports and luxury cars and are sought after for their power and relatively vibration-free operation. As range-toppers, most V12 cars bought new cost the same as a small house, but the depreciation is quite the opposite. Whilst a house will inevitably continue skyward, the V12 car will plunge to the depths. The main reason for this is again the sheer complexity of the things and the associated cost of keeping them in good working order. As they get older, less and less is spent on maintenance until the value rivals a good round of drinks; at that point, the car becomes disposable the minute even a minor malfunction occurs - the cost of which will inevitably exceed the car’s real world worth. Despite this, there are some survivors. Often tucked up in some retired chairman’s garage or still at work at 100,000 miles and maintained on a company fleet, they’re nevertheless out there. The best news is they’re cheap and you’re getting the cream of the crop into the bargain. So here we go in search of the best V12 buys under £15k. Take it for granted they all exceed 150mph and return less than 20mpg!