The appeal of a V12 is more than just the sum of its parts. That characteristic smooth, effortless burble is far more evocative than the idea of two V6s back to back would suggest. Whoever said “less is more” never had a V12, and we feel bad for them.
However, even we’ll admit that the days of the V12 are numbered. Luxurious they might be, but they’re also very thirsty for fuel and not particularly efficient, so small wonder that very, very few are made these days.
However, for devotees there are benefits – because they can be ruinously expensive to run and maintain, you can pick up a variety of V12-engined cars for surprisingly little cash. The downsides? Well, we’re far enough removed from mass V12 production that rarity is starting to become a value factor, so lots of the cars are creeping up again from their lows of a few years ago. Oh, and did we mention that they can be ruinously expensive to run and maintain? Don’t say we didn’t warn you. With that major alert hanging over your wallet, then, here are some of our favourite V12s that you can at least buy for peanuts.
1. BMW E38 750i
BMW 750i
We love the E38 7-series. There’s something incredibly mean about the way it carries itself, and we’d have a V8-powered 740i in a heartbeat. But, its 12-cylinder 750i cousin is also pretty damn tempting, with a 5.4-litre engine under the hood pushing out just over 320bhp. The powerplant is BMW’s ‘M73’ V12, an evolution of which -– the S70/2 -– powered the mighty McLaren F1.
Prices for the 750i are starting to creep up compared to a few years ago, when you could pick one up for around £3,000. Now, thanks largely to rarity, you’re looking at £6,000 and up for a reasonable one bought privately, and around £25,000 for a top-class, low-mileage model from a specialist dealer. But when you consider that’s about the same as a new entry-level Vauxhall Mokka, it doesn’t seem that much…
2. Bentley Continental GT
Bentley Continental GT
Perhaps not the first brand that comes to mind when mulling the word “cheap”, but on the face of it Bentley’s luxury-yet-sporty megacruiser looks like something of a bargain. You can pick up one from around £11,000, and yes, we know the 6.0-litre, 550bhp engine is actually a W12 rather than a V12, but we’re not going to get hung up on a single letter. And if anything, the W12 is even more luxurious than the V.
We will refer you once again to the phrase “ruinous running costs” when it comes to just about anything to do with Bentley. But with the level of craftsmanship and swankiness that you can get for so little, a Conti GT isn’t half tempting. There are loads of them on the used market, too.
3. Mercedes W220 S600
Mercedes-Benz S600
All of the cars on this list carry quite a bit of financial risk with them, but none more so than the W220 Mercedes. It’s from an era in which Mercs weren’t really famed for reliability, and on an S-Class there’s a hell of a lot to go wrong. But it might just be worth it for that engine. It’s the 5.8-litre, 367bhp M137 unit, a replacement for the M120. And what was the M120 used in? None other than the original C12 Pagani Zonda. And with a shoutier exhaust including unequal length headers, it’s possible to make these Merc V12s shriek just like a Zonda. We don’t know about you, but we’d find quite a bit of perverse pleasure in making this restrained-looking saloon sound like a bonkers Italian supercar.
Want one? You’ll need at least £6000. Plus a sizeable contingency budget…
4. Mercedes C215 CL600
Mercedes-Benz CL600
Want your M137 with a couple less doors? The S-Class had a coupe option in the form of the C215 CL-Class. The CL600 has the same 367bhp 5.8-litre unit as found in the W220 S, and will also set you back upwards of £5000. And potentially more when something goes wrong…
5. Jaguar XJS
Jaguar XJS
The gorgeous E-Type – still regarded as one of the prettiest cars ever built – was a bloody tough act to follow for the poor XJS. When it was released the comparatively boxy XJS was unfavourably compared to the curvy car it succeeded, but time has been kind to that distinctive shape with its chunky rear buttresses, and these Jaguar coupes are looking mighty tempting these days.
A straight-six example would be the more sensible choice, but the epic 5.3-litre V12 (later replaced with a 6.0-litre) – carried over from the old E-Type – is the one we really want. It’s good for around 300bhp, but be warned, while it’s a magnificent engine it’s also shockingly expensive to have rebuilt and unbelievably thirsty – even for a V12. We’ve seen some for under £4000, but budgeting well over £10k would be sensible.
6. Audi A8
Audi A8 W12
We should at least stick something relatively sensible in this list, so here’s a nice, understated Audi A8. Before you start shouting at us, yes we know it’s another W12 rather than a V engine, but it’s worth looking into. Despite not looking much on the outside, this version of the second-generation A8 kicks out 443bhp to all four wheels, making 0-62mph possible in just over five seconds. That’ll do nicely.
You’ll need upwards of £9000 to score yourself one.
7. Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
Aston Martin DB7 Vantage
Yep, thanks to the relative short supply of V12s in the world, an Aston Martin DB7 really is one of the cheapest 12-pot cars out there. The 5.9-litre unit – good for 420bhp in the DB7 – was essentially made by grafting two Ford V6s together, but don’t let those humble origins put you off: it sounds the business. You’ll need around £16,000 or more for a DB7 Vantage, however if you’re serious about a V12 Aston, we’d recommend spending a little more for an early DB9: these cars represent a huge improvement over the old Jaguar-based ‘7.