In this beautiful Jaguar classic, it’s not about the destination. It’s about the journey to it.
Jaguar has a long history of making fast cars. If it not outright race cars, Jaguar’s signature models, from the XJ220 to the F-TYPE, have been capable of going quickly on public roads. Its SVO division has brought the speed and performance of modern Jags to all-new highs. But not all Jaguars have to be driven quickly.
Just ask Chris Glancy. Petrolicious did in the video up top. He’s the owner of a beautifully preserved 1975 Jaguar XJ6C. As if the XJ sedan wasn’t attractive enough, Jaguar made a pillarless coupe version of the XJ in the mid to late 1970s. According to Glancy, the XJ coupe was company founder Sir William Lyons‘ favorite model. Once glance at it and its smooth, flowing lines makes it easy to see why.
The XJ coupe was available with either an I6 or a V12. Glancy has had his six-cylinder model for the past 2 years. As is to be expected with any classic car (especially a Jaguar), Glancy has had to perform an extensive amount of maintenance and repairs.
That just means it’s always ready to be driven. And Glancy and his family are ready to go on trips in it that take them outside of the urban sprawl of Los Angeles. The speed with which they get there is not an issue. The destination is almost secondary. The journey is what matters. Glancy and his wife and daughter take the scenic route, not the fastest path. That gives them more time to savor the sights along the way, the experience of traveling with his family in an heirloom vehicle, and being behind the XJ6C’s wooden wheel. We’re glad he prefers a leisurely driving pace. It makes seeing his gorgeous vintage Jag easier.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
