What does a heavy metal rocker’s favourite car look like? For Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain, the answer is a classic Jaguar XJ6, custom-built with the best features throughout the XJ model’s lifespan and his personal references.

The one-off special piece is to celebrate the kick off of Jaguar’s XJ 50th anniversary celebrations this year. A collaboration between the rocker himself and Jaguar Design studio director Wayne Burgess and a team of engineers and craftsmen, there are outrageously over 4000 parts on the 1984 XJ6 Series 3 that have been refinished, replaced or redesigned, and the project took over 3500 man hours to complete. Some highlights include unique front and rear bumpers, flared wheel arches with bespoke 18 inch wheels, a metallic mauve body finish and LED halo headlights. The Jaguar leaper bonnet mascot is actually from McBrian’s first XJ.

The drivetrain and suspension are also updated, but it is the interior that probably receives the most personal touches: eye catching red leather panels and seats, aluminium rotary controls inspired by the control knobs of a Marshall amp, drum kit inspired pedals in chrome and black, and most importantly, a steering wheel featuring the ‘Eddie Growler’— a combination of the Jaguar Growler and Iron Maiden’s iconic mascot Eddie.