In its time, the Jaguar XJ220 was the world’s fastest production automobile, named for its projected top speed, 220 MPH, which was very nearly achieved in a time trial on the high-bank test track in Nardo, Italy. The project humbly began as a skunkworks project of Coventry’s design staff, who were soon dubbed the Saturday Club for their efforts after regular business hours. The initial prototype was presented to the public at the 1988 Birmingham International Motor Show and received unanimous praise, and customer interest skyrocketed. Initially the British manufacturer announced a pre-tax price of £290,000 and a production run of 350 vehicles. Approximately 1,400 reservations were recorded, each complemented by a £50,000 deposit. Build of the XJ220 was delegated to Jaguar Sport, the subsidiary racing company that the marque had created in tandem with Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), the competition concern responsible for the latest evolution of XJR race cars. TWR had created a new powerplant for the XJR-11 racer of 1989: a 542 HP, all-alloy, turbocharged V-6 that was developed from Austin-Rover’s Group B rally car. This turbo V-6, dubbed the JV6, was chosen to be the new powerplant for the XJ220, and the motor’s diminutive volume and size allowed it to be neatly packaged amidships within slippery aluminum coachwork penned by Jaguar Design’s Keith Helfet. The very first production car was unveiled by Diana the Princess of Wales at the Bloxham factory in October 1991. Deliveries began in June 1992, and by this time, the sticker price had ballooned to £470,000. A grand total of 282 units were produced, far less than they had originally accounted for, at which point the program was canceled in the wake of the collapse of the supercar market. This 1993 Jaguar XJ220 was assembled in late June 1993 and finished in Spa Silver over a Charcoal interior. After leaving the factory, the car was sold through Jaguar Deutschland GmbH on January 24, 1994 to a German engineer and business owner. The XJ220 was reportedly placed into storage and used sparingly, accumulating a mere 703 miles. In 2002, the XJ220 made its first trip to the famed Don Law Jaguar workshop in Staffordshire, England. Whilst in its company, the car received a “delivery miles” service, which included replacing camshaft and alternator belts, air and fuel filters, and oil, brake and coolant fluid. The vehicle returned to the shop in 2016, leaving in 2019 following an extensive service detailed in invoices totaling roughly £30,000. This XJ220 has been shown at a number of events in recent years. Most recently in 2021, the vehicle scored a 9.998 score at the Jaguar Club of Florida Concours d’Elegance and had previously taken a Best in Class award nationally. The car also achieved a Best in Class win at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance in 2021. This XJ220 is accompanied by the original books, tool kit, first-aid kit, warning triangle, CD changer holders and wheel nut adapter. The vehicle is further documented by a Jaguar XJ220 video, import documentation, various articles and photos, a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust production record trace certificate and service receipts. The Supercar market has exploded in the last few years with a new era of collectors entering the market looking to acquire their poster cars. As the prices demanded for competitor supercars like the Ferrari F40, Porsche 959, Bugatti EB110 have more than doubled in recent year, the XJ220 is still highly undervalued in comparison.
