As demonstrations of accelerative potency go, it was pretty emphatic. As Jeremy Clarkson pinned the throttle of the Jaguar XJ220, the stereo system struggled to cope with the brutal onslaught of torque, and ‘flew’ from its place within the dashboard into the passenger footwell. Now, some typical scripted Clarkson hyperbole may have been at play, but the message was clear: the XJ220 shifts.
When conversation turns to classic supercars, it isn't long before the likes of the Ferrari F40, McLaren F1 and Lamborghini Diablo are mentioned. All three are fully deserving of their statuses (and associated price tags). But when was the last time you heard someone opine about the XJ220?
Initially shown in concept form in 1988, visitors to that year’s Birmingham motor show were flabbergasted by this sleek, sculptured piece of British exotica. A total of 1,500 orders were placed, with depositors laying down £50,000 each to secure the V12, four-wheel drive XJ220. That the model’s engineering drew heavily on the company’s expertise in endurance motorsport undoubtedly helped its cause, until…
Yup, the Jaguar’s controversial evolution from concept to production car is well told. When the ‘real deal’ was launched in 1992, it had undergone some major changes, chiefly the switch from 12-cylinder power to a turbocharged V6. As if this wasn’t enough to put those aforementioned buyers off, the model came about just as the recession broke; the idea of spending not far off half a million pounds on a car was hardly reading the room.
It didn’t matter, therefore, that the XJ220 was, for one year, the world’s fastest production car, hitting over 212mph at Germany’s Nardo test track. Such was the car’s fall from favour that Jaguar ended up taking the depositors to court in order that they paid the full price. In total, only 275 cars were produced.
The XJ220 has a special place in my heart, for it was launched in the year of my birth. I’d like to think I had a somewhat less troubled gestation than the Jaguar, but the car has arguably aged better than me. It still looks jaw-dropping, the low, long, wide stature so typical of a supercar combining with equally definitive Jaguar curves and grace. Indeed, so organic is the body that it appears to have been 'poured over' the complex chassis.
Here’s another thing. Many of today’s supercars utilise a form of electrification to aid their performance, and sophisticated dual-clutch gearboxes have arguably taken the satisfaction out of changing ratios. Thus, the XJ220 - just like its peers - is a wonderfully analogue experience, a form of motoring we are unlikely to see repeated. That only adds to its intrigue.
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