The luxury vehicle brand Jaguar launched its first supercar back in 1992. It was designed with the direct involvement of Tom Walkinshaw Racing and was supposed to be an all-wheel-drive car with a V12 engine. However, the final version of the supercar turned out to be different.
In this case, different doesn't mean bad. The XJ220 still started off as one of the most promising and technically advanced vehicles ever built. It was aimed to outshine the legendary Porsche 959 and Ferrari F40. Despite the mid-engine sports car's minor flaws, it still has a handful of cool features that all car enthusiasts should know of.
10 Only 275 Cars Had Been Built
The original plan was to produce 350 XJ220 vehicles. But the car turned out to be not just highly-priced, it became the most expensive Jaguar vehicle. Eventually, the company created only 275 supercars during the production run from 1992 to 1994.
Many potential customers were disappointed by the vehicle since there were some major differences from the concept - no scissor doors, no rear-wheel steering, and a smaller engine. However, these modifications didn't influence the car's performance.
9 Surprising Length
The car came out 79 inches wide and 194 inches long, which, believe it or not, is smaller than the concept car. The fact that the V12 engine was swapped for a V6 allowed to make the car a bit shorter. So, the manufacturer reduced the vehicle's length by an impressive ten inches.
Even after the length has been modified, the car still was too long. Just to compare, think of the 2020 Toyota Land Cruiser, which is of the same length and is a full-size SUV. The modern supercars are much shorter; for example, the famous McLaren 720S is slightly more than 178 inches long.
8 Excessively Heavy Steering
The car's performance is savage. But the XJ220 wasn't ideal. One of the flaws directly related to driving the vehicle is ridiculously heavy steering. Even on normal turns, one has to put an insane amount of effort to complete the maneuver.
But it is not a surprise that this car has such an issue since it doesn't have a power steering system. It also doesn't have some of the other usual supercar elements - anti-lock brakes and an electronic stability system.
7 Interesting Exterior Design Details
Visually, the supercar looks like a true automotive art piece. There are many cool details that make the Jaguar XJ220 unique - lockable fuel door, hidden headlights, massive tires, rear lights located behind the grille, etc.
Another fascinating quirk of the car is the mirrors. The driver's side mirror is mounted on the fender, while the passenger's side is located on the door. This was done for the driver to have a clear vision of what is going on behind the car.
6 Aluminum Honeycomb Construction
The Jaguar XJ220 was built around a bonded chassis that was created from aluminum honeycomb sections. This car developers' decision turned the Jaguar into an immensely strong vehicle.
The Alcan bonded honeycomb aluminum technology provided outstanding structural rigidity levels. Also, such chassis combined with an integral roll cage contributed to the supercar's safety.
5 Unique Interior Solutions
The interior came out quite simple - no expensive wood inserts or anything similar to that. But the car really impresses with the number of gauges. Some of them are mounted in very surprising locations; the boost gauge, for instance, is built into the driver's door panel.
Other interesting quirks of the Jaguar supercar include insanely wide door sills, a sunroof with no sunshade, many climate vents, grab handle, etc. What is more fascinating is that the windows roll up above the door's trim.
4 Turbocharged 3.5-Liter V6
The original intent was for the Jaguar XJ220 to come out with a V12 engine. However, since the vehicle's final version was turning out too pricey, the manufacturer decided to go with a turbocharged V6 instead.
The 3.5-liter engine produces 540 horsepower and a maximum of 475 lb-ft of torque. Even though the engine is smaller than planned, together with the 5-speed manual transmission, it gives an outstanding performance.
3 Sprints From 0-60 In 3.6 Seconds
The supercar's engine has a bore - stroke ratio of 3.70 x 3.31 inches. The vehicle blasts from 0 to 60 MPH in a mere 3.6-second sprint. The Jaguar XJ220 is capable of completing the 1/4 mile in less than 12 seconds.
According to the concept, the number 220 in the Jaguar's name stands for its maximum speed. But it was never capable of reaching it. Its top speed is slightly lower than the intended one - 212.3 MPH.
2 Only Recently Was Imported To US
It was impossible to buy a Jaguar XJ220 in the US until the car turned 25 years old. Over the previous years, the car could be imported to the country only under the "Show or Display" exemption.
Since the car has reached the needed age, anyone can legally obtain it. So, now car enthusiasts can not only read about this two-seat British luxury supercar but also drive it.
1 The Fastest Production Car
The Jaguar XJ220 was not popular on the market for many reasons. But it still was the real king of supercars from 1992 to 1993. Its top speed of 212.3 MPH made this model the world's fastest production car for one year.
The supercar also managed to set an impressive lap record of Nürburgring Nordschleife. The Jag recorded a 7:36.46 lap, which made it one of the fastest street-legal cars until the McLaren F1 came along.