As far as timeless British automakers are concerned, Jaguar is about as iconic as they get. For almost 100 years, the luxury automaker has balanced form and function with its stunning offerings, but one of the most memorable, as well as one of the rarest supercars a British brand has ever released, was the ultra-powerful XJ220. With only 282 in existence, the iconic ’90s supercar dazzled audiences with its looks and dropped jaws with its blistering speed, making it a highly sought-after collector car. Now, one of these rare beasts is coming up for auction at RM Sotheby’s.
For those who aren’t familiar with the greatness of the Jaguar XJ220, it’s important to note that this car was at one time the fastest production car in the world. Shifting corporate priorities and a lack of supercar building experience led to the XJ220 to be developed by Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) and Jaguar Racing, which squashed Jaguar’s original plan to build the XJ220 with a behemoth V12 engine. Instead, TWR created a new ultra-efficient powertrain for the XJ220 (then called the XJR-11 racer) that featured a 542-hp, all-alloy, turbocharged V6 engine that yielded a jaw-dropping top speed of 212mph (220mph was the goal, hence the model name). Even more impressive, the XJ220 had a quicker 0-60 time than the Ferrari F40 and the Lamborghini Diablo, even setting a production car track record on the Nürburgring in 1991.
This particular car, chassis number 220719, sports an elegant, Spa Gray Silver exterior over a Charcoal interior and is in near-immaculate condition. How immaculate you may ask? Well, it scored a 9.995 at the Jaguar Club of Florida Concours d’Elegance, placed Best in Class nationally, and then achieved Best in Class, once again, at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance. All in all, cassis 220719 is a fine automotive specimen with a stellar pedigree that is sure to complement any collection it joins. In September, we saw a different ’93 XJ220 fetch a record sum for the model at auction, and it will be interesting to see if this example will set a new high mark when it goes under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction on March 5.
