It almost makes me want to get that XJ220

...except that darn head gasket service seems to kill the dream as well as repairs in general

Tiff Needell profiles the XJ220 in the splendid Top Gear fashion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asMCZDgPszo

 

I can appreciate the XJ220, and for what Jag attempted to do with it. However, I just don't really think I'd choose it over it's rivals. While beautiful, it seems too barren on the interior, even for an 80s supercar. Would certainly choose an F40 or even a Diablo over it.

 

seen at a petrol station in UK driven by a guy in late teens
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She's a real beauty though. IMO Jag is 2nd only to Ferrari in producing beautiful cars like the SS, D, XKSS, E, XJ13, & XJ220

Too bad there are no new Jag supercars on the radar
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I saw a XJ220 in a local imports shop. Just driving by and saw it, so i stopped and took pics. One of the most gorgeous cars ever!

 

Saw one in my dingy little town.

 

i've never seen one, but it's definitely a stunning car from all the pics i've seen of it

 

There was one at Road Atlanta for the Walter Mitty back in may. Gorgeous car even with those hideous wheels.

 

Cool pic!! They are cool cars. Id never own one, but I like them. Imagine the insurance for that young fella behind the wheel of an XJ220. Would be able to get insurance on it? All depends how deep his pockets are I guess.

 

unfortunate they didn't stick with the 12 cyclinder

 

They have the most amazing road presence. Saw one this summer at Silverstone amongst a collection of what look Jag owners club cars. As said it’s a shame there’s not a v12 in it, and the brakes are poor, but it’s still up there with the F40, F50 and F1 as one my favourite supercars.

 

THANKS for the link.
I've heard the head gasket is a recurring problem. Make one from soft copper sheet and thats that.
Heat build up causes leaks in engine bay. Adios cats.
I'm waiting for them to drop to mid 100's. At 200 now.
OK so some negatives but it was the supercar of its ( short ) time.
Exhaust note stinks BTW. Time for Pep-Boys glass packs.

 

Actually I think they're bouncing back up a tad - I remember seeing ads in DuPont asking ~$165-180k a few years ago, now the two in DR are asking $200-220k. Ones in Europe are about the same (or more).

 

Brakes and wheels can be upgraded! I'd rather put money into one of these beauties to tune it than many other cars. You know that at the local club meets you would have a 99.9999999% chance of having the only one there!

 

Couldn’t agree with you more. If I were in the market for a supercar (wishes) I’d regard the standard XJ220 as a starting block and plan for a few mechanical upgrades. Of course with a fair bit of money you could turn it into one of these!
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WTF those wheels are prob worth 10x what the Transit is!

I love the XJ220 - my first ever die-cast model at about age 11 was an XJ220 in the same colour as that one in the clip with Tiff - I also have an old Top Gear Supercars video that features this clip (as well as the Miura/Countach/Diablo one I posted a link to some time ago in the Lamborghini section). Couldn't agree more about upgrading one - I always loved the TWR racing front splitter like on the pic of the black one above...

Just found a really unusual car on Autotrader and wonder if it is related to the XJ220 - an XJR 15 - unfortunately the dealer's website is one of those annoying affairs where you can't link directly to a particular page, so go to http://www.andrewhowarth.co.uk/ and click on current stock you'll see it second from top, price £150,000. Apparently driven by Tiff Needell in a race series in 1991. Wonder if it is/can be made road legal?

[EDIT: better link here: http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/cars_search.asp?searchform=&modelexact=1&lid=search_used_cars_full&photo=1&state=none&sort=&make=JAGUAR&min_pr=100000&source=0&model=ANY&max_pr=&agerange=&mileage=&miles=1500&postcode=n1+1lp&ukcarsearch_full.x=65&ukcarsearch_full.y=3 ]

Same guy also has a 425 mile F40 for sale!

 

yes you can legalise xjr15s, they made 50 of them as a one make race series car back in the early 90s.
It actually had a v12 which rather annoyed allot of xj220 buyers who ended up with a twin turbo v6, having been promised a v12.It was also made by TWR which rather rubbed salt into their wounds!

 

Lol, as I understand it the van is actually based on the chassis and engine of the xj220, they just put a transit body on! The donor car was actually one of jag's test mules. Look real close at the underneath of the van and you’ll see the Jag v6 towards the back. Apparently it’s owned by Lord March (of Goodwood). The crap on the dash is glued on, to stop it flying all over on high speed runs at the festival of speed. It’s a bit quick!

Oh and Alan beat me to the xjr 15 explanation, apparently they didn’t handle too well though.

regards

 

I see the engine now you mention it! Fabulous, I think I want one - be great to P*** off those annoying sods who drive right up close behind you on the motorway when you're doing 80 and all the cars in the middle lane are doing about 65!

Thanks to alan for the XJR 15 info as well!

 

why does everyone want to V12 so bad?

they said it would have as much power. why would you want less power?

 

Now you mention this, I think it may have featured in one of Clarkson's old videos....

 

Yep it was, he crashed it into the back of a mondeo!

 

I think it’s both a tradition thing, many people believe all big jags should have v12s, plus I don’t think they’d have used turbos with the v12 and most of the purists often prefer normally aspirated engines than turbos and supercharges as they’re normally more drivable especially back in the late 80s/early 90s.

 

heres a Clarkson xjr15 vid but i dont think he crashes into a mondeo in this one!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fhVXnOBOZqw&mode=related&search=

 

It’s not shown in that clip; but it’s at the end of that dvd, the bit where they show what went wrong. Clarkson accelerates, gets a tank-slapper on, and goes into the camera car. Not a big accident, but enough to prove the car wasn’t exactly stable under power.