XJ220

It is amazing to fathom how much that car has depreciated !

The car listed in the $575,000 range. Do not forget that was
in the early 1990's. The price would be higher today.

It is a nice looking car though.

 

I believe they are selling anywhere from 150-225k- horrible depreciation...

 

At one time I was thinking about buying one. It was relitivly cheap. I drove one owned by a friend in town. It accelerates crazy fast. But stopping is a problem (the brakes are ****). I decided it was not a good car for me (the brake issues).

Bob

 

As I understand the brakes are awfull but everything else about the car is amazing. Go here and search for the video of it where Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson takes it out. The accelartion after the turbo lag is insane.

 

Its a car that i have thought of purchasing, and modifying.I almost bought one instead of my Lambo till the mechanic that worked on it told me how bad it was.

 

I met a guy in Paris who wons a large garage & he rents space out to people who own cool cars. The garage was full of great stuff 2 F40s, sveral TRs, a Countach, Venturis, some old classics also & 2 XK220s

The garage owner told me that 1 of the XK220 owners said 1 problem was that the car was SO Fast that you couldnt see far enough down the road. By the time you focused on a point ahead you were already there Also the car has Tiny side windows, must be awful to look out the sides

Then again the XK220 did win LeMans which the F40 never did. Even though the Frogs later disqualified the winning XK220 because it had no Cats !!!!

 

Brakes can be easily upgraded.

 

The brake fix is relatively easy and should also include cooling ducts to the front rotors. The inherent car is very good and a technical wonder for its age, although it was eclipsed by the Mclaren F1. Today, at about $1,000,000 less than the Mclaren, it is the ultimate supercar bargain.

 

i'm a big fan of it. sure, it has some problems, but most are easily sorted.

 

I would get the XK220 lightweight, Nice

 

You have good tastes. All your choices are nice. LOL

 

Here you go, and it's for sale.
http://www.autodrome-cannes.com/jaguar_xj_220_silver.htm

 

I took a ride in an XJ220-S, pictures in the Euro Sunday thread in the So Cal section, last Sunday and its too fast for its own good. If you can accept the reliability issues (requires a careful eye and someone with lots of practice in your corner to catch problems), they are a bargain. Only one more reason I want one.

They are comfortable if incredibly bouncy, and despite their size have incredible grip. Those with myopia need not apply. Driven fast or at its handling capabilities is as much skill as it is luck!

But, the best ride of my life. It wasn't how fast we went, but how fast we got there, that was worth the price of admission.

Sunny

 

Have you also ridden in the stock XJ220?

 

The XJ220 must be THE supercar bargain.

But basically through a lot of bad luck and poor timing, recieved lots of negative press that has stuck with it. This became the unloved supercar of the end of 80's beginning of the 90's boom. When it was new it broke all the records...tested at 231mph at Nardo I think? But almost immediately the Maclaren F1 was released and so the Jag was a blip in the motoring press.

Firstly it was released too late...the boom had ended and nobody was willing to stump up the half a million. Many people were willing to forfeit their £50,000 deposit as the hit they would take on the new car was set to be much bigger than this. To meet emmission regs it had a 6 cylinder turbo engine instead of the promised 12 cylinder and this fact was used by many to try and pull out of their contracts. There were some fit and finish issues but nothing major...I once saw a top gear report when Tiff Needel accelerated the cd player came out of the dash....Jag also released the XJR15 at the same time...a car with a 12 cylinder, which many complained was closer to what they expected when they ordered their XJ220. In the end Jaguar had to take many to court to take delivery and pay for their new cars.

A friend of mine owned one in a syndicate in the UK, 4 people, the car was about a year old. It cost then about half list price when he sold his share a few years later it had dropped another 50%....they just seem always to be associated with loosing money...but at some point I think this must change.
Unfortunately I never got to drive his....bugger


See ya
Simon

 

The car is really large and somewhat claustrophobic from what I've heard. A great track car, perhaps, but not something you necessarily want to manuever between SUVs and semis on the interstate, or use to carve through mountain twisties.

 

Damn Sunny! You got a ride in it???!!! That's awesome!

I also heard that the aluminum of the body panels is so thin that it will dent if you push on the car.

 

A couple of years ago, I was fortunate in being able to put over 1000KM on one of these beautiful machines. Very high performance, but quite tractable around town. I don't think I have since had so many offers for "trades" from other drivers.

 

A few more pictures...

 

No, unfortunately! I don't know anyone who owns one or planning on owning one (besides myself one day). They are great cars but no one wants them.

I'd travel... far... for a ride in a stock one.

Sunny

 

It has as much room up front as a regular XJ except I would guess around an inch more room between the dash and the occupants. When you sit inside, the seats are Connolly clad racing seats designed for one thing, holding your ass in place, firmly. If you've ever sat in an XJR, imagine being bolstered in even more with a 3pt racing harness at your disposal. With a high center console, it helps contribute to the claustrophobic feeling. But, at a quarter throttle or more, you forget that you have room in front of you but not side to side.

On our Enzo Supercar drive, it was the XJ220-S in front and the Enzo second. In everything but a track environment, the XJ220-S will match the Enzo, except in the acceleration department. Foot to the floor, the Enzo is outmatched.

The best way to describe it is... Queen is to chessboard, as XJ220-S is to roads.

Sunny

 

I'm still in awe and as I was telling Carbon and Darth550 on the phone last night, the 1700lb weight difference is immediately noticible It feels like there is nothing there, certainly not sound deadening! There are strong lightweight panels, it will not dent if you push on the car but its certainly not British steel.

Jordan and Jerry, if your reading this thread, imagine riding in my car with 4 to 5 times the power assuming with twice the grip. When I talk about it, I stop thinking and just feel sublime and amazed.

I told the owner, you have made half my dream to ride in and own an XJ220 come true. He played it off. But if your reading this.... THANK YOU!

Sunny

 

Its a nice car and all, but damn! those wheels are nasty.

 

Laurent has 5 of them for sale:

http://www.carclassic.com/html/JAGUARENCENT.htm