I concur with regard to the XJ220 sans the V12. The reality of it all is the XJ220 was never designed to be a production car, but more of what Jaguar could do. This was 1984 shortly after the decade long death of British Leyland, The BL Monster.
The BL monster had pretty much kicked all of the British Car companies in the head, and some, unfortunately, the blows were fatal. Most of the other companies like Rover, Austin, Triumph & the like were bought up by foreign auto manufacturers promising to keep making cars, but unfortunately for most of these badges, their assets were sold off. The classic case where the parts are worth more than the whole. It was the '80’s cocaine, big hair and no looking forward -living in the now. YOLO!! (You only Live Once).
The battered and bruised Jaguar was back under their own power and needed to get their pride back. Racing?! Right?! Racing always works. In stepped Tom Walkinshaw, who convinced Jaguar he could win in ETCC in a XJ-S, (in 1983) he did. Later, Tom would do the same with Le Mans. YEAH JAGUAR!!! The crowed goes wild! That isn’t exactly what Chief Designer Jim Randle had in mind. He was thinking F-40 & Porsche 959 kind a stuff.
Jim Randle wanted to produce a road-going supercar, and the XJ220 Project was born. The XJ220 an XJ that goes 220mph, 40 years after the XK120 - seems suiting right?!
The XJ220 to a certain extent, was a frocked Jaguar Group C race car with some extra bits thrown in such as 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steering, height adjusting suspension, and active aerodynamics. This is the XJ220 that popped up at the 1988 NEC motor show, and was so widely accepted the concept turned into a production car. Hmmm… Sound like the E-type story. Sadly enough it didn’t turn out like the E-type.
The XJ220 was a concept car. A concept of what Jaguar could do (if they had the money). Money aside the car was still a concept. car was too long (for European roads) and too heavy sporting all that bling to race or hit the 220mph target. So in the wheelie bin goes:
- The V12,
- 4 wheel steering
- four wheel drive
- Height adjustable suspension and
- Active aero(dynamics).
Jaguar knew the car had to shrink in length, Randle used CAD (Card-board Aided Design) to come up with the final dimensions and shape of the XJ220. The decision to go with a TWR race derived V6 permitted the final design to happen, as well as making it a bit easier to hit that 220mph target. The designers of the XJ220 known as the Saturday Club, didn’t worked for free so the XJ220 be more than just a concept.
At this point in time 90 something Jaguar had succumbed to wounds of British Leyland, and was purchased by Ford. There were only going to be 350 XJ220’s selling for £400,000.00 a copy. Production release timing was piss pore, the long delays, the lack of the V12, and having to give deposits back because Jaguar “didn’t deliver what they promised” 284 copies of the XJ220 were produced.
So many consider the XJ220 as a failure, but it wasn’t. The XJ220 was the fastest production car at that time wiggling the needle at 213mph - not bad for a Concept car never slated for production.
Hmmm…
How long did it take Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini to hit the 200mph barrier. About 10 or 15 years right?
Sounds familiar
Sorry, Yep I agree about the V12 not making it in the XJ220… WoW seriously side tracked.