At one time distinguished as the world’s fastest production automobile, the Jaguar XJ220 humbly began as the pet project of a number of Coventry’s design staff, who were soon dubbed the Saturday Club for their efforts after regular business hours. Director of product engineering Jim Randall conceptualized the model as an extension of the successful XJR sports racers, originally envisioning a dual-purpose V-12–powered Group B car with all-wheel drive capable of competing with the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959.

A prototype presented at the 1988 Birmingham International Motor Show received unanimous praise, and customer interest skyrocketed. But Jaguar was not in the habit of building supercars, and the timing of Ford’s acquisition of the British boutique led to a conflict in corporate priorities. Build of the XJ220 was therefore eventually delegated to Jaguar Sport, the subsidiary racing company that the marque had created in tandem with Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR), the competition concern responsible for the latest evolution of XJR race cars.

TWR had created a new power plant for the XJR-11 racer of 1989, a 542 hp, all-alloy turbocharged V-6 that was developed from Austin-Rover’s Group B rally car. This turbo V-6, dubbed the JV6, was chosen to be the new power plant for the XJ220, and the motor’s diminutive volume and size allowed it to be neatly packaged amidships within slippery aluminum coachwork penned by Jaguar Design’s Keith Helfet. Entering production in 1992, the XJ220 was named for its projected top speed, 220 mph, which was very nearly achieved in a time trial on the high-bank test track in Nardo, Italy. The model proved quicker to 60 mph than both the F40 and Lamborghini Diablo (at 3.7 seconds) and even set a new lap record for a production car at the Nürburgring.

Less than 300 examples of the XJ220 were built through 1994, at which point the program was canceled in the wake of the collapse of the supercar market. Rightly viewed as the spiritual descendent of important sports-racing Jaguars like the XKSS and XJ13, the XJ220 forever captured the imagination of supercar enthusiasts with its sublime curves and low roof. It remains a unique favorite among marque enthusiasts today.

According to a trace certificate from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, chassis no. 220686 completed assembly in late September 1993, finished in Spa Silver and trimmed in Smoke Gray. Reportedly imported and federalized by an enthusiast residing in Connecticut, the XJ220 was later sold into a prominent collection of European sports cars.

The CARFAX report clarifies that the Jaguar was owned by a Florida-based enthusiast by 2004, and upon servicing a year later, the odometer displayed 4,654 kilometers. By mid-2008 the XJ220 was acquired by collector Jim Taylor of New York, and he retained possession through January 2009, when the car was sold to the current owner. The beautifully presented supercar was submitted to Jaguar Heritage for comprehensive servicing in 2016, including replacement of the fuel bladders, for which the invoice is included on file, totaling nearly £86,000 (~US$105,000). Fully prepared to be regularly driven, most recently, the Jaguar was fitted with a correct set of new XJ220 tires; the originals also accompany the car.

Currently displaying 6,822 kilometers (4,239 miles), this exquisite XJ220 is a minimally driven example characterized by exceptional quality. It is one of only a handful of turnkey examples, and one of fewer which have been comprehensively serviced both mechanically and cosmetically by Jaguar Heritage. It would make a fantastic complement to any supercar gathering or Jaguar collection, offering the distilled and highly developed vision of the Saturday Club, with build executed by the company’s potent motorsports division. Chassis no. 220686 is ideal for display at concours d’elegance and supercar exhibitions or may be admired for its voluptuous design within the confines of any private collection.