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-horsepower, 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.

Fewer 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 production record trace certificate from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, chassis number 220719 completed assembly in late June 1993, finished in Spa Silver over a Charcoal interior. After leaving the factory, the car was sold through Jaguar Deutschland GmbH on 24 January 1994 to a German engineer and business owner. After purchase, the XJ220 was reportedly placed into storage for eight years before being discovered by a UK-based specialist firm dedicated to procuring sought-after motorcars; from this concern, it passed to its latest, current owner, who has retained the car for two decades. Today, a mere 1,130 kilometers (~703 miles) are displayed on the odometer at the time of cataloging.

In 2002, the XJ220 made its first trip to the famed Don Law Jaguar workshop in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. Whilst in their company, the car received a “delivery miles” service, which included replacing camshaft and alternator belts, air and fuel filters, and oil, brake, and coolant fluid. The vehicle would return to their shop in 2016 for an extensive service detailed in invoices totaling roughly £30,000. Due to delays in the shipments of OEM glass and tires, the full extent of the project was not completed until 2019.

A consummate winner, this XJ220 has been shown at a number of events in recent years. Most recently in 2021, the vehicle scored a 9.995 score at the Jaguar Club of Florida Concours d’Elegance and had previously taken a Best-in-Class award nationally. The car achieved a Best in Class win at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance, also in 2021.

The Jaguar will be accompanied by the original books, toolkit, first-aid kit, warning triangle, CD changer holders, Wheel nut adaptor, a set of spare bulbs, and a spare oil filter. The vehicle is further documented by an unopened copy of Jaguar XJ220: The Inside Story by Mike Moreton, Jaguar XJ220 video, various articles and photos, a Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust production record trace certificate, and service receipts. Lastly, a new set of Bridgestone custom tires have been supplied by Don Law and installed on the car.