Jaguar XJ220

The Jaguar XJ220 is a super sports car of the British car brand Jaguar, which was even at that time owned by the American Ford Motor Company. From the exclusive, developed from motor racing prototypes of the brand out vehicle make 275 units were built from 1992 to 1994.

Origin

To Jaguar chief engineer Jim Randle was taken shortly after the privatization Jaguars of the "Saturday Club" ( Saturday Club ), a loosely organized group of employees of the company who met after work in order to create a Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959 evenly matched Jaguar. This one used the construction of the XJR -9, the Tom Walkinshaw Racing was created for the World Sportscar Championship and won in 1988 with the force of his developed from the Jaguar series models twelve-cylinder engine, the 24 - hour race at Le Mans. It should be the fastest car street legal. This required 350 km / h or 220 mph, the latter as so often in the history of Jaguar sports cars said the digit in the name.

The study

The project took place in the executive suite support, and an initial prototype was designed for the British Motor Show in 1988. The engine was taken over by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, a 6.2 -liter V12. The all-wheel drive was added at FF Developments in order. This company had already helped the Jensen FF for all-wheel drive; her owner Tony Rolt had experienced in the 1950s with Jaguar racing cars a glorious time.

In 1989 the car was officially announced, and despite a sales price of 413,000 pounds ( which corresponded then more than one million DM) were found buyers who were willing to pay £ 50,000 immediately. Jaguar stated that only 350 copies were to be built and then received in a few days in 1500 orders.

The series

The project was handed over to the Jaguar and TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) formed joint venture Jaguar sport where a small series of the XJ220 should be developed. Jaguar sports car designed from scratch, shortened the chassis, removed the four-wheel drive and replaced the V12 with a V6 twin-turbo racing engine of TWR with 3.5 liters of displacement, this V6 on the MG used in Group B rallying Metro 6R4 based. The XJ220 V6 was finally significantly shorter and lighter than the original XJ220, but otherwise retained the basic structure,. The two-seater body was lavishly equipped, including air conditioning. The car weighed 1470 kg. But due to the massive changes took some customers back from buying.

In the years 1990/1991 they built a new factory in Bloxham to Banbury, seven prototypes were produced during the development phase. In spring 1992, the first copies of the production should be delivered in 1994 to be completed. The first deliveries will take place then in July 1992. Among the first customers were among the musicians Elton John and as a car collector known Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei.

During test drives Andy Wallace reached in 1991 at the Firestone test track of Fort Stockton in Texas a top speed of 212.3 mph ( 341.6 km / h ), in later tests on the high-speed track in Nardo ( Southern Italy) passed a XJ 220 with developed catalyst previously reached top speed of 218 mph ( 348.8 km / h ) and was thus the targeted 220 mph close enough.

To boost sales, launched in 1993, three XJ 220 at the 24 - hour race at Le Mans. One of the cars won in its class, but all three were subsequently disqualified because they drove ( like other competitors who were therefore not bothered ) without the now obligatory catalyst.

In addition to the standard version, there were some special variants of the XJ220. For example, let the Sultan of Brunei 's Jaguar at Pininfarina remodel (including the front with other fixtures ). Technically, everything remained composed, what can not be said of the road- racing version called the XJ220 S. The engine was modified so that it does just over 500 kW ( 680 hp). This should, according to the company TWR who performed the modifications, be good for about 370 km / h. Included were produced in about five copies of course measures on the aerodynamics, such as fixed headlights and different front and rear aprons, including a large rear spoiler.

Specifications

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