Someone Is Reimagining An Iconic 1990s Supercar The Way It Should Have Been From The Factory

There is hardly a car enthusiast that doesn't admire supercars. The 1990s were interesting times that gave us some of the most iconic cars ever made. Many of them have become modern classics and are sought-after by collectors. Jaguar's recent transformation was a widely discussed topic and not in a positive way, but the British carmaker still has its contribution. Nevertheless, there is at least one underrated sports car from the British manufacturer that offers great value for money and is surprisingly reliable. 

In 1990s, the company gave us the XJ220 and therein lays the problem. Jaguar promised a lot, but did not deliver on all fronts with its 1990s supercar. Nearly 35 years later, I stumbled upon a post in the car enthusiast group, Vintage European, on Facebook, where a brave independent fabricator decided to remake the XJ220, the right way. 

What Jaguar promised and what it delivered were two different things 

Development of the Jaguar XJ220 started in the late 1980s. A concept was shown to the public at the 1988 British International Motor Show in Birmingham, England. The car was intended to receive a 6.2-liter, DOHC, V-12 engine and all-wheel drive. The idea was to take a newly developed engine, intended for racing, and adapt it for road use. A few 7.0-liter variants of the V-12 were built by TWR for racing during the 1980s, but it never went in the XJ220. 

The XJ220 was a homologation special for Le Mans, but new regulations regarding refueling during races, as well as emissions, forced Jaguar to look for alternatives. The stock market crash also played a number on the performance car market, especially those prospective buyers looking to flip the car for profit. The XJ220 ended up receiving a 3.5-liter, twin-turbo V-6, borrowed (but heavily revised) from the MG Metro 64R Group B rally car.  

The all-wheel-drive system was also dropped in favor of a more traditional rear-wheel-drive setup. This could have been Jaguar's first all-wheel-drive supercar. Still, for a brief time, the Jaguar XJ220 was the fastest road-going car, reaching a top speed of 217 mph. Reportedly, 220 mph were possible with a long enough runway, hence the name. 

Back to present times and one man's dream of a reimagined XJ220 

I managed to find a YouTube channel called Apex Performance Garage, which makes supercar replicas, including this V-12 Jaguar XJ220. This has been done before, but the level of fabrication and metal work is truly brilliant. Replicas come in all shapes, sizes, and... levels if fidelity and quality, but this one, when done, will be as close to a production Jaguar XJ220 V-12 as it can get. 

Let's address the elephant in the room – the engine. Behind the cockpit sits a 6.0-liter, normally aspirated V-12 that has been sleeved out to 7.0 liters. The man behind the project says it is a Jaguar racing engine used in one of the earlier XJR Le Mans cars. The unit typically makes around 380 horsepower and an estimated 400 pound-feet of torque, but with upgraded camshafts (which they are considering), it could make 500-plus horsepower. 

The chassis is from an XJ13, but has been reinforced in all the right places. The V-12 XJ220 also features wishbone suspension all around. Unlike the original car, the aluminum bodywork of this V-12 “Jag” features clamshells at the front as well as the rear, for easier access to the V-12 engine, and for weight reduction. The original XJ220 had a curb weight of 3,241 pounds. There were six TWR-built Jaguar XJ220S variants, which tipped the scales at 2,756 pounds thanks to extensive use of carbon fiber. 

Two cool details in my opinion are the rear wing, which suggests this build is inspired by the 671-horsepower Jaguar XJ220S. The other one is the taillights, which are shared with the Rover 200, just like the original car. The level of fidelity and craftsmanship is truly astonishing. One thing the build can upgrade upon (AWD or not) is the transmission. Maybe give it a six-speed instead of the long-legged five-speed and 2.88 differential ratio the original car had?  

Here is the link to the group post 

What are your thoughts on this build and the XJ220? Should Jaguar have made it V-12 and given it all-wheel drive from the beginning? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.  

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Images taken from the group Vinage European/  Facebook