Teamspeed.com - XJ220 S on its way....

After just missing out on this car back in 2007 I couldn't pass up the opportunity to finally land it. Back in 1993 the fruitful partnership of Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw's TWR produced the 228mph XJ220 "S". The car was produced in very limited numbers (5 road going versions, 3 "C" spec LeMans race cars, one additional road going "special" built for Tom Walkinshaw, for a total of 9 cars). This particular car, serial # 220779 is one of 3 cars that remain totally unmodified from original specs.

TWR took the original XJ220 and began a radical makeover. The only body panels that the "S" shares with the original car are the doors, the remaining aluminum body panels were removed and replaced with carbon kevlar parts. In addition, the heavy stock seats were replaced with lightweight racing buckets covered in connolly leather. A large front splitter was added and the complex retracting headlights were replaced with LeMans style lightweight racing lamps. The underpowered stock brakes were replaced with much more effective 6 piston setups taken from the XJR-15. Finally, the engine was massaged to a then staggering 680hp, up from 542hp stock. All in all, the XJ220 S came in at 2376 lbs with 680 hp, giving a 0-60 time of 3.3 secs and a top speed of 228mph, the fastest car of its time until the McLaren F1 showed up :). In contrast, the standard XJ220 weighs in at 3076 lbs for a 700 lbs weight reduction.

LeMans historians will recall the David Coulthard won the GT category at LeMans in 1994 driving an XJ220 "C", only to be DQ'd on a technicality. This was overturned on appeal only to be subsequently denied by the French Motor Federation due to filing of said appeal beyond the time period permitted. Essentially, a perfectly good LeMans win for the XJ220 C was taken away.

Here is a description XJ220 S #220779 taken from Mike Sheehan in 2007 ;

"We are pleased to offer 1993 Jaguar XJ220 S s/n 220779, one of only five XJ220 S models built and the only one we know to be titled, registered and road legal in California, documented right down to the California Bureau of Automobiles compliance sticker. This one owner XJ220 S is finished in what can best be described as “Outrageous Orange” with black trim and a gray leather interior with Willans racing seat belts. 1993 Jaguar XJ220 S s/n 220779 has only 2,413 km (1,496 miles). One of only three XJ220 Ss that still maintain their original livery and headlight assemblies.

When introduced in the early 1990s, the Jaguar XJ220 was the fastest production car on the planet at 220 mph. When Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) and Jaguar Sport launched the XJ220–C to compete in the GT class (Group N) of FIA motor sport, the bar was again raised. At the same time, in January 1993 at the Autosports Show in England, TWR and Jaguar Sport also announced the XJ220 S, a limited–production, road–going version to comply with homologation requirements.

While the standard XJ220 was clothed in a lightweight aluminum body, TWR’s S version replaced every panel, except the doors, with high–quality carbon fiber resulting in a svelte 2,379 pound brute. In doing so they added a front splitter, wider rocker panels and an adjustable rear wing that gave the XJ220 S an imposing look, making the standard XJ220 look domesticated. The lightweight nose is easily removable for access and service. TWR boosted the twin–turbo V6 to an impressive 680 bhp. Combined with a weight reduction that retains only the air conditioning, an XJ220 S can leap to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and reach 228 mph while the larger Jaguar Sport brakes, as used on the XJR 15, can stop this rocket with equal aplomb."

Car was loaded up in California yesterday and is on its way. Car had its fuel cell replaced recently and has had the gasket service/engine tune/fluids replaced recently. In addition, clutch was recently replaced during the same major service since the engine was out anyway. Here are some pics of it being loaded...

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16ft long and 7ft wide...not much space on the loading ramp :)

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Car is supposed to arrive Tuesday, I will take some pics then. until then, here are some archive pics taken from the same Sheehan description.

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Really excited to land this one...its performance promises to be astonishing. More delivery pics/group shots and impressions to follow. Personally, I feel this is a perfect period stablemate to the F40, built just one year later and a rare cat given just five total built in the original road homologation production.