To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys' Fort
Lauderdale event, 29 - 30 March 2019.
Estimate:
$425,000 - $475,000
- One of only 282 produced
- Less than 7,800 km from new
- In original, unmodified condition
- Jaguar's supercar of the 1990s
Tom Walkinshaw's efforts to reinvigorate Jaguar's racing efforts
led to him assembling a group of Jaguar engineers to create a car
that would rekindle the magic the automaker experienced at Le Mans
in the 1950s, when the company won the race an impressive five
times.
When the XJ220 debuted in concept car form at the British
International Motor Show in October of 1988, it was just a few
hours old. Jaguar's team finished putting the car together just
eight hours before its debut. The car was a hit on the stand at the
National Exhibition Centre, so much so that the automaker
reportedly received several blank checks.
However, Jaguar was not ready to build the outlandish XJ220�or,
rather, the automaker was not in a financial position to do so.
After a feasibility study suggested that the XJ220 could be a
moneymaker, Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing used their
joint-venture to form Project XJ220 Ltd. to complete development of
what was touted as a 220-mph sports car.
The production car launched in 1991 was powered by a 542-bhp,
3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. The engine was paired to a
five-speed manual transaxle, which distributed power to the rear
wheels. An amazing engineering achievement for Jaguar, a
pre-production XJ220, was tested in Fort Stockton, Texas in 1991
recording a top speed of 212.3 mph, making it the fastest
production-intent car ever built.
The XJ220 on offer was built in the fall of 1993, finished in the
stunning shade of Spa Silver. This unmodified example shows limited
signs of use, with the odometer displaying less than 7,800 km. This
car represents a unique opportunity to Purchase Jaguar's supercar
of the '90s, an impressive feat of both engineering and design.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/fl19.
