The initial concept-car was presented in 1988 and the reaction was better than expected. Jaguar received 1500 deposits from customers interested in the future model. However, the final version would be a little different.

The V12 engine was replaced by a twin-turbo V6 and the all-wheel drive transmission was cancelled. Although the weight was lower than expected and the declared power was higher, the engine did not have the same pedigree as the one originally proposed, the economic climate had also changed and the brand saw a large proportion of interested parties give up on the purchase.

The Jaguar XJ220 held the title of world’s fastest production car in 1992, with a top speed of 217,1 mph (347,4 km/h). The record was disputed by several entities, with the claim that the test unit did not conform to production specifications.

In total, only 275 copies of the Jaguar XJ220 were produced.