RE: PH Heroes: Jaguar XJ220

[tomoleeds]

good story riggers,these cars dont get many features on there own, rowan atkinson likes his he has badly crashed it 3 times and had it rebuilt

[Jimmy No Hands]

tomoleeds said:

good story riggers,these cars dont get many features on there own, rowan atkinson likes his he has badly crashed it 3 times and had it rebuilt

Erm.. wasn't that a McLaren?

[peter450]

Skater12 said:

PHMatt said:

OdramaSwimLaden said:

I give up?

If you're "investing" money can I assume it's the Jaguar?

Indeed, only one of these cars will be an investment that will almost certainly continue to appreciate. And it's not the Ferarri.

Not to mention I've already seen 3 458's being driven around.
20 years later and I've never seen a 220 in the flesh.

Funnily enough, I live near Brighton and i've seen 6 or 8 different 458's recently, and 2 XJ220's on the road, but i think that's just luck.

The chances of a 458 being worth half it's money in 10 years is slim, but look at how the 220 has been at around the £200k for the past decade regardless of inflation and economic climate.

I'd say the chances of it being worth half are near 100%, thats been the case with pretty much every mass market Ferrari V8, why will the 458 be differant?

[fatboy69]

The first time I drove an 220 it scared the living crap out of me. It's a fabulous car. Also lucky enough to get a ride many many years ago in one of the original V12 engined cars.

Now that was an awesome car.

[lambo_xx]

Nice article there! I always loved the XJ220 and this year my dream came true and I finally bought one !

It’d a strange car and like everything it has its negatives but in my opinion the pros completely out way them. It’s hard and intimidating to drive and that is the way these older cars are, which for me I find adds to the experience.

The major criticisms people had about this car I find are often either fairly exaggerated or just not really true. The size for example, yes it’s huge but an Enzo , Ferrari 599 and a Lamborghini Diablo are all wider and nobody mentions that when driving them. The standard exhaust doesn’t sound great, but fit a sports exhaust and it’s seriously seriously loud!

I truly love mine, I understand why some people don’t like them but the one thing I can never get over is that the car is 20 years old and only now are “everyday” supercars managing to catch up, Gallardo’s, 458s etc.

Edited by lambo_xx on Thursday 8th March 20:11

[SteveO220]

Lambo_xx, nice to meet another owner...I bought one too about a year ago. In my 'top 3' cars of all time and yet - thanks to all the fuss after the 1993 recession - unbelievably affordable. So I had to do it. It's a hand-built supercar, using racing car engineering, built by the people who were winning Le Mans at the time. It's an absolute joy to drive and has all the idiosyncrasies/challenges/intimidation that a supercar lover wants. Here it is, with a few friends out on a run.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOBRS4JSm_E

And it sounds lovely in my view, like a proper racing car, no acoustically engineered sonic envelopes - just a proper, authentic monster of an engine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYnP4zZXkqw

Nice to see Don's getting some coverage here. Presume you saw the Evo coverage at the 'Ring?

[fatboy69]

5 XJ220's & an XJR15? Great stuff. More please. Amazing cars.

[andyman_2006]

fatboy69 said:

5 XJ220's & an XJR15? Great stuff. More please. Amazing cars.

WOW a stunning sight, and love that early morning, cold start up....awesome!

Only ever seen one in the flesh, at a pistonheads sunday service, the other year at specialist cars malton.

XJR15 even rarer than the 220...monster car! love them.

[T.K]

SteveO220 said:

Indeed. TWR turned the concept car - that used an engine from the 60s - into a very fast road car, using the latest race engine from the XJR10 WSCC car. The production car was never intended to have a V12.

Right. I think the XJ220s powerplant is a fantastic thing! Loads of character, heaps of power, compact, trick and interesting. A mill like the Jag V12 would do the numbers, but would have ruined the balance and the ethos of the car. I hope one day this V12 piffle paffle will be put to rest and we can truly enjoy the XJ220 for what it is (and for what it was always intended to be). Great cars.

[leginigel]

I was luckly to drive the XJ220's a couple of times on long road trips,it does feel wide when you first get in but when on the road they drive so well that the size does not show,the brakes I thought where hard work when cold or even warm,that "little" V6 engine is a gem you could tour around london or get it buzzing on a open road,the only down side was inside,my own car at the time was a 2 year old ecsort RS turbo and a lot of the the dash vents,switches etc came out of the ford part bin,but as the owner told me if you drive a XJ220 you would not know what the inside of a escort looked like.All round a very usealbe super car,the prices on these car are half what they should be and I think will be in years to come.

[Ftumpch]

I seem to recall there was a small number of TWR-tweeked special editions which went some way to sorting out the drivability issues. That man Walkinshaw certainly had impeccable taste in hotrods. RIP.

[kazino]

Never seen one of these on the road, one day hopefully, pictures just look amazing

[Don1]

Just don't buy one for the load carrying capacity!



(Agreed, lovely cars).

[williamp]

This thread has lasted over 12 hours without anyone mentionning "its got an engine from a metro...". Well done everyone. It seems people can be taught right from wrong afterall.

[Vocal Minority]

Iconic car from when I was a wee lad - have been a Jag man since I was a small man.

Always loved it, always will.

[stuartmmcfc]

fatboy69 said:

5 XJ220's & an XJR15? Great stuff. More please. Amazing cars.

If I'd been on the road and seen that convoy I'd still be seeing a therapist today. Fantastic

[anonymous-user]

DoubleSix said:

Not sure even Specsavers can help you with your 'selective' vision.

Been in an XJ220? Got properly up close and and spent a good hour or so prodding and pressing buttons?

I'm afraid in reality the car has not held up to those Athena posters.

I think that standing around a supercar and 'prodding' buttons isn't quite the same as taking it for a drive! You're missing the point somewhat there

[Justices]

Don1 said:

Just don't buy one for the load carrying capacity!



(Agreed, lovely cars).

Easily fixed. http://www.donlawracing.com/220/220_Upgrade.htm

[BIRMA]

williamp said:

This thread has lasted over 12 hours without anyone mentionning "its got an engine from a metro...". Well done everyone. It seems people can be taught right from wrong afterall.

Indeed, although am I right in thinking that that car was basically the engine fixed in mid ship position within a space frame with a vague metro shaped body on it. They were scary beyond belief and I loved watching them race, I am very suprised at the quoted weight as you get the impression that the XJ 220 is a heavy car. Interesting to note the internal buttons and swithches etc but it seems all makers do it, Mclaren and Lotus to name a few who use a Citroen door mounted rear view mirror and source switchgear from various parts bins. Along with the Alfa Romeo Montreal the XJ 220 is one of those cars I would love to own the Alfa being a little more attainable for me

[Don1]

Ha! Who knew? Very cool.