RE: Jaguar XJ220 - the inside story

[richardaucock]

williamp said:

Fantastic. Still one of the fastest cars you can buy: and possibly the best value 200+ mph car at the moment.

...

So repeat after me: "....yeah, the XJ220. a great car. Its got proper downforce inducing bodywork and the engine from a Group C jaguar racing car." Designers today realise that a long, wide car is great for aerodynamics and downforce. Just look at the size of modern ferraris...

Edited by williamp on Friday 10th August 20:13

Hear, hear!

[PiB]

Now lets have some people substantiate the rumors of a warehouse full of unsold XJ220's . . . And I want photos!

[rigga]

rigga said:

I may be mistaken,often am,but was it one of these that was found holed up behind a brick wall at someones residence/factory ? i seem to recall something of that from being posted on here a while back.

Knew i wasnt going crackers,back in 2002 one was found at a carpet store holed up behind a wall hidden away

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3005938.stm

[williamp]

Took my son for an adventure to gaydon today. To my surprise and delight they have a delectable jaguar display inclduing the show car XJ220 with the V12. The car which started it all (in both senses..)







Maybe you XJ220 owners should organise a get-together there sometime soon???? (please???)

[ZorstGasTemp]

stew-S160 said:

It's joint #1 on my fave car list, along with the McLaren F1. I just can't separate them.
First time I saw an XJ220 in the metal was at the London motorshow in 1993. I was already in love with it, but seeing this monster there on the stands was almost too much for a 12 year old petrol head.

No one would let me sit in one though. However some kind soul gladly let me have a sit and a proper look round a DeTomaso Pantera.

I went to that show with my dad and one of his mates who owned an XJS - I think I was 12 or 13 too. After a bit of negotiating they let us on the stand. I recall the XJ220 was on a rotating plinth which we sadly couldn't get onto. The Jag is my abiding memory from that show too. What a machine.

My dad then forced us to go to the ideal home exhibition afterwards to get 'value for money' from our tickets. "We've come all this way, son - the least we can do is look round this bit."

Just found this link with pics of the show in question.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brit_robin/sets/72157...

Edited by ZorstGasTemp on Sunday 12th August 00:29

[richardaucock]

ZorstGasTemp said:

Just found this link with pics of the show in question.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brit_robin/sets/72157...

Edited by ZorstGasTemp on Sunday 12th August 00:29

Great images - thanks for the link. Nice to be reminded of the cars I saw: the XJ220 crush wasn't quite on a part with '88...

[SteveO220]

williamp said:

Maybe you XJ220 owners should organise a get-together there sometime soon???? (please???)

Thanks for posting the photos! We do occasionally get together, happy to let you know when so you can come along. The main events this year were Goodwood Supercars, AMOC invitation (11 showed up...including one chap who had shipped his car from the US for a service and a drive around the UK), JEC day Weston Park and a couple went along to Wilton as well.






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOBRS4JSm_E

[dinkel]

GW SCS 2011

[Stedman]

SteveO220 said:

williamp said:

Maybe you XJ220 owners should organise a get-together there sometime soon???? (please???)

Thanks for posting the photos! We do occasionally get together, happy to let you know when so you can come along. The main events this year were Goodwood Supercars, AMOC invitation (11 showed up...including one chap who had shipped his car from the US for a service and a drive around the UK), JEC day Weston Park and a couple went along to Wilton as well.

Do you take local young lads like myself who are in love with the '220 into your garage for a cup of tea, if they ask nicely?

[Funpotato]

Daniel1 said:

Like this one on my desk? IIRC a garage was doing a promotion where you get tickets per spend at the pumps, send them off for various models. The 1:24 XJ220 was in the shop, the 1:18s had to be sent off for.

Exactly like that! I remember sending off for the 1:18 cars too. They were Bburago I think.

[SteveO220]

Stedman said:

Do you take local young lads like myself who are in love with the '220 into your garage for a cup of tea, if they ask nicely?

I make terrible tea but very happy to let people know when the beast(s) are going on an outing...

[Stedman]

SteveO220 said:

Stedman said:

Do you take local young lads like myself who are in love with the '220 into your garage for a cup of tea, if they ask nicely?

I make terrible tea but very happy to let people know when the beast(s) are going on an outing...

Brilliant! Would you mind posting it up on the South Coast or Surrey forum when you do, please?

[GTRene]

[Monty Zoomer]

Now I've found a video of the XJ220S on Top Gear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wekbxaQXz50&fea...

It's another good one

[kaliber]

Monty Zoomer said:

Now I've found a video of the XJ220S on Top Gear:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wekbxaQXz50&fea...

It's another good one

Proper top gear! and Proper Hair (sort of)!

Good find that man aswell Monty. Loved the chat about insurance at the end. Im sure Mr 'ive just got my own Xj220s' would back up that if you can buy one, insurance is probably a drop in the pond for a chap like that.

On that note, do you think RUFMD has multicar discount? lol! Awesome garage by the way mate, much respect.

[PUA]

one of my top 3 favourite cars of all time - absolutely adore the xj220

I just wish I could see more of them in the flesh, I've seen more Mclaren F1's than XJ220's on british roads

[carsnapper]

I drove one on the Dunsfold Top Gear track back in 2003 and i'm still shaking in my boots! It put a Zonda in second place on the straight line drag, but as good as it was accelerating it was just as bad decelerating. The worst brakes i've ever nearly not managed to stop with!

Fantasy garage material: Ford GT40, Shelby Cobra, Ferrari 250 GTO and the legendary Jaguar XJ220. All icons in my world.

[Scrimper]

carsnapper said:

I drove one on the Dunsfold Top Gear track back in 2003 and i'm still shaking in my boots! It put a Zonda in second place on the straight line drag, but as good as it was accelerating it was just as bad decelerating. The worst brakes i've ever nearly not managed to stop with!

Fantasy garage material: Ford GT40, Shelby Cobra, Ferrari 250 GTO and the legendary Jaguar XJ220. All icons in my world.

The drag race with the Zonda certainly surprised a few people. Brakes are easily sorted, I had the brakes upgraded on my car, it has made a huge difference and it now stops like it always should have done!

[SteveO220]

The car was development-driven by Andy Wallace, John Nielsen (both Le Mans winners) and of course TW himself, amongst others - racing drivers who naturally preferred the progressive feel of non-servo brakes. So that's what the car was originally delivered with. Trouble is, that's not too useful when cold and on most drives, of course they stay cold. They also need a man-sized shove. Most cars have now had a servo fitted as well as bigger disks, delivering tooth-loosening deceleration even when cold.

[pSyCoSiS]

Truly epic car.

And good value for money today, compared to alot of other hypercars of that era...

Edited by pSyCoSiS on Tuesday 14th August 22:40