Jaguar XJ220
The story of the XJ220 is a strange one. Conceived in the late ’80s as Jaguar’s first road-going supercar, it looked very promising. The concept car and the prototypes had Jaguar’s V12 engine tuned to produce high output. However, halfway into development, it was decided that a new 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 unit with 542 hp should be installed. The car’s design was fantastic, with flowing lines and a wide stance that emphasized its performance and speed (via AutoCar).
When it was new, the XJ220 was the world’s fastest road-going model and commanded an enormous price. Despite the hype and wealthy customers waiting to buy this model, several delays in production and the lack of V12 ruined the appeal. Eventually, less than 300 left the factory. The XJ220 was called that since it could top 220 mph and was never officially sold in the USA. However, this Jaguar supercar was tricky to drive and very dangerous in inexperienced hands. First, there was the turbo engine, which had a significant turbo lag and a sudden surge of power which could produce skidding and loss of control. Second, the car had the dimensions of an ocean liner and poor visibility.