XJ220

The XJ220 was, briefly, the fastest production car in the world, with a top speed of 217mph. It started life as a concept with a V12 engine and all-wheel drive, but the production version used a twin-turbo V6 derived from the MG Metro 6R4 rally car. This change, combined with the early-1990s recession, led to cancelled orders and legal disputes. Only 281 were built.

The XJ220's reputation has been rehabilitated in recent years as people have come to appreciate the car on its own terms. The twin-turbo V6 is a remarkable engine, and the car's proportions are stunning in person, far larger and more dramatic than photographs suggest. Australian examples can be counted on one hand, but the XJ220 matters to the Jaguar community as proof that the company could build a genuine world-class supercar when it chose to.