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1992

Jaguar XJ220

For a short while, the fastest production car on earth.

K220 JAG
Jaguar XJ220
Photo: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The story

A group of Jaguar engineers designed the XJ220 in their spare time. The show car promised a V12 and four-wheel drive. The finished car had a turbo V6 and rear drive, and it arrived in a recession, so some buyers tried to back out. It still reached 212 mph.

Inside

Leather-trimmed and wide, with extra dials set into the driver's door. It is nearly five metres long and over two metres wide.

In period colours

Tap a colour to respray the drawing.

Spa Silver
Did you know?

Its record was beaten by another British car, the McLaren F1.

Meanwhile, in 1992

The Premier League kicked off.

Best-selling single of 1992: I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston

Buying and running

Before you buy a 1990s car

  • On petrol engines, check the cooling system and any sign of head gasket trouble.
  • Ask when the timing belt was last changed, where fitted.
  • Parts for mass-market cars are widely available; specialist and low-volume models can be hard to find.

General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.

Rivals of its day

Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.

See the real thing

These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.

Flat out 04080120160200240 MPH
212 mph
First builtShown as a concept in 1988, built from 1992
Age today34 years since launch
Built atBloxham, Oxfordshire
On sale1992–1994
Years in production2 years
Number madeAbout 280
Kerb weight1,470 kg (approx.)
Fuel economy19 mpg combined (approx.)
Engine3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power542 bhp
Top speed212 mph
Speed ranking3rd fastest of 164
0–60 mph3.6 seconds
Price when newAbout £470,000
In today's moneyAbout £1,263,000
Designed byKeith Helfet

Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.