JAGUAR XJ220 PROTOTYPE CHASSIS 001

The XJ220 was the brainchild of Jaguar's chief engineer Jim Randle who originally planned to make a super fast road car, which would feel at home both on the road and the racetrack. The original concept car was made by a small team of Jaguar designers and engineers in their own time and purely on a voluntary basis, and became known as the 'Saturday Club' car. It was unveiled by John Egan at the Motor Show at the NEC on 18 October 1988.

The XJ220 concept car had a chassis, engine and drive train that was based on the then Group C racing Jaguars, but with the addition of a prototype four wheel drive system. At the same time it offered all of the traditional Jaguar qualities with a beautifully shaped all aluminum body, styled by Keith Helfet as a modern interpretation of the classic Jaguar designs, and a superb leather interior.

XJ220 was never intended to be produced; it was purely a demonstration, like so many concept cars, of the outstanding abilities of Jaguar's design and engineering team. However, demand for the car was so great that a feasibility study was carried out by Jaguar and in late 1989 the project was approved for production. The production version of the XJ220 was developed and built by Tom Walkinshaw's Jaguar Sport company at Bloxham near Banbury. The eventual production car used a TWR V6 twin-turbo engine of 500bhp and only had rear wheel drive.

The XJ220 still holds the title as the fastest ever Jaguar road car, with a top speed of 213mph (343 km/h) measured in an independent road test. In 1993 an XJ220C, driven by John Nielsen, David Brabham and David Coulthard took a class win at Le Mans, but sadly was disqualified two weeks later for a technical infringement.

This car chassis number 001 is the first pre-production prototype, built by Jaguar's Competition Department for road and track testing. The body was hand built by Abbey Panels and the engine was race-prepared by Heidigger. In 1991 it crashed whilst being driven by Andy Wallace at Goodwood. The car is in dark blue metallic with a grey leather interior. It has been stripped for re-build but has not turned a wheel since the accident. As such it is a modern day barn find and a rare opportunity to own a significant part of Jaguar history.

P.O.A.