When you think of legendary Jaguars from the 1990s, chances are you'll instantly think of the superb XJ220. But before it became a supercar icon of the era, there was the long-forgotten XJR-15. It may not have the classic status of the XJ220, but it's an underrated gem that deserves to be remembered. Only 27 road-going examples were produced between 1990 and 1992 – one of which is currently for sale in the UK at London-based dealer Classic Driver.

Based on the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 with many shared components, this was truly a race car for the road, as well as the first road car to use a carbon fiber monocoque. This Specific XJR-15 is a 1991 model with chassis number 21, and features a naturally-aspirated 6.0-liter V12 engine that produces 450 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. When new, the XJR-15 would hit 0-60 mph in just 3.9 seconds and developed a top speed of 191 mph – the XJ220 is perhaps more fondly remembered for being the first Jaguar road car to break the 200 mph barrier. Its blistering performance can also be attributed to its weight – at just 1,050 kg, it weighs about the same as a VW Golf.

Fun fact: one of the designers of the XJR-15 went on to style the McLaren F1, which competed with the XJ220 to become one of the most iconic hypercars of the 1990s. Most of the original components still remain, and it's only traveled 1,400 miles in its lifetime, which makes its hefty $500,000 price tag slightly easier to swallow. Chances are, you won't see another one any time soon.