The Jaguar XJ220 had the distinction of being a bedroom wall poster favorite for a generation of supercar fans back in the 1990s. Built from 1992 through 1994, only 281 examples were made in Oxfordshire, all powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 with 542 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed manual routed power to the rear wheels only.
Aside from its exotic looks, the XJ220 was also crazy fast. It set a top speed of 212.3 mph during testing at the Nardo track in Italy, making it the fastest production car in the world from 1992 to 1993. It was also the first road car to use underbody airflow and venturi technology to generate around 3,000 pounds of downforce. The result was major stability at high speeds.
Interestingly, the XJ220 concept that premiered in 1988 had a 6.2-liter V12 but numerous engineering and emissions requirements forced Jaguar to downsize. The concept still made a huge impression and Jaguar almost immediately began receiving deposits. Eventually, the number swelled to 1,500 buyers and things were looking good. And then an economic recession hit. The demand for pricey supercars suddenly plunged, and the fate of the XJ220 program was decided.
The short run makes it even more valuable and desirable today. Some of those kids who dreamed of owning one may even be wealthy enough to make that happen. They should look no further than this 1993 example currently up for sale on Canepa. Built in late January 1993, this is No. 237 of the 281 built.
Its first owners lived in Switzerland. The XJ220 was later imported to the US under the "show and display" exemption in mid-2001. It remained in a private collection until 2015 and had just 1,667 miles on it at the time. And now it's up for sale once again with only 1,817 miles. Amazingly, it's never been registered in any country.
As part of its sales preparations, it's undergone a rigorous detailing regimen. A show-level foam pad polish has been applied to the exterior burgundy paint and it's been given a clean mechanical bill of health. The tan leather interior looks impeccable as well. No pricing information is provided in the listing but if you have to ask, then you should probably opt for something less expensive, like a Jaguar F-Type SVR.