Can the Jaguar XJ220 reach 200 mph in Top Gear tonight?
A preview of tonight’s Top Gear shows Freddie Flintoff flying a Jaguar XJ220 at nearly 200mph. Or so it was. Tonight’s episode focuses on cars from the 1980s and 90s that could reach 200mph. This episode also features legends such as the Ferrari F40 and Lamborghini Diablo.
The Jaguar XJ220’s history is fascinating. The concept car was launched in 1988 with a custom V12 engine and all-wheel drive system. It competed with the likes the Ferrari F40. Jaguar began taking deposits for their new supercar, after customers and the press responded positively to the concept. Unfortunately, many parts of the XJ220 were changed before it was made into final production.
The V12 engine was replaced by a twin-turbo V6 motor, known as the J6, that produced 542 horsepower (405 kW) & 475 lbft (644 Nm). Engineers were able to reduce the wheel base of the XJ220 and create a supercar that is smaller and lighter than the original V12.
Jaguar also dropped the all-wheel drive system in order to reduce complexity. Jaguar’s sudden design changes and the economic hardships in the early 1990s led to a sharp decline in demand. Jaguar built only a small fraction of its original XJ220 inventory.
Jaguar set a new world record in performance cars for pre-production testing with a top speed of 212 miles per hour. Jaguar had hoped to achieve a speed of 220 mph for marketing purposes but the car was unable reach this incredible speed.
Top Gear will now show us if the Jaguar XJ220 really is the best. It can reach 200 mph on a small runway, and it can compete with the Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari F40.