1997 Jaguar XJ220

• Left-hand drive, European-delivered example finished in Spa, Silver with Smoke Grey interior
• Significant recent expenditure at Jaguar Classic Works. UK registered - '220 XXK' included in the sale
• With 0-60mph in a brutal 3.5 seconds, the XJ220 was indisputably the fastest road car on the planet
• Only 20,800 kilometres covered, very competitively estimated, and now ready to thrill its next owner

It was at the 1988 British Motor Show in Birmingham, appropriately, that the sensational Jaguar XJ220 concept prototype was first revealed to the public and, as expected, orders and the required £50,000 deposits flooded in from all corners of the world. The original concept was for a V12 engined car with a six-speed gearbox and four-wheel drive priced at just under £300,000. However, some four years later when production commenced, the XJ220 had become a two-wheel drive, twin turbo V6 with a five-speed box on offer at  £470,000. Predictably many of the 1,500 option holders tried to ,cancel their purchase blaming the massive change in specification but the ,collapse in values of collectable supercars at the time was probably more of a factor. Eventually, the car found 275 buyers and the others don't know what they missed. Producing an impressive 549bhp at 7,000rpm and 473Ib.ft at 4,500rpm and now slightly shorter by some ten inches courtesy of the smaller dimensions of the V6 engine against the bulky V12, but still with a not inconsiderable girth of six feet and six inches, the XJ220 proved more than capable of reaching its target maximum speed. In 1992 at the Italian Nardo test track Formula One and sportscar ace, Martin Brundle, recorded 212.3mph around the banking in standard trim and 217.1 mph with the catalytic converters disconnected, the latter speed equivalent to 223mph on a straight road.

With 0-60mph acceleration in a brutal 3.5 seconds, the XJ220 was indisputably the fastest road ,car on the planet at that time and, thanks to racing developed inboard wishbone suspension and huge ventilated disc brakes with four-piston,calipers, it held the road beautifully and stopped equally as well. Production of the car began the following year in a purpose-built factory at Bloxham in Oxfordshire with the first cars delivered in July to, amongst other well-known names, Elton John, Baron Hamer of Alford and the Sultan of Brunei. On the circuits, the Jaguar also proved highly effective. In the competition version, the XJ220C, another sports car ace, Win Percy, took victory on the ,car's race debut in the BRDC National Sports GT Challenge. In the 1993 Le Mans 24 Hours John Nielsen, David Brabham and David Coulthard finished first in the GT class, though only for their XJ220C to be subsequently disqualified over a spurious technical infringement.

Finished in Spa Silver with a Smoke Grey interior this, left-hand drive, XJ220 was first delivered to Germany and has covered 20,800 kilometres from new. Pleasingly, this particular example has enjoyed a very recent refresh by the Jaguar factory at their specialist XJ220 service centre at Classic Works, with a significant spend, meaning this car is ready for its next owner. Details of the recent expenditure will be available to view in the car's history file at the auction.

Accompanying this fantastic example is an owner's file displaying the care and expenditure this car has enjoyed over the years by its six UK custodians and the original handbook. One for the true driving enthusiast, Silverstone Auctions are very excited to offer this particular example to the open market. The recent expenditure at the Jaguar Classic factory, the sensible mileage, and its appropriate registration render this XJ220 exceptional, and it's now absolutely ready to be used for what it always designed to do, to thrill!