Origins
In the early days of the company, certain Jaguar employees had formed an informal collective they called "The Saturday Club"; so-called because they would meet up during weekends and after-hours to work on their own pet-projects. In the 1980s, Jim Randle - Jaguar's chief engineer and a member of the "Saturday Club" - dreamed of creating a modern-day two-seater with a powerful mid-mounted V12 engine, that could rival cars like the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959. Randle took things a step further by opting for an all-wheel-drive system to increase traction and handling, as well as an integral safety-cage, allowing the vehicle to stay stable when driving at high speeds. The target was to manufacture a car capable of surpassing 320 km/h (200 mph).Concept car
On seeing Randle's concept, Jaguar executives immediately granted resources so that a version of the car would be ready for the 1988 British Motor Show. Tom Walkinshaw Racing was entrusted with building a 6.2 L V12 engine that featured four valves per cylinder, quad camshafts, and could generate 500 hp (370 kW; 510 PS). FF Developments - who had previously worked on all-wheel-drive systems back in the 1960s with the Jensen FF - was handed over the task of creating the XJ220's drivetrain. Keith Helfet was responsible for designing the vehicle; his design included scissor-style doors, much like the ones found in Lamborghini models. The car was jokingly named XJ220 as an homage to its intended top-speed of 220 mph (350 km/h).Be the envy of all your friends and turn heads with memorabilia from the iconic Jaguar XJ220 Concept 1988 car. Show off with one-of-a-kind posters, mouse pads, t-shirts, and calendars – and you'll be a proud remember of this classic machine. Grab your Jaguar XJ220 Concept 1988 memorabilia now!
