Another key figure in the creation of this British dream was Tom Walkinshaw. This guy owned the famous company TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) and used his past success and experience to convince Jaguar execs that he could bring them good publicity by winning the ETCC championship with cars prepared by his team.

After succeeding, the relationship between his company and Jaguar significantly strengthened, and in May 1988, a separate firm named Jaguar Sport Ltd. was established. Its job was to handle the performance ambitions of Jaguar's production and racing cars. They got to work on Jaguar's "regular" models, but that's a story for another day.

What matters here is that Walkinshaw was in charge of engine development and many other components, all based on his extensive racing background. Initially, the XJ220 was imagined with a V12 engine, all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, and a bunch of other bells and whistles that, at the time, sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie. At least the styling remained unchanged...

Despite the minimal budget, Randle found creative ways to move forward. Because he'd worked on many projects outside the company, he owed favors to several smaller firms and suppliers and convinced them to work for free, promising they'd be included in the process if the project survived and went into series production.

The goal was to build the fastest race car that could also serve as a daily driver, using variable aerodynamics to make it a kind of all-rounder. There was a strong emphasis on both passive and active safety, which was quite unusual for that time and for those working conditions.

The car was first shown to an amazed public in 1988 in Birmingham, at the British Motor Show. Thanks to the overwhelming response, TWR ran a feasibility study and concluded that production was possible, but only with some major changes.

Most importantly, the engine in the production version was a downsized 3.5-liter V6 (twin-turbo, 550 hp/645 Nm), to reduce weight, lower the center of gravity, and improve overall balance. All-wheel drive was also scrapped in favor of reducing weight and boosting performance. Scissor doors were ditched, and the whole car was slightly shorter than the concept shown in Birmingham.

Jaguar officially announced production in 1989, saying only 350 units would be made, each priced at £361,000. In just one day, over 1,500 potential buyers had registered, happily waving their blank checks in the air. To even get on the waitlist, you had to drop a hefty £50,000 deposit. The first 350 who did were placed on the now-famous waiting list. Then came problems of epic proportions...

Those lucky enough to make it onto the approved buyer list soon faced a price hike to £460,000. About 75 potential customers tried to back out, leading to numerous lawsuits. Among the celebrities who still paid up for their XJ220 were Elton John and the Sultan of Brunei, who commissioned Pininfarina to redesign his unit inside and out.

In the end, a total of 287 units were produced, including six special XJ220S versions with carbon fiber bodies and more powerful engines, signed off by TWR.

Even though it never reached its dreamed-of top speed (Martin Brundle managed 217.1 mph on the Nardo track), the XJ220 remains one of those special cars: ghost-like, untethered by time, frozen in eternal perfection. It didn’t bring Jaguar the commercial success they hoped for, but it’s remembered as one of a kind. Those lucky enough to drive it say it’s insanely fast, yet refined and luxuriously comfortable. Wild, but thoughtful. Silver, but a hooligan.

World, we need more gems like this—ones that keep us forever mesmerized, wide-eyed boys at heart.

P.S. A message to the sheikhs of Dubai: please stop abandoning LeMans Blue Jaguar XJ220s in the desert with just 900 kilometers on the clock. Some of us are still dreaming.