1993 Jaguar XJ220S Is a $1 Million Dream Car That Can Take You Up to Almost 230 MPH

The Jaguar XJ220 is perhaps one of the most underrated supercars ever built by man. The initial sketches revealed a V12-powered AWD setup, but that changed partly due to emissions requirements.

When the British manufacturer announced that it would switch to a turbocharged V6 engine and RWD, some of the people that had pre-ordered the supercar backed out of the deal. Still, this engine would provide a maximum output of 542 hp (549 ps) and 475 lb-ft (644 Nm) of torque which was more than what Ferrari's 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 could achieve.

With a curb weight of about 3,240 lbs (1,470 kg) and a five-speed manual gearbox, the XJ220 was supposedly capable of going as fast as 220 mph (354 kph). After several tests, it topped out at just over 217 mph (349 kph).

But that was enough to make it one of the fastest production vehicles in the world, at least for a short period before the Mclaren F1 came along. Even so, sales didn't go as planned, and Jaguar built less than 300 units between 1992 and 1994. A race version of the car, dubbed the XJ220-C, was built to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Three of these showed up at the start line in 1993, and David Coulthard was driving one of them. Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) would go on to build six road-going versions of that race car.

The XJ220S was a radically transformed machine, with 671 hp (680 ps) and 526 lb-ft (713 Nm) of torque on tap and a weight of just over 2,200 lbs (997 kg). The list of extensive updates fixed some of the handling and braking issues of the standard XJ220 and also promised a top speed of about 228 mph (367 kph). Jeremy Clarkson drove the XJ220-S back in the day and noted: "The last time I was in something this fast, it was made by Boeing."

And we've come across a 1993 model that looks even more stunning in what some people have called "Outrageous Orange." By the looks of it, this car spent its first five years at TWR, before moving on to Belgium in 1998.

One year later, it would find a new home on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. By 2018, it would change hands twice and it's now part of the Gran Turismo Collection. This is an LHD vehicle, and the odometer is currently at 2,996 miles (4,822 km). That's quite the sweet spot: just enough miles for people to enjoy driving it, but not too many to damage its resale value.

Speaking of which, you can place your bid for this car at RM Sotheby's auction in London on the 5th of November. It is estimated to go for anywhere between $983,509 and $1,277,777, making it considerably more affordable than a Ferrari F40 or a Mclaren F1.