Back in the 1990s, the Sultan of Brunei and his family owned hundreds of exotic vehicles, including several Jaguar XJ220s. However, it seems that at least one family member wasn’t entirely pleased with how the British supercar looked, so he commissioned Pininfarina to redesign it.
Hastily developed by the British luxury carmaker with help from race engineering company Tom Walkinshaw Racing, the first XJ220 prototype was finished just eight hours before its public debut at the 1988 British International Motor Show where it stunned those in attendance.
Although it initially came electrically-operated scissor doors and boasted a naturally-aspirated, 6.2-liter V12, the production version which was scheduled to be released into the wild four years later featured conventional doors and a small twin-turbocharged V6.
Enthusiasts who preordered one in 1988 weren’t happy when Jaguar announced these modifications, but that changed when the fearsome car started breaking records. In 1991, a pre-production prototype set a new lap record at the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife, then earned a Guinness World Record for the fastest production car by reaching a top speed of 217.1 mph (349.3 kph).
Photo: Jaguar Land Rover Automotive PLC
By 1994, when the last of the 282 units left the factory, the XJ220 had earned its place among supercar legends and every serious car collector was proud to own one.
In the oil-rich kingdom of Brunei, the sultan and his brother, Prince Jefri purchased not one, but twenty of them, including the XJ220-C race car that won its class at Le Mans in 1993. However, the prince – as well as other Jaguar enthusiasts at the time – believed that the all-aluminum body designed by Walter Hassan left room for improvement.
While the aforementioned enthusiasts couldn’t do much about that, Prince Jefri’s unmeasurable wealth afforded him the luxury of commissioning coachbuilding giants Pininfarina to redesign the XJ220.
Photo: Pininfarina S.p.A.
In 1994, chassis number SAJJEAEZ7AX220889 was shipped to Italy where it was stripped of its original bodywork and transformed into an exquisite one-off fit for a king (or in this case, prince).
I think that the original design was pretty awesome, but just a bit too long. Pininfarina stylists shared this opinion, so they shortened the rear by several inches. They also conceived an elegant twin-blade spoiler, the lower part of which was a full-width taillight cluster.
From every angle, visibility was a major issue of the iconic supercar. The Italians took notice and replaced the glass engine with a larger curved window. In addition, the tiny side windows became much bigger. To maximize aerodynamic efficiency without compromising convenience., they were split into two halves; the top part was aggressively curved and fixed, while the flatter lower section was fully retractable.
The front fascia is the only section of the bespoke body where we find traces of the original design. These are noticeable when looking at the shape of the wheel arches and the grille. Apart from that, everything was drastically reshaped. The original concealed headlights were swapped with custom-made fixed variants that incorporated four individual bulbs and a couple of huge, semi-elliptical vents now adorned the hood.
Photo: Pininfarina S.p.A.
Pininfarina’s effort was not limited to the body, as Prince Jefri was not a fan of the XJ220’s interior. The Italian coachbuilders also had to work their magic on this part of the car and the result is as impressive as the exterior. The seats, center console, dashboard, and steering wheel had to be fabricated from scratch and received a modern touch. Most of the panels and the two seats were covered in green and black leather, contrasted by sections of Alcantara.
Completed in 1995 and officially dubbed XJ220 Pininfarina Speciale, it retained its limited-production sibling’s wheels, which many agree was one of the most beautiful features of the original design.
The extravagant one-off was powered by the same all-alloy, 542-hp, twin-turbo V6, but it came with an improved cooling system and was mated to a Formula 1-derived Williams semi-automatic gearbox operated via paddle shifters. The car was also equipped with power steering, a feature that the original model lacked.
Photo: Pininfarina S.p.A.
Unlike other Pininfarina masterpieces, the Speciale was never showcased at a press conference or an auto show and for years, few even knew it existed. Shortly after it was finished, the Italians shipped it back to Brunei where it is believed it currently resides.
Just two years after receiving the custom Jag, the royal family’s fortune started to turn as a financial crisis swept the continent, and globally, oil prices started to drop. In the end, the sultan and his brother were forced to sell most of the cars (on paper, at least), while others that were stored outside were abandoned and are now unsalvageable.
It’s unclear whether or not this unique XJ220 was among the examples that were sold. Considering that it was one of the prince’s most beloved vehicles and it was always kept in a hi-tech garage, this automotive piece of art should still be in great shape today.
Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times. Full profile
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