When the Jaguar XJ220 first broke cover at the 1988 British International Motor show, it caused a stir the like of which had never been seen in the Midlands city.

Looking like something from another planet, long and missile-like, the wild concept only got more unbelievable as the specification was revealed: 6.2 litres; 12 cylinders; four-wheel drive.

A car-mad public unsurprisingly went wild, jostling to put down £50,000 deposits to secure their position in the queue—among them Elton John and Rod Stewart.

In less than one hour, some 1,500 people had placed a pre-order for the XJ220.

Enthusiasm waned slightly in the face of a global economic recession, and with the economy facing an uncertain downturn, hundreds of would-be owners attempted to renege on the deal.

A not inconsiderable change in specification was the oft-cited cause: by the time the XJ220 entered production, it had lost half its cylinders, almost half its capacity, and two driven wheels.

But despite the re-evaluation...