“Come upon an XJ220 for the first time and you see pure automotive sculpture, a Rodin on wheels, a shape that—to hell with practicalities—is simply gorgeous.” It was love at first drive for automotive journalist Galvin Green as he climbed behind the wheel of Jaguar’s all-new XJ220 in August 1992.

Writing for CAR Magazine , Green was so taken with the car’s grace, pace, and space, he continued, “Jaguar’s old motto is honorably maintained.

Here is a 200mph monster that will fusslessly transport you, and friend, to the south of France with ease…nothing about driving the XJ220 is difficult.” Dreamt as a full competition racer with no production plans, the Jaguar XJ220 was intended to prove the team at Coventry could still design, engineer, and manufacture supercars on par with its German and Italian competitors.

Upon debut at the 1988 Birmingham Auto Show however, so many buyers stood waiting with open checkbooks that Jaguar was forced to reconsider its production plans.

The civilian X...