The Legend of the Jaguar XJ220: A Benchmark for Supercars

We start with a legend, the Jaguar XJ220, released in 1994. It cost $400,000 and at a top speed of 220 mph back then, this was the fastest road car on the planet. It's the perfect benchmark for its new cousin, the brand new Jaguar XKR, with 550 horsepower. The question remains, can it keep up? D away, it's neck and neck; I think I'm going to beat him to 62. He's edging, I'm foot to the floor now he's really on the way, but the extra 400 kilos of weight I'm carrying is beginning to show up. Reading 170, 180, 190 and he's well away. The first thing you need to know about the XKR isn't as fast as a supercar icon, but it's unbelievably close.

The second thing you need to know is that it's seriously expensive. This XKR costs $100,000, which is $20,000 more than the XKR. How do they justify this price tag? Well, a sports exhaust, lowered suspension, and an extra 40 horsepower go some way to explain it. But I reckon a big chunk of it goes on the seat; it's an extraordinary chair that electronically adjusts not just in the normal two or three ways but in 16. I particularly like this little rib hugger - yes, but a $100,000 car should be a little frightening as well as comfy.

Jaguar has been producing wonderful luxury saloons and Grand tourers for a long time now, but what they always seem to lack is a car that can really handle well. Even the XKR rolls too much and spins all the power away, leaving a cloud of smoke. But can the RS prove to be my sort of Jaguar? It's a bit of smoke in the rear view mirror, but nothing like as bad as before. The cut was much stiffer; it pitched into the corner nicely how the roll would be no, it's staying flat, it's responsive. This is more me; you can get it a bit too one way and it goes back the other way.

But there's another question to answer: which car is quicker over a lap? First up, the XJ220 starts the clock now. It has this 3.5 L Metro turbo engine that gives a hell of a lot of punch when cornering at 110 mph; boost comes in nose first here but that might want to step out at any minute it doesn't we're clear there's steering's heavy, we clip the curve one way and the other onto the runway W. It wants the change ends 140 50 how late can I break the old girl fights two corners to go punch it second third hit for the Finish Line; the old girl finishes in 1 minute 13.4 seconds.

Can the XKR possibly beat that? The clock starts now, great steering field the higher the speed and the more comfortable the handling. Don't get it to sideways if no-show bottling keep it neat keep it neat that's good a little bit, but again and fire it over the curve and onto the straight. It's just 8/10 behind the iconic supercar that 17 years ago cost $400,000; maybe the $100,000 price tag isn't so outrageous after all. Super VCI, the Lamborghini that reigns terror over all others, the most expensive, the most powerful, the most Lambo, the last model to wear the did a they did a proper job.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwe start with a legend the Jaguar xj220 released in 1994 it cost 400,000 and at a top speed of 220 mph back then this was the fastest road car on the planet it's the perfect Benchmark for this the brand new Jaguar xkrs with 550 horsepower it's exactly as powerful as its Famous Uncle so I wonder if it can keep up D away it's neck and neck I think I'm going to beat him to 62 he's edging I'm foot to the floor now he's really on the way the extra 400 kilos of weight I'm carrying is begin to show up reading 170 180 190 and he's well away so the first thing you need to know is that the xkrs isn't as fast as a super car icon but it's unbelievably close the second thing you need to know is that it's seriously expensive this xkrs costs 100,000 and that's 20 grand more than the XKR so how do they justify that well a sports exhaust lowered suspension and an extra 40 horsepower goes some way to explain it but I reckon a big chunk of it goes on the seat it's an extraordinary chair which electronically adjusts not just in the normal two or three ways but in 16 I particularly like this little rib hugger o yes but a 100,000 car should be a little frightening as well as comfy now whilst Jaguar has been producing wonderful luxury saloons and Grand tourus for a long time now what they always seem to lack is a car that can really handle well even the XKR rolls too much and Spins all the power away a cloud of smoke will the RS prove to be my sort of Jaguar well it's a bit of smoke in the rear view mirror but nothing like as bad the cut was much stiffer it pitched into the corter nicely how the roll be no it's staying flat it's responsive this is more me you can get it a bit too one way and it goes back the other way it's it's it's still a little bit of a h I tell you what you can forget this fancy seat the Improvement of the handling is worth 20 grand to me woohoo nice so the Jaguar xkrs is worth every penny of its staggering price tag but that's not the end the xj220 may have beaten it in a drag race but I couldn't call myself a petrol head if I didn't find out which is quickest over a lap first up the XJ 220 start the clock now it's got this 3 and 1/2 L Metro turbo engine the back it gives a hell of a lot of punch cornering at 110 mph boost comes in nose in here but that M might want to step out at any minute it doesn't we're clear there's steering's heavy we clip the curve one way and the other onto the runway W it wants the change ends 140 50 how late can I break the old girl fights s to two corns to go punch it second third hit for the Finish Line the old girl finishes in 1 minute 13.4 seconds can the xkrs possibly beat that start the clock now great steering field the higher the speed and the more comfortable the handling now don't get it to sideways if no show boting keep it neat keep it neat that's good a little bit that's that's good again and fire it over the curve and on to the straight 1 minute 14.2 it's just 8/10 behind the iconic Supercar that 17 years ago cost £400,000 maybe the 00,000 price tag Isn't So outrageous after all super VCI the Lamborghini that Reigns Terror over all others the most expensive the most powerful the most Lambo the last Model to wear the did a they did a properwe start with a legend the Jaguar xj220 released in 1994 it cost 400,000 and at a top speed of 220 mph back then this was the fastest road car on the planet it's the perfect Benchmark for this the brand new Jaguar xkrs with 550 horsepower it's exactly as powerful as its Famous Uncle so I wonder if it can keep up D away it's neck and neck I think I'm going to beat him to 62 he's edging I'm foot to the floor now he's really on the way the extra 400 kilos of weight I'm carrying is begin to show up reading 170 180 190 and he's well away so the first thing you need to know is that the xkrs isn't as fast as a super car icon but it's unbelievably close the second thing you need to know is that it's seriously expensive this xkrs costs 100,000 and that's 20 grand more than the XKR so how do they justify that well a sports exhaust lowered suspension and an extra 40 horsepower goes some way to explain it but I reckon a big chunk of it goes on the seat it's an extraordinary chair which electronically adjusts not just in the normal two or three ways but in 16 I particularly like this little rib hugger o yes but a 100,000 car should be a little frightening as well as comfy now whilst Jaguar has been producing wonderful luxury saloons and Grand tourus for a long time now what they always seem to lack is a car that can really handle well even the XKR rolls too much and Spins all the power away a cloud of smoke will the RS prove to be my sort of Jaguar well it's a bit of smoke in the rear view mirror but nothing like as bad the cut was much stiffer it pitched into the corter nicely how the roll be no it's staying flat it's responsive this is more me you can get it a bit too one way and it goes back the other way it's it's it's still a little bit of a h I tell you what you can forget this fancy seat the Improvement of the handling is worth 20 grand to me woohoo nice so the Jaguar xkrs is worth every penny of its staggering price tag but that's not the end the xj220 may have beaten it in a drag race but I couldn't call myself a petrol head if I didn't find out which is quickest over a lap first up the XJ 220 start the clock now it's got this 3 and 1/2 L Metro turbo engine the back it gives a hell of a lot of punch cornering at 110 mph boost comes in nose in here but that M might want to step out at any minute it doesn't we're clear there's steering's heavy we clip the curve one way and the other onto the runway W it wants the change ends 140 50 how late can I break the old girl fights s to two corns to go punch it second third hit for the Finish Line the old girl finishes in 1 minute 13.4 seconds can the xkrs possibly beat that start the clock now great steering field the higher the speed and the more comfortable the handling now don't get it to sideways if no show boting keep it neat keep it neat that's good a little bit that's that's good again and fire it over the curve and on to the straight 1 minute 14.2 it's just 8/10 behind the iconic Supercar that 17 years ago cost £400,000 maybe the 00,000 price tag Isn't So outrageous after all super VCI the Lamborghini that Reigns Terror over all others the most expensive the most powerful the most Lambo the last Model to wear the did a they did a proper\n"