Jaguar’s 1998 XJ220 concept car promised four-wheel drive, a 6.2-litre dohc version of the TWR-developed V12 that had taken the XJR-9 to Le Mans glory earlier that year, and, of course, a 220mph top speed.
The production version Jaguar delivered four years later made do with a twin-turbocharged V6 and rear-wheel drive, though its verified 217mph maximum wasn’t far off.
You might think that Rolls-Royce and V12 engines were made for each other, but classic Rollers were only available with V12 power between 1936 and 1939.
The gargantuan Phantom III’s equally massive 7.3-litre pushrod V8 replaced the earlier Phantom II’s straight-six, and helped baddie Auric Goldfinger drag his gold bullion up Switzerland’s Furka Pass in the 1964 Bond film that bore his name.
While the production XJ220 failed to deliver on the concept’s V12 promise, another even wilder Jaguar supercar did come up with the goods.
The XJR-15 was based around the chassis of the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 clothed in bodywork by Peter Stevens, and powered by a 6.0-litre V12 developing 450bhp.
Only 53 were built by Jaguar Sport between 1990 and 1992.
