The Angler: The Auto-Biography

A Tribute to Those Who Stole My Heart: The Jaguar XJ220 By chance, I happened upon a quaint little gem devoted to the preservation of the automotive arts while on vacation this summer. Though perhaps a bit rundown, the Sarasota Classic Car Museum held several cars that captured my interest. Of course, there was the odd Ferrari, some Maserati?s, and even a Mercedes-Benz owned by John Lennon, but no other car made my heart skip a beat a first glance like the cool-grey beast sleeping soundly at the end of a dimly lit hall; the Jaguar XJ220 Perhaps the highest summit ever peaked by Jaguar in their mountainous career, the XJ220 stands high above any of the other big cats the company has or possibly ever will produce. Powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6, which produces a beating heart capable of generating 542 base horsepower, the XJ220 claimed the world record for fastest production car when it leapt onto the automotive scene in 1992.

(Jaguar XJ220 Concept as it appeared in the official 1988 press packet.)

Originally designed as a demonstration of Jaguar?s design studio and engineering team?s prowess, the XJ220 was welcomed with such enthusiasm at the 1988 British Motor Show that the company formed an exploratory group to investigate the feasibility of turning the concept into a production car. Many of the concept?s design features however ? such as scissor doors, a 6.2-litre V12 engine, and 4-wheel drive layout ? were sacrificed in the name of saving weight and improved performance, upsetting many customers in the process. Couple to that the global recession of the early nineties and customers challenging Jaguar in court over failure to meet initial production claims, and the result was the colossal commercial flop the XJ220 eventually became. Despite a sticker price of ?460,000 (or $747,500 USD), Jaguar lost money on each XJ220 and was only able to produce 281 units, far less than the initially promised 350. The car also suffered severe turbo lag, as well as poor braking and cornering on the track But if you?re one of the lucky few to ever behold a XJ220 crouching quietly at a stoplight, you?ll quickly realize the appeal of this car lies not with the figures, but rather with the feelings it evokes. From the three-slit gills at the base of the front windscreen and rear window, to the way lids retract to conceal the headlamps, one cannot but feel as though the XJ220 is a living, breathing, road devouring apparition rather than a collection of mechanical bits and bobs. This car has soul, which is the most important quality that can be attained. Cars with soul provide links through which the driver and car become one, separating them from the everyday, humdrum commuting machines. The XJ220 rounds every bend and dip in the road as athletically and gracefully as the powerful cat it bears as its mascot. It does not merely move along the crowded motorway, but rather lies low in the brush, stalking other the vehicles, looking for an unsuspecting Toyota Prius to ambush or a docile herd of Freightliner 18-wheelers to spook into a stampede.?? It?s why this car Stole My Heart.

Source: http://www.theangleronline.com/2012/08/the-auto-biography.html

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