Honestly, getting this urge to compare Jaguar XJ220S models was totally random. I was sipping coffee this morning, flipping through some old car magazines I found in the attic, and bam – there it was, this picture of the XJ220S. Stunning car, just pure aggression. Got me thinking, “Man, what are these actually like? And what different ones were out there?” Figured I should dig in properly before even dreaming about maybe, possibly, one day looking at one. So, here’s what I actually did, step-by-step.
Where I Actually Started Looking
First, I knew bugger all about the specific “S” models. Just knew they existed. So, I fired up my laptop. Hit the usual forums first – places where old Jag fans hang out. Typed in “Jaguar XJ220S differences” and similar stuff. Took some wading through, loads of speculation mixed in with real info. Kept seeing a few key names pop up again and again: the standard “TWR” cars, the “LM” ones, and the crazy “Track Spec”. My main goal? Figuring out what physically set them apart, like under the skin, not just stickers.
- Grabbed my notebook and literally started drawing columns: “Standard TWR”, “LM”, “Track Spec”.
- Scoured auction house websites for old listings. They sometimes had decent tech specs breakdowns buried in the descriptions.
- Made notes of chassis numbers when I saw them listed with specific details.
The Messy Reality of Comparing
This is where it got messy, like, seriously convoluted. Jaguar didn’t make a million of these, and TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) handled the S conversions. Seemed like sometimes, stuff got swapped based on what the buyer wanted or could afford. My nice, neat columns started blurring. Found out:
- The LM cars seemed the “full fat” versions built for actual endurance racing, way lighter, mega aero, stripped right back. Basically race cars you could technically drive to the shops, but why would you?
- The “Track Spec” sounded insane – even more track focus, stuff like sequential gearboxes sometimes, way less road friendly. Rarer than rare.
- The “standard” TWR models seemed like the gateway drug – more power over the normal XJ220, better suspension, some aero tweaks, but still kinda recognizable as a road car underneath it all. But even then, specifics varied.
The biggest headache? Working out what was original and what owners had added later. Confusion city. Kept cross-referencing forum posts with old magazine articles trying to nail down standard equipment lists. Felt like being a detective half the time.
Why It Actually Matters (To My Wallet)
Doing this digging made the price tags make more sense, in a terrifying way. Seeing an LM car pop up for sale? Hold onto your hat. Values are astronomical, reflecting that purity of purpose and rarity. The Track Spec? Might as well be unicorn prices. The “standard” TWR cars? Still eye-wateringly expensive, but slightly less insane. Knowing the LM or Track car wasn’t some subtle upgrade, but a fundamentally different, far more hardcore beast saved me from myself. Seriously, earlier I was vaguely thinking “An S would be cool.” Now? Realizing the practicalities (or complete lack thereof) and true costs of the different types… reality check landed hard. My garage space and bank balance sighed in relief.
Final takeaway? If you’re even casually wondering about XJ220S models, do this homework first. Don’t just think “It’s an XJ220 but faster.” The differences between the types are massive – in purpose, in performance, and in price. Skipping the compare step? Honestly, it’s a shortcut to either massive regret or financial oblivion. Or both. Glad I spent the time, even if my dream shrunk back to a poster on the wall!
