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Jaguar XJ220 Interior Makeover by Vilner Breathes New Life into the Elderly Hypercar

Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari Testarossa. These two were the bedroom poster favorites among 1990s up-and-coming petrolheads. This makes us somewhat sad, considering that the first hypercar generation never had the chance.
Jaguar XJ220 by Vilner 8 photos
Photo: Vilner
Jaguar XJ220 by VilnerJaguar XJ220 by VilnerJaguar XJ220 by VilnerJaguar XJ220 by VilnerJaguar XJ220 by VilnerJaguar XJ220 by VilnerJaguar XJ220 by Vilner
About that first wave, this is comprised of the iconic Porsche 959, Ferrari F40, McLaren F1 and Jaguar XJ220. Some say the Lamborghini Diablo was one as well, but that’s debatable. Among these five, the most overlooked nameplate is the XJ220, the only hypercar ever made by the British manufacturer.

It’s also the rarest of that lot with 275 copies made, while second rarest is the hi-tech Porsche 959 (337 produced). Before the McLaren F1 arrived on the scene, the Jaguar XJ220 held the record for the fastest production car ever - 213 mph (343 km/h). It was a ballistic piece of kit, although it’s very flawed.

The 1990s gave us a lot of badly made passenger cars, but the XJ220 is in a league of its own. For starters, Jaguar promised customers that put a deposit on one that the car will boast with a V12 engine and four-wheel drive, not a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 and basic rear-wheel drive.

But there’s an ever bigger compromise that was done to the production-ready 1992 Jaguar XJ220

Of course, we’re referring to the borderline awful cabin design. Switchgear, gauges, steering wheel, gear lever, even the leather upholstery’s texture is nothing short of average even by 1992 standards. After 22 years since production started, somebody made the right thing and plushed up the interior.

Bulgaria’s Vilner is to thank for what you can see in the photo gallery below. The East European tuner did awful things to the Hummer H2 and BMW 6 Series, but this time around, the brown leather and suede, as well as the sea of carbon fiber inserts do justice to the gray-haired Jaguar XJ220.

Editor's note: dear Vilner, what kind of tuning programme description is the one attached below?
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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