It was only a few weeks ago that duPont REGISTRY named the Jaguar XJ220 among the hypercars collectors should be watching. Now the car is back in the conversation for an entirely different reason.
Callum Designs, the studio founded by former Jaguar and Aston Martin design director Ian Callum, has released the first images of a reimagined XJ220, bringing the 1990s mid-engine exotic back into conversation.
The digital render shows a low-slung coupe finished in silver, with a sweeping glasshouse, sharp surfacing, and sleek proportions that echo the original sans the exaggerated overhangs penned by Keith Helfet. A pronounced side air intake sits just ahead of the rear wheel, paired with solid disc-style wheels, modern LED DRLs upfront, and what appears to be an aggressive rear diffuser setup.
The original XJ220's signature pop-up headlights are notably absent from the side profile released so far, and how Callum's studio resolves the front-end treatment remains to be seen as more images follow.
No technical details have been released, and the project remains a proof of concept at this point. The original XJ220 concept was conceived around a V12 with all-wheel drive, but the production car that arrived in 1992 switched to a twin-turbocharged V6 and rear-wheel drive, briefly holding the title of the fastest production car in the world at 217 mph, until the McLaren F1 came along.
A V12 is a tall order in the modern context, but a reimagined XJ220 would be a deserving home for one and would finally satisfy those who longed for the V12 the original concept promised. Jaguar's own portfolio has no shortage of V12s that could make the fit,
Independents operate under far lighter regulatory pressure than the major automakers, which explains why firms like Touring Superleggera and Eccentrica have had no trouble keeping the V12 format relevant.
We have covered Callum Designs' Vanquish 25 extensively, including behind-the-scenes coverage of its development with R-Reforged and its eventual production realization. The studio has also reimagined the V12 Vanquish as a widebody GT, also reworked the iconic Jaguar E-Type, and, notably, brought a road-going version of the Jaguar C-X75 to life, the concept that once represented the closest thing to an XJ220 successor before its planned production run was cancelled. The CX-75 gained additional notoriety with its screen role in the 2015 James Bond film, Spectre.
Jaguar itself has committed to an electric-only future starting with the upcoming Type 01, leaving traditionalists searching for alternative routes to keep the brand's internal-combustion spirit alive. Callum's reimagined XJ220 offers exactly that, revisiting the cars that defined his tenure at the storied British brand.
Images: @callum_designs, Jaguar