6 Of The Fastest Jaguar Sports Cars Of The '90s

The Jaguar automotive company goes all the way back to the early 1920s (though it was under a different name at the time), and before long, the owners decided they wanted to make it a higher-end car company. Indeed, even in the 1950s, they concentrated solely on luxury vehicles when no other car company was doing it. Unfortunately, by the 1980s, Jaguar was having trouble selling cars, and in 1989, Ford Motor Company bought the brand. What came next was the rise of Jaguar, and some high-powered, elegant cars were born. Don't forget that plenty of Jaguars from every era are drool-worthy on their own.

Jaguars have always had a unique style with body designs that captured the eye and often had big engines hiding under the hood. But once Ford bought the company, Jaguar engines became more reliable. The only problem was that owners often said the cars needed more maintenance than others over time to keep them running smoothly, and it might even be a good idea if you know a little about working on engines yourself if you're going to own one. Ford eventually sold Jaguar to Tata Motors, which still owns the company to this day. Still, there's something to be said for cars with such an elegant style and top-grade horsepower. Read on for five of the fastest Jaguar Sports cars of that era.

The XJ220 was one of only a few of Jaguar's designated supercars that could compete with the likes of Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but it was only in production between 1988 and 1992. Amazingly, in this early era, it was briefly the fastest production car in the world until the McLaren F1 came along a couple of years later. Certainly, the XJ220's sleek, aerodynamic design oozed power and didn't disappoint. It could do 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. Its early top speed record of 212 mph was only outclassed by a later upgraded version that could do 217 mph, but that was only made possible using unrestricted catalytic converters. Sadly, of 350 cars planned for production, only 282 were ever produced as an early '90s economic downturn made buyers wary of spending so much money.

Still, it was an incredible car. From every angle, it had the look and feel of a major sports car, but it had the name Jaguar, which, up until this point, didn't invoke what you might have thought about a supercar. Jaguar had easily succeeded in giving people an idea of how it competes on every level, and one might think only bigger and better supercars would come after. Sadly, Jaguar gave up on its supercar fantasy and instead went in a different direction. The XJ220 would eventually get an update with the XK220 (the same that recorded 217mph). However, the company's aspirations to create supercars only netted us a few rare examples that are still around today.

Many Jaguar fans probably know about the XJS. Its nearly 21-year production run made it a staple of the brand. But in 1993, Jaguar decided to take it up a notch with an engine that could blast most other cars out of the water. The 1993 XJR-S was just such a car, boasting a more enhanced V12 engine that could give you 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. You could get it as a convertible or a hardtop, and only a limited number were made. In fact, you could only get each in either black or red, so if you didn't like those colors, you were out of luck as far as Jaguar was concerned.

What's crazy about the XJR-S is that it was only available in America for one year (1993) before it was discontinued. It was a specialized car with a stylistic body that hadn't been used before or used since. Its unique design and powerful engine would be the things that distinguish it from other cars from its era, and it could hit a top speed of 158 mph.

[Image by Mr.choppers via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]

What was known as a sedan in America at the time of the XJ12 was known as a Saloon in Europe. But if you're thinking of a common family sedan, this car offers a much more luxurious feel and plenty of power under the hood. The 1995 XJ12 was an entirely different animal with a V12 engine that could pour on the power at a moment's notice. It could do 0-60 in 7 seconds, but it maxed out at 155 mph to match up with regulations (as many Jaguars did), but you couldn't deny the power that would take you there.

The XJ12 was a high-performance sedan juggernaut that caused a stir with something resembling a family car. The only problem was that with evolving regulations in the U.S. during the time, Jaguar planned to axe the V-12 engine after only a year of the model being in production. Still, with its leather interior, wooden panels, power windows and seats, along with tray tables for rear passengers, it was a luxury car with a little something more under the hood.   

[Image by Cutlass via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 1.0]

After more than 20 years in the lineup, the XJ6 was on the outs at Jaguar, and the company needed a new model to present to the world. Based on the same foundation as the XJ6, the XK8 was a bit more streamlined, with a sleek, curved body. You could get them with a hardtop, but Jaguar sold most of this model as a convertible, and for good reason; the slimmer lower-profile design simply looked great with the top down.

An extremely unique-looking luxury car, the XK8 had plenty to brag about under the hood with a 290 hp 4.0-liter V8 engine. You couldn't get this powerful sportscar with a manual transmission, and instead, it only came with a six-speed automatic, but it still could top out at 155 mph (as was the limit for many Jaguars), and it could do 0-60 in 6.1 seconds. It probably could have done much more without a limiter, but its acceleration and passing power were nothing to make light of. It wasn't cheap, but with its unique look and agile handling, it was a powerhouse in more ways than one.

The standard S-Type was a nice car, but it lacked the boost of power found in many Jaguars. Enter the 1999 S-Type R, featuring a 4.2-liter V8 that turned out 396 hp and — without a limiter — Jaguar says it could top out at 191 mph. Unfortunately, many Jaguars at the time did come with a limiter, so it could only reach 155 mph. Don't forget, the S-Type R also came with a supercharger, so it could do 0-60 in just 5.3 seconds, and in any other instance you needed acceleration, this car had a punch all its own.

The other difference the S-Type R had over the regular S-Type was the modern interior. Instead of cheap-feeling interior plastic details, it was upgraded with comfy leather and higher-tier materials. It's not without fault, however. Like many other Jaguars, there are going to be expenses when it comes to upkeep, so you'd have to weigh those costs in addition to the price of the vehicle to begin with. Still, as a luxury sedan, it had plenty of room for the whole family and enough punch to get out of sticky situations on the highway as well as when driving in town.

[Image by Kieran White via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 2.0]

The XKR was a coupe that didn't leave a lot of room for kids or cargo, but it had an engine that might have made up for its lack of space. You could get this model as a hardtop or a convertible, but under the hood, it was all power; the XKR came with a 370 hp, 4.0-liter DOHC AJ V-8 engine that could do 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. It also had a supercharger carefully tucked away in the engine compartment, so while it had plenty of get-up-and-go, it was a quiet, luxurious ride.

Like many Jaguars, you'll need to be happy with the power out of the gate or while accelerating on the highway because it has a speed limiter that will only allow it to top out at around 155 mph. But speed isn't really the reason to buy this car; instead, it's the quiet elegance of the coupe body with enough under the hood to get you where you want to go with reliable power. Its smaller details make it especially intriguing, with front hood vents that give you a literal whiff of the horsepower within.