Gumball 3000 Founder’s Jaguar XJ220 Recently Sold for over $500K 

Every now and then, a really special car hits the market. And if you’re the founder of the Gumball 3000 like Maximillian Cooper is, you definitely own a special car.

Cooper’s car recently went up for sale, and it’s no average Jaguar XJ220. Here’s what to know about this spectacular piece of machinery. 

XJ220 for Sale

Like its owner’s signature rally, this XJ220 is not your average car. It’s a model XJ220 S to begin with, the line created by Tom Walkinshaw Racing in 1993 for rally use.

It was made lighter and more agile by swapping out the original’s aluminum body for carbon fiber, taking off a whopping 400kg. 

They also improved the car’s aerodynamic features, with a wide front splitter, wider sills and an adjustable rear wing for improved downthrust and control.

PistonHead writes, “Naturally, there was a healthy power boost to go with the chassis work. The XJ220 S retained the standard car’s 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6, only with power increased from 550hp to 680hp, thanks mostly to a brace of larger turbos. Significantly, this made the S the most powerful production car ever made back in 1993, beating the Bugatti EB110 Super Sport and McLaren F1. There’s no traction control, either, potentially making wet weather drives (and Gumball appearances) a little sweaty.”

Cooper’s is Unique

But Cooper’s XJ220 wasn’t born as an S-type – it was modified into one by Don Law in the late ‘90’s. 

Spa Silver paint was swapped out for Jaguar White, and original grey leather interior was swapped with a sleek black look.

Cooper’s XJ220 has popped up at Gumball 300 several times over the years, and has also put in appearances at Goodwood Festival of Speed and The Quail, but it’s clocked fewer than 14K miles so the new owner still gets a pretty pristine piece of automotive history.

It sold for around $550K, a real deal for any serious collector. Considering how much power is under the hood, it’s almost a steal.