TWR reignites its legacy with the Supercat: A futuristic Jaguar XJS restomod
TWR once was one of the largest motorsport teams in the world. After 22 years of absence, it's making a comeback with its latest restomod. However, there's more to it than just a new cover for the Jaguar XJS.
Restomods are projects that often stir a lot of emotions. Old cars in completely new, modern trappings are an interesting sight, but some people might accuse the creators of desecrating the classics. This time, however, experts on this car have taken on the Jaguar XJS, marking the return of a certain legendary brand after 22 years with a restomod.
We're talking about the TWR company, known among motorsports fans and Jaguar enthusiasts. The company resurrected in 2023, has just unveiled its first new project. The TWR Supercat is a remarkable car in terms of design, engine, and price. But what exactly is hidden in this modern take on the British classic?
First and foremost, the appearance of this car, which transports the classic Jaguar XJS several epochs into the future, is striking. The car resembles a sporty toy with its heavily sculpted carbon fibre body full of cuts and bulges, a small spoiler, and a massive diffuser. LED rings and large wheels add a futuristic flair to the Supercat.
However, from the exhaust and under the hood come the sounds of classics. The car is powered by a supercharged V12 engine made by Jaguar. It's likely the well-known 5.3 V12 from the mentioned XJS, but TWR has not released the exact specifications. It is known, however, that the engine produces as much as 600 HP, which is managed by a 6-speed manual transmission.
TWR is not a random company. It was closely associated with Jaguar for years
The Supercat undoubtedly looks impressive and is sure to attract many admirers. Yet, some might wonder why such a company would undertake a restomod of a classic Jaguar. A quick history lesson clarifies any doubts.
TWR, or Tom Walkinshaw Racing, was a racing team founded by the former driver of the same name, a Briton. In the ’80s and ’90s, it was one of the most significant franchises in motorsport.
The team participated in touring car races, the Paris-Dakar rally, and, importantly, endurance races led by 24h Le Mans, where it secured as many as four victories—two with Jaguar and two with Porsche. Walkinshaw was also the technical director of the Benetton team and designed the car for the 1994 season, in which Michael Schumacher won his first world championship.
In 1996, TWR acquired the Arrows team, partly creating its own F1 team. However, this led to financial difficulties and, in 2002, the ultimate downfall of the company, which had dominated the tracks for years and also contributed to creating sports editions of Jaguar cars.
After more than two decades, the TWR name is returning to favour, and the choice of the Jaguar XJS is no coincidence. It was this model that began the cooperation between both entities, as TWR raced the mentioned model in the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC).
The TWR Supercat will make its physical debut in the summer of 2024. The company plans to produce only 88 units of the car, with prices starting at £225,000.
