The Jaguar XJ220’s twin-turbocharged V6 engine was positioned so far back in the chassis that it sat behind the rear axle centerline, creating such extreme rear-weight bias that Jaguar had to artificially limit the car’s top speed via engine management software to prevent the rear end from becoming aerodynamically unstable—making the XJ220 one of the few production cars deliberately neutered by its manufacturer not for durability concerns, but purely because the chassis geometry couldn’t safely handle the engine’s actual performance potential.
Car Fact #88 — September 12, 2026
