Why does this Jaguar resemble an NSX?


Jaguar XJ220 | Jaguar



By 1992, the XJ220 would finally be launched. That same year, though, the XJR-15 program would come to an end with just 53 cars built, including the LM examples. Naturally, it was quickly forgotten, as was the XJ220 once the McLaren F1 arrived. Within a few years, the Jaguar supercar that was based on a Le Mans winner was little more than a footnote in automotive history, until it would bizarrely find a second life in Japan.

1997 Nissan R390 GT1 | Nissan



When talking about forgotten supercars, the Nissan R390 GT1 often comes up. This is largely thanks to its brief but memorable appearance on the endurance racing circuit, as well as its inclusion in the groundbreaking Gran Turismo video games.


Nissan wanted to quickly break into endurance racing, and partnered with TWR and Southgate to help build their cars. Instead of starting from scratch, they used the XJR-15 as a starting point. If you look at the two cars, there are unmistakably strong similarities between the chassis and cabin design of the two cars.

Five years after disappearing, the Jaguar would serve as an invaluable starting point for Nissan’s endurance racing team, starting a lineage that carries on today.