TWR has a long history of motorsport success and is synonymous with Jaguar. So what better way to celebrate its 50th anniversary than a limited restomod based on a British icon, the Jaguar XJS? The TWR Supercat aims to be the most unique Super-GT on the market, combining an iconic silhouette with a modern design language and prioritizing driver engagement above all else.
Celebrating A British Icon
As previously mentioned, the Supercat is based on the legendary Jaguar XJS. This may be initially hard to distinguish, but the aggressive design is a tribute to the TWR’s motorsport success. The XJS silhouette remains, as does the distinctive front end look, and there are design touches that hark back to legendary Jags that the founder of TWR, Tom Walkinshaw, worked on, such as the incredible XJ220 and the Le Mans legends, the XJR-9 and XJR-15. The squatted stance and wide body remind me of the recent Singer Turbo models, especially from the rear. It’s no surprise then that the designer of the Supercat, Khyzyl Saleem, has experience in designing outlandish performance vehicles, having previously worked with Ken Block and Travis Pastrana. Magnus Walker, the legendary designer and car collector, also worked on the design of the Supercat and said that TWR is”rewriting the rules of contemporary performance GT design”. These are bold words – but it’s hard to disagree with him.
A Visceral Experience
The TWR Supercat is devoted to engaging the driver. Analog feel is brought by a 6-speed manual gearbox, a rarity in the car industry, even more so in the performance GT category. The use of a supercharger again sets the Supercat apart from other high-performance vehicles, with turbochargers being preferred by many manufacturers. 600+ brake horsepower is no longer a jaw-dropping figure, but the extensive use of carbon fiber and other lightweight materials should make the Supercat light enough to make it feel like more. Speaking of carbon fiber, every body panel has been made out of the lightweight material, not only bringing the weight down significantly but also increasing rigidity and decreasing drag. TWR claims that perfecting the body alone took tens of thousands of hours, and this is a drop in the ocean when looking at the two years of development that took place. TWR has tested the Supercat extensively in a number of ways, including aerodynamic, durability, and dynamic testing. They claim hundreds of thousands of hours have gone into development and it’s clear that they mean business, scouting talent from some of the biggest names in motorsport and performance vehicles.
More to Come
The Supercat is TWR’s first production car and shows what to expect from the British brand going forward. More is promised to come out of their Newbury base and the Supercat will be unveiled in person this summer, with appearances promised at high-profile events. The interior is also due to be revealed this summer, and from the sneak peek you can see in the pictures, it appears to have leather bucket seats, as usually seen in fast GTs. Hopefully, we’ll be able to hear the V12 engine soon and get more performance figures, as TWR has teased us with relatively limited information.
Want One? Be Quick!
The Supercat is limited to just 88 units, to commemorate their 1988 Le Mans win, with some already sold. Production is strictly limited to this number and will begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Order books are now open and a spot in line can be secured with a refundable £10,000 (just over $12,500 at the time of writing) deposit. There will be a plethora of options, with TWR promising a high level of personalization. Prices will therefore range, but the Supercat will start from £225,000 (nearly $282,000) before taxes. It will be available in TWR’s home country, the UK, as well as the USA and other major market. It’s very pricey, especially from an unproven manufacturer, but the appeal of a driver-focused, limited restomod is almost unlimited and the prospect of owning one is mouth-watering.
