Three-car Le Mans team reunited for Jaguar XJ220 25th anniversary at Silverstone

Celebrations to mark the 25^th anniversary of Jaguar's fabulous XJ220 at next month's Silverstone Classic (28^th to 30^th July) just got bigger and better, with news that Saturday's record-breaking track parade will be fronted by the three-car Le Mans team from 1993. What's more, adding to the amazing sense of occasion, all three will be resplendent in their original period liveries.

The XJ220C competition version of Jaguar's remarkable mid-engined two-seater was launched just months after the first customer cars were delivered in June 1992 (hence the 25^th birthday celebrations) and a three-car TWR Jaguar Sport factory-backed team was entered into the increasingly-important GT class at the following year's running of the famous French endurance classic.

Numbered #50, #51 and #52, they were raced respectively by David Brabham, David Coulthard and John Nielsen; Armin Hahne, Win Percy and David Leslie plus Paul Belmondo, Jay Cochran and Andreas Fuchs. Both the #51 and #52 cars succumbed to engine issues but the #50 car survived to finish the 24 Hours in an impressive 10^th overall and take top class honours in the key GT category.

The XJ220Cs had been running under appeal for not racing with catalytic converters. They were later deemed to be totally legal as they had been entered under American International MotorSports Association regulations, though a month later the French still controversially disqualified the victorious Brabham, Coulthard and Nielsen 'winner' as the paperwork for the original appeal had been wrongly filed.

Come the stunning XJ220 track parade at the Silverstone Classic, the #50 Le Mans car will rightly be back on pole position, flanked by #51 and #52. The first is owned by renowned classic car dealer and race preparation experts JD Classics, while the other two have recently been restored to their respective former glories - and racing colours - by XJ220 specialists Don Law Racing. Sensationally, #51 is coming all the way from Japan just to be part of these magical 25^th anniversary celebrations.