TWR Supercat: a 600bhp carbonfibre resurrection of the Jaguar XJS

► TWR is back with Supercat ‘Super-GT’
► Supercharged V12 and manual gearbox
► Design by @the_kyza and Magnus Walker

The names TWR and Jaguar go together like bread and jam – so it seems entirely appropriate that the reinvention of the former as a ‘constructor of bespoke automobiles’ begins with this TWR Supercat, which is based on the Jaguar XJS. Jaguar’s grand tourer, which will be 50 years old in 2025, has always been distinctive. But the Supercat is something else.

Clad in thoroughly rescultped carbonfibre bodywork and powered by a supercharged V12 that promises ‘more than 600bhp’, the Supercat is the new TWR’s first effort to claim a piece of the well-heeled restomod market. Its appearance is spectacular, but if it also looks a little like something you’d see on social media, digitally crafted by a genius with a computer, well, there’s a reason for that, too…

The new TWR has been founded by Fergus Walkinshaw – son of Tom Walkinshaw, the TW in the original name (the R standing for Racing) – and business partner John Kane. It’s a ‘separate entity’ to the originally TWR, which built a legendary name for itself developing racing and performance cars in the 1980s and 1990s.

Much of that legend came in association with Jaguar, particular the XJR-9 and XJR-15 Le Mans cars. Though there were contemporary TWR versions of the XJS that raced as well, the Supercat’s limited run of 88 examples pays tribute to the XJR-9’s Le Mans victory in 1988. The TWR name may also be familiar for its racing link to other brands, most notoriously the Volvo 850 Estate touring car.

The firm’s reinvention as the creator of modernised classics has not come overnight. The Supercat project has been in the works for nearly three years and TWR’s team comprises ‘a group of technical and operational talent from the most celebrated names in motorsport and performance car development. This includes: McLaren, Ferrari, Porsche, Williams, Mercedes F1 and Renault F1.’

Furthermore: ‘The design, engineering and development programme of the Supercat series sets the standard for all future TWR products and production runs. The development of this project started more than two years ago and has taken