‘Vanishingly rare, utterly beautiful, and with blistering performance.’
Those are the words used by classic car experts when describing a ‘rare and truly iconic’ 1957 Jaguar XKSS that will be sold at a London auction early next month.
It is expected to generate bids in the region of £9million to £11million when it goes under the hammer at a special sale in the capital on 2 November.
But while it has been dubbed ‘one of the most desirable British sports car ever made,’ even its higher estimate will pale in comparison to the prices paid for other UK-made motors that have gone to the block in recent years.
In fact, six other British models have sold for more than £11million – and we’ll show you all of them…
‘One of the most desirable British sports car ever made’: This is one of the 16 original Jaguar XKSS models produced by the British marque in 1957 before its Coventry factory fire destroyed the remaining 9 vehicles being built. It is predicted to sell for a new record-high figure for its type when the hammer drops at a London auction in November
When it comes to collectible British sports cars from yesteryear, it arguably doesn’t get more desirable than the XKSS.
The limited-edition model was born of 16 D-Type racing chassis that were converted to road-legal two-seaters primarily for the then-lucrative US market in 1957, having been made available after Jaguar took the decision to withdraw from racing.
However, tragedy struck on 12 February 1957 when a fire broke out at the company’s Browns Lane factory in Coventry, destroying the nine unsold motors.
In March 2016, Jaguar took the bold move to complete the 25 scheduled XKSS road cars by hand-building to order the outstanding chassis.
Each one was remanufactured to the exacting original specification and assigned with the chassis number of the destroyed vehicles, though the nine – each priced to sell for more than £1million – were all given the tag line ‘continuation’ cars.
This 1957 example is one of the surviving 16 originals, which ultimately makes it far more valuable than the latter creations.
RM Sotheby’s, which is responsible for finding a new keeper for chassis number ‘XKD 540’, refers to it as an ‘exceptional high-performance machine little changed from the world-beating D-Type racing variant that conquered the 24 Hours of Le Mans no fewer than three times’.
While many XKSS models lived their lives as road cars, this particular example also boasts a storied racing history including competitive entries in both the United Kingdom and Australia.
When it comes to collectible British sports cars from yesteryear, it arguably doesn’t get more desirable than the XKSS
The limited-edition XKSS road car was born out of the remaining Jaguar D-Type racing chassis after the British marque had taken the decision to withdraw from racing at the end of 1956. The 25 cars were due to made with the US market in mind
Tragedy struck on 12 February 1957 when a fire broke out at the company’s Browns Lane factory in Coventry, destroying the nine unsold motors. However, the car seen here that’s heading to RM Sotheby’s London auction is one of the 16 originals
It is one of just two XKSSs to retain its D-Type competition XKD chassis number and was kept by Jaguar until April 1957, before being returned to the manufacturer for conversion to full XKSS specification in October 1958.
At that time it was upgraded from 3.4 to 3.8-litre specification by the Jaguar factory in 1960.
On leaving Browns Lane, the car was finished in the classic Jaguar combination of British Racing Green over a green suede leather interior.
This XKSS was sold to Jack Browning in 1959 and subsequently went to Australia in 1962, where it was raced locally.
Following its time in the Antipodes, the car was purchased in 1972 by noted Jaguar enthusiast Bryan Corser, before being sold to long-time owner Hermann Graf von Hatzfeldt in 1985.
Acquired by the consignor in 2017, and rarely driven since, the XKSS has been fastidiously maintained by marque experts Pearsons Engineering and CKL Developments.
RM Sotheby’s says chassis number ‘XKD 540’ is an ‘exceptional high-performance machine little changed from the world-beating D-Type racing variant that conquered the 24 Hours of Le Mans no fewer than three times’
While many XKSS models lived their lives as road cars, this particular example also boasts a storied racing history including competitive entries in both the United Kingdom and Australia
It is one of just two XKSSs to retain its D-Type competition XKD chassis number and was kept by Jaguar until April 1957
Most surviving original XKSSs now make up private collections or are cherished museum pieces.
This includes the one owned by the King of Cool, Steve McQueen.
He acquired one of the 16 factory-made models, which was white with a red interior when he acquired it.
However, shortly after purchasing the car, McQueen had it repainted in his favourite shade of British Racing Green, polished the Dunlop wheels, and had the interior re-trimmed in black leather.
He reportedly drove it in a spirited fashion, too. It has been suggested that he received so many tickets while at the wheel that he almost lost his licence twice during the first 12 months of ownership. He eventually parted with the car in the early 1970s and that model remains on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
Most surviving original XKSSs now make up private collections or are cherished museum pieces. This includes the one owned by Steve McQueen (pictured)
McQueen acquired one of the 16 factory-made models, which was white with a red interior when he acquired it. However, shortly after purchasing the car, McQueen had it repainted in his favourite shade of British Racing Green, polished the Dunlop wheels, and had the interior re-trimmed in black leather
The King of Cool reportedly drove his XKSS in a spirited fashion. It has been suggested that he received so many tickets while at the wheel that he almost lost his licence twice during the first 12 months of ownership
Acquired by the consignor in 2017, and rarely driven since, the XKSS has been fastidiously maintained by marque experts Pearsons Engineering and CKL Developments
This car was returned to the manufacturer for conversion to full XKSS specification in October 1958
At that time it was upgraded from 3.4 to 3.8-litre specification by the Jaguar factory in 1960. It retains that engine today
Sholto Gilbertson, director of sales for RM Sotheby’s in the UK, says the car heading to London auction is a ‘hugely significant car’ and ‘unquestionably one of the finest XKSSs in existence’.
And it also presents a unique proposition for European customers.
That’s because it is the very first time an XKSS has been offered for auction in Europe, which is why it is estimated to go for such a high sum.
In fact, should it make the top-end £11million sale estimate, it will overtake the £10million sale price achieved last year for chassis number ‘XKSS 707’ to become to most expensive of its kind.
However, it won’t be the most expensive British classic bought at auction. Here’s a run down of six British motor cars that have sold for more in auction rooms…
SIX MOST EXPENSIVE BRITISH CARS SOLD AT AUCTION
6. This 1995 McLaren F1, chassis number 044, was sold by Bonhams in August 2017 in California for $15.6million, the equivalent of £11.9million today
5. Another McLaren F1, this time an earlier 1994 ‘LM-Specification’ – chassis 018 – changed hands in August 2019 at an RM Sotheby’s sale in the US for $19.8million, which is around £15.1million
4. Completing a hat-trick of McLaren F1 sales for staggering prices is this 1995 example, chassis number 029. Gooding & Company attracted its new owner at auction in August 2021 with a sale price of $20.5million, which is around £15.6million
3. In third spot in the list of the priciest British classics sold at auction is this 1963 Aston Martin DP215. It was bought at a 2018 RM Sotheby’s sale in Monterey, California for $21.5million, which equates to £16.4million today
2. While the 1957 XKSS heading to auction next month could become the priciest XKSS, it won’t be the most expensive Jaguar. That moniker goes to this 1955 D-Type, chassis XKD 501, sold by RM Sotheby’s in August 2016 in the US for $21.8million – or £16.6million
1. The most expensive British car of all time to sell at auction is this fabulous 1956 Aston Martin DBR1. The winning bid of $22.6million (£17.2million) was made at an RM Sotheby’s sale in August 2017 in Monterey, California
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