Photo: Jeremy Cottingham
Before the XJ220 went on sale in 1992, Jaguar’s mid-engined weapon of choice was the XJR-15. Just about 50 units were ever made, with a starting price of $960,165. This is one of those cars and, with less than 1,400 miles (2,253 kilometers) from new, it’s a time capsule and proof of Jaguar’s rather untamed past.
Listed for sale by classic car dealer Jeremy Cottingham, this is a 1991 Jaguar XJR-15, and the asking price is £400,000. If we convert these pounds sterlings to U.S. dollars, make that $500,000. As one of only 27 road-going examples ever produced, chassis number #021 oozes racing heritage.
You see, the XJR-15 was born in the aftermath of Jaguar’s return to the upper echelons of motorsport in the late 1980s. Based on the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 racecar, the XJR-15 boasts an exceedingly sexy body shell designed by Peter Stevens. Yes, that Peter Stevens who penned the McLaren F1 hypercar, as well as the iconic “555” Subaru Impreza WRC rally car.
Based around the central monocoque of the XJR-9, the XJR-15 isn’t exactly easy to drive. The endurance racer’s suspension was retained at all corners of the XJR-15. The 6.0-liter V12 engine, meanwhile, is based on the Group C-specification powerplant and it churns out 450 thundering horsepower to the rear wheels. To boot, the five-speed manual is an unsynchronised dog box. Bottom line is, the XJR-15 is a handful even in perfect weather conditions.
But that’s the magic of this leaping cat. It’s an unapologetic racecar that happens to wear number plates, not the other way around as the case is in rallying and touring car racing. For that and many other reasons, the XJR-15 should be on the shopping list of any well-heeled classic car collector.
You see, the XJR-15 was born in the aftermath of Jaguar’s return to the upper echelons of motorsport in the late 1980s. Based on the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 racecar, the XJR-15 boasts an exceedingly sexy body shell designed by Peter Stevens. Yes, that Peter Stevens who penned the McLaren F1 hypercar, as well as the iconic “555” Subaru Impreza WRC rally car.
Based around the central monocoque of the XJR-9, the XJR-15 isn’t exactly easy to drive. The endurance racer’s suspension was retained at all corners of the XJR-15. The 6.0-liter V12 engine, meanwhile, is based on the Group C-specification powerplant and it churns out 450 thundering horsepower to the rear wheels. To boot, the five-speed manual is an unsynchronised dog box. Bottom line is, the XJR-15 is a handful even in perfect weather conditions.
But that’s the magic of this leaping cat. It’s an unapologetic racecar that happens to wear number plates, not the other way around as the case is in rallying and touring car racing. For that and many other reasons, the XJR-15 should be on the shopping list of any well-heeled classic car collector.
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