Jaguar unveils the £1million XKSS – an exact replica of the iconic 1950s motor owned by Steve McQueen
Car maker resurrects 'lost' racer 59 years after fire halted production
JAGUAR has unveiled its latest supercar - the £1million XKSS which is an exact replica of the iconic 1950s motor made famous by Hollywood legend Steve McQueen
The XKSS was the road-going version of the D-Type racer, which won Le Mans three years running in the 1950s.
Star McQueen famously owned an XKSS but just 16 of the planned 25 were ever built with production halted after a fire ripped through Jaguar's Browns Lane Factory in 1957.
Now, 59 years later, the 'lost' nine XKSS models have been built - with the reborn sports car costing more than £1 MILLION.
And despite the eye-watering price-tag, all of the cars have been sold.
It is still considerably cheaper than an original XKSS, which will set you back over £10 million these days.
The D-Type which won Le Mans in 1956 sold for £16.5 million in the summer.
Staff at Jaguar Land Rover Classic spent 10,000 hours building each car.
Kev Riches, Jaguar Classic Engineering manager, said: "The XKSS is one of the most important cars in Jaguar's history, and we are committed to making the 'new original' version absolutely faithful to the period car in every way.
"From the number, type and position of all the rivets used - there are more than 2,000 in total - to the Smiths gauges on the dashboard, everything is the same as the original cars, because that is the way it should be."
The Jaguar Classic engineering team scanned several versions of the 1957 XKSS to help build a complete digital image of the car, from the body to chassis, and including all parts required.
Under the bonnet, the XKSS is fitted with a 262hp 3.4-litre straight six-cylinder Jaguar D-type engine. This should give it a top speed of around 150mph.
Inside, the 'new original' XKSS features perfect recreations of the original Smiths gauges.
Everything from the wood of the steering wheel, to the grain of the leather seats, through to the brass knobs on the XKSS dashboard, is precisely as it would have been in 1957.
Minor specification changes have been made only to improve driver and passenger safety. The fuel cell uses robust, modern materials to support throughput of modern fuels.
Tim Hannig, director of Jaguar Land Rover Classic, said: "The XKSS continuation programme underlines the world-class expertise we have at Jaguar Land Rover Classic.
"We are committed to nurturing the passion and enthusiasm for Jaguar's illustrious past by offering exceptional cars, services, parts and experiences."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368