Jaguar XKSS could be revived for limited production run

By Stephen Edelstein February 9, 2015

Jaguar XKSS — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Last year, Jaguar brought one of its most legendary models back from the dead with a limited production run of the Lightweight E-Type.

These were brand-new cars built to the exact specifications of the 1960s originals by Jaguar Land River’s Special Operations division. creating the possibility of future vehicular reincarnations.

The company is looking to do a follow up to the Lightweight E-Type, and is considering three or four potential candidates, Special Operations head John Edwards said in an interview with Autovisie.

The top contender? The XKSS.

This voluptuous two-seater was actually a road-going version of the Jaguar D-Type racer. After Jag withdrew the car in 1955, there were several leftover chassis that were quickly converted to road cars.

Beyond the addition of a windshield and folding roof, the changes weren’t dramatic. Steve McQueen was among the more famous owners.

Just 25 examples of the XKSS were built, making it as rare as it is beautiful. However, according to Edwards, nine were destroyed in a fire, and that makes the XKSS a more interesting candidate for recreation.

The missing nine cars gives Jaguar a premise to built more, just like the Lightweight E-Type. That project was undertaken to “complete” a production run that was never originally finished.

Replacing those nine destroyed cars wouldn’t really hurt the value of the original XKSS survivors, but it would give a few (well-heeled) buyers a chance to own one of Jaguar’s most iconic cars.

If that doesn’t pan out, there’s always the F-TYPE Project 7, Jaguar’s modern analog to the D-Type racer the XKSS was based on.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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