Skip to main content

Don’t call it a replica: Jaguar’s reborn XKSS to debut at the 2016 LA Auto Show

Jaguar XKSS
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The Jaguar XKSS went out of production in 1957, but it’s making a comeback. Earlier this year at the New York Auto Show, Jaguar announced that it would build nine “continuation” replicas of the XKSS to symbolically complete the original production run. The finished product will debut in November at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Each car will be built to the exact specifications of the original XKSS, but Jaguar considers these cars to be more than replicas. A fire at the company’s Browns Lane, England, factory ended the original production run before the last nine cars were built. Jaguar considers itself to be finishing what it started 59 years ago, which is why it calls the nine new cars “continuation” models rather than replicas.

The XKSS is certainly deserving of revival. It was a road-going version of the D-Type race car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. When the racing program ended, Jaguar was left with 25 D-Type chassis that were then converted into road cars and sold to customers. One of those original customers was Steve McQueen, so it’s fitting the make its return in California. All nine of the new cars are already spoken for, probably by people who aren’t as cool.

Read more: Meet the Ford GT40 that won Le Mans in 1966, and became a legend

This nostalgic stunt follows the same pattern as the Lightweight E-Type Jaguar revived in 2014. Like the XKSS, the original Lightweight E-Type production run was never completed, so Jag built only the number of cars it intended to build in period. The company had planned to build 18 of these cars for racing, but only completed 12. That left room for the “Missing Six” to be built about five decades later, and sold to some very wealthy customers.

All six cars were completed in racing spec, allowing owners to enter them into FIA-sanctioned historic races. To drive that point home, Jaguar is entering one of the Lightweight E-Types in the Le Mans Classic this weekend, with automotive journalist and Top Gear host Chris Harris at the wheel.

The XKSS would look great on a track, but considering that it costs in excess of $1.5 million, it would be understandable if owners decided not to take the risk. Following its debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show, deliveries will begin in early 2017 to mark the car’s 50th anniversary.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Alpine sale: Up to $160 off speakers and subs for your car
alpine speaker sale crutchfield march 2024 car and amp setup on table

If you’re looking to kit your car out with some superior speakers or a subwoofer, Crutchfield is the place to go today. Right now, there’s a huge sale on Alpine subwoofers and speakers with nearly 50 different items forming the sale. As there are so many options, the best idea is to hit the button below to see what’s around. If you don’t know where to start though, read on while we take you through some great items in the sale.

What to shop for in the Alpine sale
Buying the best aftermarket car speakers are important for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road and is currently dealing with a mediocre sound system. One good starting point in the Alpine sale is the 2-way speakers for $104 instead of $130. You get two 2-way speakers with a polypropylene/glass fiber/mica woofer with a specialized rubber surround. There’s a one-inch silk dome tweeter with speakers able to handle up to 80 watts RMS with 240 watts peak power. The grilles aren’t included but the factor ones should be fine for most purposes.

Read more
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more