There are classic cars, rare classics, unique classics and low and high end classics, but periodically there are those vehicles that set the standards of what the term classic actually means and those that are in a category in and of themselves that cannot be compared to others. These vehicles are beyond the standards. There are no rules or judges that analyze and decide which classics qualify for this status, we just know. At Gooding & Company on March 10, 2017 at Amelia Island, Florida one of these particular vehicles will enter the stage with David Gooding and Charlie Ross. Spectators will have a front row seat to history. The vehicle we are speaking of is the 1957 Jaguar XKSS. The catalogue estimate for this fine piece of art is $16,000,000 to $18,000,000. For more information about the entire auction go Gooding & Company
“This renowned sports car delivers D-Type performance with nimble and responsive driving dynamics, paired perfectly with the most voluptuous design,” exclaims David Gooding, President and Founder of Gooding & Company. “For us to present this XKSS, one of the greatest sports cars of all time and the first one offered at public auction in over a decade, is truly a great honor.”
Jaguar had tremendous racing success with the company’s D-Type, most notably three overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (1955, 1956, and 1957), two wins at the 12 Hours of Reims (1954 and 1956), and outright victories at the 1955 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1956 Grand Prix of Spa. In October 1956, at the height of the D-Type’s career, Jaguar announced that it was temporarily retiring from motor racing to focus on production cars. On January 21, 1957, the company publicized plans to build and sell an exclusive run of 25 road-going sports cars based on its Le Mans-winning D-type, to be known as the XKSS. Jaguar had constructed only 16 examples of the XKSS when, on the evening of February 12, 1957, a fire engulfed the Browns Lane plant, destroying the nine unfinished chassis.
The car presented here, chassis XKSS 716, is one of those 16 original examples of the famed roadster. The Jaguar was delivered new to Montreal, Canada, where it was raced to many firstplace finishes in Canadian sports car events from 1957 to 1961. The XKSS was sold amongst prominent Jaguar enthusiasts, where it continued to race in various events and enjoyed at numerous vintage rallies, until the current owner acquired the car nearly two decades ago.
About ten years ago, XKSS 716 received a complete, show-quality restoration by UK-based marque specialist Pearsons Engineering. Beautifully restored and refinished in an attractive deep, dark green, XKSS 716 made its concours debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® in August 2010, where Jaguar was featured in recognition of its 75th anniversary. To honor the company’s most famous and beloved car, the show’s organizers arranged a special XKSS class, reuniting 12 of the 16 original cars. Since this outing, the XKSS has been shown at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and driven on exclusive tours in Europe and North America. Today, it remains in superb cosmetic and mechanical condition. On a recent outing, it delivered thrilling performance, with impressive power, light yet precise controls, confidence-inspiring handling, and a glorious, hair-raising exhaust note. A decade has passed since the last XKSS was offered for sale at public auction, with most examples now guarded in private collections. When the next example might become available is anyone’s guess, but it will almost certainly pale in comparison to XKSS 716.
As the Gooding information expresses above, we never know when another one of these Jaguars will come up for sale, therefore MyclassicNEWS believes that this XKSS will make auction history. Our logo states “The Essence of Classic Cars” and watching and/or buying, if you are lucky enough to have the resources, is what the “essence” is all about.
All images copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company.
Photos by Brian Henniker.
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