Great Drive in the Jaguar XJR-15
Discussion
hurstg01 said:
Nice!
I like this vid too, from one of the XJ220's...
This one?I like this vid too, from one of the XJ220's...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOBRS4JSm_E&fea...
I picked up the XJR-15 last weekend and drove it home. Total distance was about 40 miles and took back roads the entire way. Having not driven the XJR15 in six months I was a bit nervous that I would be out of sync with the car. However it all came back very quickly and we had a very enjoyable drive back down. That V12 really is a fantastic engine with endless grunt. Car behaved perfectly, even when we got stuck in traffic cutting through Slough.
hurstg01 said:
It looked great when I snapped it on the lawn of Goodwood House in August last year
Thanks. That was a great drive down that day. Found this which provides some great insights into the XJR-15:
(from Wikipedia)
History
Tom Walkinshaw conceived the concept in 1988, following Jaguar's success at Le Mans, enlisting Peter Stevens to develop a road-going version of the XJR-9, originally designated as R-9R.
In order to adapt the XJR-9 for road use, Stevens made a number of modifications to increase space and improve access. "Taking the race car as a base, we widened the cockpit by 75mm and raised the roof by 40mm to allow more headroom" he said, when interviewed in 1991.[1] "The scale model was ready by Easter 1989, from there we went to clay...which was finished by October (1989). The first prototype was held up by Le Mans preparations but it was ready for Tom (Walkinshaw) to drive when he came back from France in July 1990."
TWR explicitly developed the XJR-15 as a road-going racing car, in the mould of the Jaguar C and D types, the Ford GT40 and the Ferrari 250 GTO. As such, the car complied with British construction and use regulations and could be registered by the owner for road-use in the UK, although with such a limited production run, the car was never type approved.
The car's production was announced in a press release on November 15, 1990 with an official launch at Silverstone early in 1991. XJR-15 was built by Jaguar Sport in Bloxham Oxfordshire (a subsidiary of TWR) England from 1990 to 1992.
Design
XJR-15 was derived from the Le Mans winning XJR-9 racing car, sharing many component parts
The mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car is powered by a 450 hp (336 kW), naturally aspirated 24-valve V12 engine of 5993 cc, with a Group C bottom-end and Group A top-end. The engine features an advanced electronically managed fuel injection system with a very advanced (for its time) 'fly by wire' throttle. Transmission is via a TWR 6-speed manual, unsynchronized transmission (a 5-speed, synchromesh transmission was also available as an optional extra).
The XJR-15's chassis and bodywork are composed of carbon fibre and Kevlar (XJR-15 was the first road-going car built entirely of Carbon and Kevlar composites,[2] before the McLaren F1 used similar techniques in 1993). It was designed to comply with 1990 Group C regulations, being 480 cm long, 190 cm wide and 110 cm high. At 1050 kg, the XJR-15 weighed about the same as a contemporary VW Golf.
Suspension is fully independent, with non-adjustable Bilstein shock absorbers all round. Front suspension is by wide-based wishbones, working push-rods to spring damper units mounted horizontally across the centre of the car. TWR racing practice is also followed at the rear, with vertical coil-springs mounted in units with uprights within the rear wheels, allowing for the maximum possible venturi tunnels. The engine forms a stressed member for the rear-frame. The bottom of the car is completely flat, in line with Group C practice.
Steel disc brakes are fitted, with powerful AP four-pot callipers.
The XJR-15 has a 0–60 mph time of 3.9 seconds and a (gearing limited) top speed of 191 mph (307 km/h) (race car).
Although marketed as a racer, the car had been developed as a "road-going-racer" and as such, the ride height was somewhat higher than required to take full advantage of under-body aerodynamics. Additionally, the suspension was softer than would be found on the XJR-9 racer and - in a last-minute deal - Tom Walkinshaw switched tyre suppliers from Goodyear to Bridgestone just before the race series started. When interviewed by Autosport[3] in 2011, Ian Flux recalled: "The worst thing was that Tom had done a deal with Bridgestone. At first, it was going to be on road tyres, but then they changed to slicks and wets. The fronts weren't a problem, but they didn't have moulds for the rears, so used F40 moulds instead. They went off very quickly and it was hard to judge how hard to push."
As Tiff Needell, who road-tested a development car at Silverstone early in 1991, put it: "the result is oversteer". However, once accustomed to the characteristics, he went on: "Through the very tight chicane, the XJR-15 showed excellent change of direction and I was able to pick up power early for the long right hander leading up to Beckett's. This gradually became a long right-hand power slide as my confidence increased." Users of the car as a racer in later years would lower the suspension, fit a larger wing and proper tyres to restore race-car dynamics.
As a road-car, the suspension was more softly set-up and with the right tyres, testers were unanimous in their praise. Ian Kuah, writing in World Sports Cars in 1992[4]: "Considering its racing pedigree, ride quality is pretty good - at low speeds, better than a Ferrari 348...Levels of grip are far beyond those transgressed by any sane man, except perhaps when exiting a tight corner in a low gear when the sheer grunt pushing you through can persuade the huge Bridgestones to relinquish some grip. Seat of the pants feel and communication is terrific and the steering nicely weighted so that smooth inputs are easy. When it comes to stopping, the huge AP Racing brakes - with softer pads for road use - wash off speed with steely determination."
Ron Grable, the racing driver, writing in Motor Trend in May 1992[5]: "As the engine sprang into a muted rumbling idle, it was impossible to keep from grinning. Easing the unsynchronised six-speed into gear, I accelerated onto the straight. Many race cars are diabolical to get moving...not so the Jag, the smooth V-12 pulled cleanly away, nearly as docile as a street-car. On the track, the XJR-15 is a truly wonderful ride, the perfect compromise between racing and street. You can say the savage edge of a pure race car has been softened slightly, or conversely, that it's the best handling street car you can imagine. Being 100% composite, it's so light that every aspect of performance is enhanced. Relatively low spring and roll rates are enough to keep it stable in pitch and roll, as well as deliver a high level of ride compliance. The brakes are phenomenal and the acceleration fierce. And always, there's that V-12, a medley of mechanical noises superimposed over the raucous rise and fall of the exhaust."
The XJR-15 offers little in the way of practicality. Entry to the car, over a wide sill, requires the driver to step onto the driving seat. The gear-lever is mounted on the right-hand side of the driver (all cars are right-hand-drive), while the driver and passenger seat are extremely close together - almost central in the car. There is little in the way of sound insulation, so an in-car head-set system is fitted. There is virtually no storage space. However, considering the purpose for which it was intended, the interior was highly praised in contemporary road reports. Ron Grable again: "Aesthetically, the XJR-15's interior is breathtaking. Expanses of shiny black carbon fibre woven with yellow Kevlar are everywhere, all fitting together with meticulous precision. Instrumentation is detailed and legibly analogue. The shift leaver is less than 3 inches from the small steering wheel, and the motion between gears is almost imperceptible. The reclined seating position provides excellent forward visibility - over the top of the instrument panel you see only racetrack."
SteveO220 said:
F16 TomCat said:
Stevo220, I am looking forward to seeing the car when it's finished. Even if I was tempted to do something with mine, I feel the Nr 1 car should remain original. I have just acquired a second car, a road version with 5 speed box and LM spec body work. I will probably repaint this one to a high standard. Boxer's always looks fantastic, it's a tough standard to meet.
Congrats on the second car...I am getting tempted by a second one as well...but need to finish the first one first! Steve Wakefield just did a nice review on Rod Leach's car:
http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3600.asp?...
Yesterday was cold, sunny and dry here so took the opportunity to take the big Jag out for a drive. Just getting it started is always an event in the XJR-15. Once started and warm, headed out to do one of the usual circuits. The more I drive it, the better it keeps getting and the more natural it feels. Car and driver have now reached the point where we seem to have a pretty good understanding of what to expect from one another so progress is much quicker and much smoother. That big 6 liter V12 is just a phenomenal engine. Huge shove in the back when you give it a bit of right foot. Once you get used to the clutch and rifle fast gear change, it is a real pleasure to use.
That early feeling of ecstasy of making it back to the garage alive (driving a Group C race car on the road can be a tad intimidating initially) is long gone, this time out, we actually went back and ran a second section on the loop a 2nd time just because we were having so much fun.
That early feeling of ecstasy of making it back to the garage alive (driving a Group C race car on the road can be a tad intimidating initially) is long gone, this time out, we actually went back and ran a second section on the loop a 2nd time just because we were having so much fun.
SteveO220 said:
chris.mapey said:
Have to say that an XJR-15 is my ultimate dream car (that or a McLaren F1). One day...
Same for me! In fact, in the nineties, I felt the '15 was the more desirable car. Funny how time changes things. While I am now lucky enough to be able to afford one, the other will remain permanently out of reach I suspect.I was talking to a serious collector on Sunday (with over 300 cars). He is someone who likes to make money out of the game, as well as driving his 'investments'. He has an XJR-15 in his collection and in his opinion is taking advantage of a massive arbitrage between the '15 and F1. As he puts it, the '15 is rarer (only 50 built), has an almost equal racing pedigree (through the XJR-9 link), is a more interesting drive and was actually the first fully C/F road car, before the F1. It lacks the 'Gordon Murray' cleverness of the F1 (but has Tom Walkingshaw behind it - hardly a bad thing) and is clearly not as easy to drive (which to some PHers is a good thing!). It also lacks instant recognition. But he has seen all this in the past on other models and has done pretty well betting on these big market corrections.
His 'target' price for the '15 is £1m+ over the next 10 years. That sounds staggering compared to current values, but stranger things have happened (e.g. the DB5 or Miura).
If you believe any of this and can put a reasonable chunk of money aside, go for it!
SteveO220 said:
Same for me! In fact, in the nineties, I felt the '15 was the more desirable car. Funny how time changes things. While I am now lucky enough to be able to afford one, the other will remain permanently out of reach I suspect.
I was talking to a serious collector on Sunday (with over 300 cars). He is someone who likes to make money out of the game, as well as driving his 'investments'. He has an XJR-15 in his collection and in his opinion is taking advantage of a massive arbitrage between the '15 and F1. As he puts it, the '15 is rarer (only 50 built), has an almost equal racing pedigree (through the XJR-9 link), is a more interesting drive and was actually the first fully C/F road car, before the F1. It lacks the 'Gordon Murray' cleverness of the F1 (but has Tom Walkingshaw behind it - hardly a bad thing) and is clearly not as easy to drive (which to some PHers is a good thing!). It also lacks instant recognition. But he has seen all this in the past on other models and has done pretty well betting on these big market corrections.
His 'target' price for the '15 is £1m+ over the next 10 years. That sounds staggering compared to current values, but stranger things have happened (e.g. the DB5 or Miura).
If you believe any of this and can put a reasonable chunk of money aside, go for it!
How is yours coming along?I was talking to a serious collector on Sunday (with over 300 cars). He is someone who likes to make money out of the game, as well as driving his 'investments'. He has an XJR-15 in his collection and in his opinion is taking advantage of a massive arbitrage between the '15 and F1. As he puts it, the '15 is rarer (only 50 built), has an almost equal racing pedigree (through the XJR-9 link), is a more interesting drive and was actually the first fully C/F road car, before the F1. It lacks the 'Gordon Murray' cleverness of the F1 (but has Tom Walkingshaw behind it - hardly a bad thing) and is clearly not as easy to drive (which to some PHers is a good thing!). It also lacks instant recognition. But he has seen all this in the past on other models and has done pretty well betting on these big market corrections.
His 'target' price for the '15 is £1m+ over the next 10 years. That sounds staggering compared to current values, but stranger things have happened (e.g. the DB5 or Miura).
If you believe any of this and can put a reasonable chunk of money aside, go for it!
Took advantage of the early morning sun to take the Jaguar XJR-15 out for a run today. Despite not having moved in over a month, it started right up and ran beautifully. The more use it gets, the better it becomes. It is such a unique special car that every time out is an adventure. I have enough miles in the "15" now that it all comes back very quickly and it is easy to get into a quick flow once underway. The huge amount of torque the V12 produces always impresses and the soundtrack is raw, powerful, and penetrating. The lack of sound insulation means that you can hear and enjoy the entire range of mechanical orchestration from the gearbox to the crankshaft, to each piston. It is a car that truly feels alive on the road and you need to learn how to work in smooth conjunction with the machine to get the best out of it. The brakes and steering are both excellent. The amount of grip the "15" has, even on a stone cold road, is impressive. Key to a good run though is driving it more like a race, and not road car. You need to set up corners, pick your braking and turn in points, and then allow the torque to push you out of the corner. Once you get the rhythm it a terrific feeling. With today's light traffic and clear weather it was a great rewarding drive. Only regret was it didn't last longer.
hurstg01 said:
If it is SN 49, then it last was for sale in Brussels. I took a look at it when RM had the car before deciding to purchase mine.
SteveO220 said:
It's a pleasure to be able to share the car with true enthusiasts.
I had a very enjoyable 1 hour 15 minute run down to Goodwood (62 miles and £50 worth of petrol...or about 9MPG). My car has had a lot of modifications to make it more user-friendly, not least of which - the aircon - provided welcome relief on the way back when the sun was up.
I know of 4 or 5 more cars that are coming to UK roads in the next 12 months so your chances of seeing one will increase considerably...;-)
They are becoming as common as XJ220s around these parts...................I had a very enjoyable 1 hour 15 minute run down to Goodwood (62 miles and £50 worth of petrol...or about 9MPG). My car has had a lot of modifications to make it more user-friendly, not least of which - the aircon - provided welcome relief on the way back when the sun was up.
I know of 4 or 5 more cars that are coming to UK roads in the next 12 months so your chances of seeing one will increase considerably...;-)
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