Thursday 8th September 2011

YKYWT... Jaguar XJR-15

Rarer than gold-capped hens teeth, and in 'original condition'

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We know what you're thinking, and you're right - you don't see many of these for sale, and when you do very few are road registered. Only 50 of these magnificent machines were built between 1990-1992 by TWR.

Mechanically speaking the XJR-15 was supposedly an off-shoot of the 1988 LeMans-winning XJR-9 and was conceived originally to test Carbon and plastic body panels. An unconfirmed number of them were used in the Jaguar Sport Intercontinental Challenge (16 cars were on the grids but we don't know how many were used in total) which was a Grand Prix support race series held only at Monaco, Silverstone, and Spa and the cost in 1990 was around £500,000...each.

450bhp was on tap from the six litre V12, and with only 1050kg to shove it made the carbon-and-kevlar XJR-15 and extremely fast car in 1990. Here's a clip of Timothy Needell giving one the berries around Silverstone (start it at 2:30 if you want to skip the waffle).

This one has never been raced. As a matter of fact it was delivered new to Japan where apparently its first owner neither drove it or even started it up - surely through either restraint or foolishness (or both?) on a mammoth scale.

It has just been put on the market by its second owner in the Netherlands who claims that it has covered a mere 350 miles since being registered and who also reckons that this is one of very few examples which hasn't been rebuilt and is therefore in original condition.

Understandably the price is available on application only, and it's very hard to value because so rarely do they come up for sale. But despite the rarity and desirability of these beasties, it's probably safe to say that this one will cost somewhat less than the original half-mil'.

But being such a little-used example and with so few miles on it, would you use it?

[thewheelman]

Love it! I don't care that by reputation it's a pig to drive, it looks stunning.

[Beefmeister]

A chap over on Teamspeed.com has just picked up an XJR-15...

http://www.teamspeed.com/forums/aston-martin-jagua...

Nice.

[angry jock]

Gorgeous. Didnt Clarkson stuff one of these on one of his videos?
Definitely on my lottery wish list!!

[Likes Fast Cars]

The original owner didn't even start the engine? What a crime against humanity.

[Caractacus]

Likes Fast Cars said:

The original owner didn't even start the engine? What a crime against engineering.

EFA

[DeadMeat_UK]

I remember watching the Silverstone race.

They went like the clappers, sounded great, but looked very, very lively on the limit.

[PetrolAholic]

One of these has always been on my lottery list just because of the rarity, the looks of the thing is only an added bonus. Slightly off topic though but that steering wheel is a proper FAT MAN wheel.... even room for a belly!

[thewheelman]

angry jock said:

Gorgeous. Didnt Clarkson stuff one of these on one of his videos?
Definitely on my lottery wish list!!

He span it.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdRjpJw3SyE

[crostonian]

That's one helluva offset on the rear wheels! What are those tail lights from?

[Pistachio]

Doesnt Tiff sound posh in the clip heheheehe

[CRB1]

50 Rare??

What about 5?

That IS rare.

[seefarr]

PH said:

Understandably the price is available on application only

The vendor has a price estimation on their website of £350k.

http://www.zwakmanmotors.com/

But a lovely bit of motor - that sound is crazy.

[Pothole]

seefarr said:

PH said:

Understandably the price is available on application only

The vendor has a price estimation on their website of £350k.

http://www.zwakmanmotors.com/

But a lovely bit of motor - that sound is crazy.

never understandable to me...snobbery, imho.

[dan5oclocksmith]

PetrolAholic said:

One of these has always been on my lottery list just because of the rarity, the looks of the thing is only an added bonus. Slightly off topic though but that steering wheel is a proper FAT MAN wheel.... even room for a belly!

Is that a dogleg box with reverse top right, or a standard H with reverse bottom left?

[Rouleur]

CRB1 said:

50 Rare??

What about 5?

That IS rare.

Pfft. Four.

[lsclayton]

This was my poster car as a boy

[squirrelz]

SOOO much better looking than the XJ220.

[Frimley111R]

Rouleur said:

CRB1 said:

50 Rare??

What about 5?

That IS rare.

Pfft. Four.

FT, 3! Defo rarer.

[SkinnyBoy]

crostonian said:

That's one helluva offset on the rear wheels! What are those tail lights from?

Mazda 626 Coupe old bean!

[silversixx]

seefarr said:

The vendor has a price estimation on their website of £350k.

http://www.zwakmanmotors.com/

But a lovely bit of motor - that sound is crazy.

As if to make me appear even more stupid than I am, he decided to issue the asking price after I'd spoken to him!