Jaguar to build the ‘lost’ XKSS 1957 sports car!

Amirul

Resident Journalist
Jun 7, 2016
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Kuala Lumpur
www.zerotohundred.com


When someone intend to resume production of a limited series sports car just to complete its planned production numbers, I would say that they are pretty committed. Jaguar has unveiled its factory-fresh XKSS in Los Angeles recently, the car that Jaguar says “the first XKSS from the ‘lost’ cars to complete the series run”.



What does the company mean by ‘lost’ cars? A little history here, well, the XKSS is the road-legal version of the D-Type race car. In 1957, a limited number of 25 D-Types are signed off for road-going conversions. But only 16 units were built as the remaining 9 cars – planned for export to North America – were lost in the Browns Lane factory fire later that year.



We have no idea why it took nearly 6 decades for the company to resume production, but it would be an interesting continuation project since the time gap will be filled with some technological changes. The 9 cars will be entirely new, with period chassis numbers from the XKSS commission log. To be built by Jaguar Classic, the cars will combine original drawings from the company’s archive and modern technology and come with a pricing of over £1 million each. The automaker scanned several units of the original 1957 XKSS to generate a complete digital image data of the car.



The LA example is the first of the 9 continuation units, featuring body made of magnesium alloy as it was in 1957. The chassis tube is made of bronze-welded frames by frame maker Reynolds, while the wheels are riveted 2-piece magnesium alloys wrapped in Dunlop rubbers. There’s also 4-wheel Dunlop disc brakes with a Plessey pump.



The heart of the XKSS is constructed from cast iron blocks, new cast cylinder heads and a 3 Weber DC03 carburetors. The completely new 3.4-litre straight 6-cylinder unit makes 262 horses.



The fidelity is echoed into the interior, as everything from the grain of the leather seats to the wood of the steering wheel as well as the brass knobs are precisely made to resemble the original 1957 XKSS. However, to comply to modern driver and passenger safety, minor specification changes has to be made to the cabin.
 

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