This car shown here is a beautiful 1991 JaguarSport XJR-15 (chassis 22), photographed by @alastair_ladd during it’s outing at Jaguar Spa 1991, and accompanied by some period screenshots from @montykernow! The JaguarSport XJR-15 was developed by Scottish racing driver Tom Walkinshaw, founder of Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR). His relationship with Jaguar rose after success racing a Jaguar XJ-S in the 1982 European Touring Car Championship. By 1988, the TWR-designed Jaguar XJR-9 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With demand growing for a racing road car, TWR and Jaguar Cars Limited formed JaguarSport in the late 1980s to develop the XJR-15 and XJ220. Initially dubbed ‘XJR-14’, ‘R9-R’, or ‘S3’ internally, the Peter Stevens-designed XJR-15 was based on the Tony Southgate-engineered XJR-9LM. Stevens began with the ex-Win Percy XJR-8 tub, building a Le Mans-style road car per Walkinshaw’s request. Stevens later revised the carbon monocoque for road use, while Jim Router and David Fullerton tuned the chassis. Carbon fiber work was done by Astec Composites and Dove. Andy Morrison served as project manager, with Charlie Bamber and Martin Smith developing the engine under Allan Scott. It was also built to race in the 1991 Jaguar Sport Intercontinental Challenge—held at Monaco, Silverstone, and Spa—with 16 cars entered and two spares prepared. In total, 52 XJR-15s were made, including race cars, LM versions, road cars, and prototypes, each with unique differences. The one-make 1991 JaguarSport Intercontinental Challenge featured drivers such as Matt Aitken, Davy Jones, Andy Evans, Bob Wollek, Tiff Needell, Jim Richards, Cor Euser, Masauki Sunada, David Brabham, Armin Hahne, Derek Warwick, David Leslie, Nigel Spiro, John Nielsen, Yojiro Terada, Juan-Manuel Fangio II, Ian Flux, Win Percy, Kenny Acheson, Will Hoy, Pierre Dieudonné, Thierry Tassin, John Watson, and Jeff Allam. Chassis 22 is one of a small number of cars prepared for the 1991 Jaguar Intercontinental Challenge where it was driven by British F1 driver Ian Flux to a 14th place finish at Monaco, a 3rd place finish Silverstone, and an 8th place result at Spa.
How many made? 52 total including prototypes.
Engine: 6.0L Naturally aspirated dry sump V12 450 horsepower
Debut: 1991, Silverstone circuit, UK
Top Speed: ~185mph
0-60mph: around 3.3 seconds
Photo Credit: @alastair_ladd, @montykernow
Research: @rarecarsonly