This Auction-Bound 1957 Jaguar XKSS May Be Worth Over $18M

The Jaguar XKSS is one of the most prestigious and valuable European luxury cars from the 1950s. RM Sotheby’s will sell one at its upcoming auction in Monterey, California (August 17-19), and naturally it’s expected to fetch a fortune.

You see, the car has an estimated value of anywhere between $12 million USD and $14 million USD, or the equivalent of $15.8 million CAD to $18.4 million CAD at today’s exchange rate.

Remember, Jaguar withdrew from racing following the 1956 season and was left with a number of D-types remaining unsold in their factory stock. An idea was had that the cars could be converted to roadgoing specification and sold into the American market. With an initial planned production run of only 25 examples, scarcity became an even bigger factor when nine of the cars were destroyed by a fire in the Browns Lane factory. Thus, effective total production of the XKSS was a mere 16 cars. Legendary actor Steve McQueen owned one.

Originally painted in a cream colour, the unit you see here was first sold to the owner of Oxford Motors in Sacramento. Several car collectors have had a claim on it over the following decades, including noted enthusiast I.G. Campbell McLaren of Glasgow, Scotland, who had the car refinished in the exquisite metallic blue familiar to any fan of the Ecurie Ecosse C- and D-Type racers.

The XKSS later took part in various events and competitions including the Mille Miglia and Le Mans Classic, then wound up at the Jaguar Heritage Museum at Browns Lane, which was demolished in 2012. The current owner says it has logged 25,535 miles (approximately 41,000 km) and retains its original serial number plate, chassis number, transmission and engine—a 250-horsepower inline six-cylinder.

There are a couple of shots of it—and more—in the photo gallery at the top of the page, so make sure you take a look.