One to Buy: ex-Tiff Needell 1991 Jaguar XJR-15
Although the 1973-1974 International Race of Champions and 1979-1980 Procar Championships had pitched entire grids of identical high-end European machinery against one another (Porsche 911 Carrera RSRs and BMW M1s respectively), there had never been a one-make series like the 1991 JaguarSport Intercontinental Challenge.
At three European rounds of that year’s Formula World Championship (Monaco, Britain and Belgium) 16 examples of the spectacular XJR-15 did battle, the overwhelming majority of which were driven by top professionals eager to get their hands on a piece of the lucrative prize fund.
The winners of the opening two events were gifted a brand new Jaguar XJR-S while at the Spa Francorchamps finale a cheque for $1m would be gifted to the victor.
Of the 53 XJR-15s built, 18 were completed to racing trim with the other 35 configured as road cars.
Currently on sale at the Duncan Hamilton ROFGO showroom in Micheldever is one of the XJR-15s that contested all three rounds of the 1991 triple header.
Understood to have been ordered by the British director and general manager of Champion spark plugs, Robin Longdon, chassis 047 was driven by Tiff Needell to seventh at Monaco, sixth at Silverstone and 13th at Spa.
Reputedly one of just eight XJR-15s to remain in its original competition specification, 047 is presented in superb condition throughout. Offered complete with UK road registration, it surely represents one of the most hair-raising driving experiences imaginable.
Reprinted below is Duncan Hamiton ROFGO’s description:
Ex-Tiff Needell
Chassis 047
1 of only 8 original race spec. cars in existence
Having announced the car in November 1990, shortly after Jaguar's Le Mans win, it was during 1991 that legendary Le Mans-winning TWR team owner Tom Walkinshaw commenced manufacture of the strictly limited edition batch of 50 of staggeringly fast and beautiful carbon-chassis XJR-15 Supercars, originally codenamed 'R-9R'.
Although very much derived from the XJR-9 and XJR-12 Le Mans winners and neatly filling the hole left by the removal of the V12 engine from the XJ220 concept, the XJR-15 was completely re-engineered for road use and featured bodywork penned by the great Peter Stevens, whose portfolio also includes the McLaren F1.
The XJR-15's combination was unlike anything seen at the time - full carbon-fibre chassis, carbon body, near Group C-spec 6-litre V12 - truly the closest thing to a Le Mans prototype created during that generation of Supercar. You could argue it was the first time since the likes of the Jaguar XKSS and Ford GT40 that such an outrageous 'road car' with racing lineage was created.
Chassis number ‘047’ was one of 16 racing-specification XJR-15s built for the 1991 Intercontinental Challenge, a three-race series supporting Formula 1 Grands Prix. 047 was driven in the series by Le Mans-podium finisher and ex-F1 driver Tiff Needell in all three rounds - Monaco, Silverstone, and Spa-Francorchamps.
What is great about 047 is that it has remained a race car from new until today, never being modified for the road, and never being stripped of its pure-racing features. There are only 8 examples that have remained in this form from new, and its history is well-known and unquestioned.
In a world where rarity means so much, having one of the original race-spec XJR-15s fully road registered is surely the ultimate Jaguar of its generation. A true celebration of Jaguar and TWR's magnificent two V12 Le Mans wins in 1988 and 1990, the XJR-15 offers so much - incredible rarity, mind-blowing performance, an unforgettable engine note, and the opportunity to drive a race car on the road.
Fearsome, maybe, but so is a McLaren F1 at speed... in a world of computerized cars built to perfection, and assisted by endless gadgetry, the XJR-15 is an experience so intoxicating that time and the world simply pass by... and that's probably a good thing!
The car has lived in one of Europe's finest race car collections in recent years and has been maintained regardless of cost.
