1991 Jaguar XJR-15 Coupe

With a chassis based on the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 (designed by Tony Southgate), powered by a naturally aspirated 6-liter 24-valve Jaguar V12 engine, and wearing coupe coachwork designed by Peter Stevens, The XJR-15 was essentially a Le Mans racers built for the street. It used the same technology and expertise of the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 and XJR-12, but in a more useable, road-going, track-ready car. Fifty examples were scheduled for production, and it is believed that 53 chassis were eventually made.

Like the XJR-9, the XJR-15 received a central monocoque chassis tub with slightly different dimensions and designed by Jim Router and Dave Fullerton. The suspension was the same as the XJR-9, with fabricated wishbones and horizontal pushrod-spring dampers at the front and coil springs at the rear. Stopping power was courtesy of four-piston AP Racing calipers and disc brakes housed completely within the wheels. The coachwork was a unique combination of carbon fiber and Kevlar composite.

The all-aluminum, dry-sump V-12 Group C-specification engine displaced 5,993 cc (6.0 L) and produced 450 horsepower. It had an advanced electronically managed fuel injection system and a 'fly by wire' throttle system and was paired with a TWR unsynchronised six-speed, race-tuned LeMans manual transmission. An optional five-speed synchromesh transmission was also available.

This particular example is chassis number 018 and one of 27 constructed in road-going specification. It has a five-speed transaxle, and its six-spoke, 17-inch O.Z. Racing alloy wheels are wrapped with Pirelli P-Zero tires.

This Jaguar is known as the 'Japan Study Car,' which was originally used for aerodynamic studies and testing of hybrid energy recovery systems by a former Nismo Racing engineer.

In 2015, this Jaguar was restored to its original specification by Bespoke Motors in Australia and accruing less than 1,000 miles since the work was completed. The interior houses gray leather racing seats with hardwired headsets, a Nardi racing steering wheel, and rocker-panel-mounted shifter. The exterior is done in factory-correct dark blue.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2023