Could a Jaguar XKSS be this year’s priciest auction buy?

Comprehensively documented, impeccably preserved and fastidiously maintained, this Jaguar XKSS could be the most expensive car sold at a UK auction in 2024 if it meets its huge reserve.

by classic-car-weekly |
Published on

RM Sotheby’s is handling the sale of the first Jaguar XKSS to be offered at auction in Europe – and the reserve is… considerable

RM Sotheby’s will offer the first Jaguar XKSS for sale in a European auction on 2 November. It will be the most expensive auction purchase in the UK in 2024 if it reaches its reserve – which has been set at a whopping £9-11m.

An RM Sotheby’s spokesperson said: ‘Considered to be a D-type for the road, it was retained by Jaguar until April 1957 and later returned to the manufacturer for conversion to full XKSS specification in October 1958. Impeccably preserved, it retains its matching-numbers monocoque chassis, front sub-frame and body’.

CCW’s auction guru, Richard Hudson-Evans, said: ‘Only two genuine 1955/7 XKSS chassis-numbered cars have been auctioned before. A 1957 XKSS 707 sold in RM Sotheby's Monterey California sale for $13,205,000 including premium (£10,431,950) in 2023 and a 1957 XKSS 716 remained unsold at a Gooding sale at Amelia Island Florida in 2017 when it was estimated at $13-16m (£10.79-13.28m).

‘This November 1955-manufactured Jaguar chassis XKD 540 (not an SS chassis number) started life as one of the final batch of 18 D-type chassis for private owner-drivers after Jaguar’s withdrawal from motor facing following the 1955 Le Mans disaster.

‘Fourteen of these final D-types (of 54 production D-type race cars) were sold in the US, one to a customer in Hong Kong and XKD 540, which was eventually sold on 29 April 1957 to Jaguar dealer Coombs of Guildford, which sold it as a D-type to hillclimber Phil Scragg.

‘He had it factory-converted to an XKSS-bodied car in November 1958 and the next owner had the engine factory-upgraded from 3.4 to 3.8 litres in 1960.

‘If it sells, it will be the highest priced “Jaguar XKSS” to do so at auction. It may also be the highest priced car to sell at auction in the UK this year.’

www.rmsothebys.com

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