The return of the XJR-15

[Steve Pyro]

I read this in the Saturday Telegraph Motoring section in the weekend and wondered, as we are raising money for Morgan, we could pitch in for a new XJR-15.

Jaguar's XJR-15, one of the great supercars of the early 1990s, is to go back into production this summer.

   
Following the recent sale (by the receiver of TWR) of all the monocoque moulds and body bucks for the car and all rights to the model, Jaguarsport Limited, an extension of Oxford-based independent Jaguar specialist Hyper Engineering, plans to build both 100 per cent original cars and an evolutionary model more suited to today's roads.

TWR built 51 XJR-15s in late 1990 and early 1991, of which 23 were race machines for the JaguarSport Intercontinental Challenge; the 28 road cars, however, offered room for improvement in terms of creature comforts.

While remaining externally identical to the original, the evolutionary version features different internal body panels to provide greater cabin width and improved comfort. It also has vastly superior underbody aerodynamics, with proper Group C-type venturis and a more effective rear wing. All suspension and running gear is taken from the XK8, as is the 4·0-litre V8 engine, which is mated to a five-speed Getrag transaxle. The monocoque, constructed from the latest carbon-fibre, nomex and aluminium-alloy honeycomb materials, weighs 200kg less than in 1991 so performance should be at least on a par with the original, V12 model.

The "new'' XJR-15 is eligible for the British GT Championship, while all the design changes, including the rollcage, meet the latest FIA standards. Prices, depending on specification, range from about £80,000 to £150,000. The project also means that spare body panels are available for the original XJR-15s as well as the ability to correctly program their Zytec engine management systems. Jaguarsport Limited can be contacted on 01844 278481.

courtesy of Telegraph Group newspapers.

[Robbo SPS]

But will it still handle like a female dog

[Rhino]

Wasn't the prototype of that or the 220 meant to have been made from the tub of win percys car that had the blowout before the kink in 87?

[jpchenet]

Err.....OK Steve. £25 each. So that's 3200 of us for the basic model, so we'll all get it for approximately one day every 9 years!!    

[Steve Pyro]

we'll all get it for approximately one day every 9 years!!    

Yes, but what a day that would be  

[Chef]

i've seen a video of dr clarkson driving one of those for a morning and at the end he was s@"t scarred and couldn't drive it round a corner if he tried. i'll give you 25p for it. it was crap in the ninetys and will probably be crap now.

[gibberish]

But will it still handle like a female dog

And just what is wrong with female dogs, I ask you.  I had a very nice one once, and she handeld quite nicely thank you

[Robbo SPS]

But will it still handle like a female dog

And just what is wrong with female dogs, I ask you.  I had a very nice one once, and she handeld quite nicely thank you

Last nights model didnt handle at all well  

[rcutler]

Saw one of these competing in the GT championship weekend at Silverstone last year. It was fast but I remember it finished all but one from last. The Gulf Air VW Golf GTI was able to give it a run for it's money.

[dryhen]

I'm obviously out of the loop when it comes to the news, as I didn't know TWR had gone bust. Was Tom Walkinshaw still connected with it ? I presume all the money disappeared into the black hole that was Arrows F1?

[BigH]

I know a fellow with one of these for use as a road car. Apparently it's a bit of a handful, boils your nuts and he has to wear ear defenders when driving it. Doesn't sound like it'll catch on to me.

TWR went bust a year or so ago, and the receivers auctioned some pretty spectacular cars, including old LM cars. I'm not sure who bought them, but they could have gone to a gentleman in the far east.

Dryhen, I'm not sure how to tell you this mate, but Elvis is dead.

H

[dryhen]

Dryhen, I'm not sure how to tell you this mate, but Elvis is dead.

I'm mortified to hear that news, but I suppose Elvis is too, now !

TWR also at one time owned a firm in Gainsborough, Lincs called Track Marshall, which I thought was appropriate for a mosport-related company. Its products were very powerful vehicles, with tremendous grip and would have been ideal for hill climbs. However, the RACMSA refused to issue homologation papers as they thought the caterpillar tracks would damage the Shelsley Walsh track surface  

[Mr. Rick]

Knew I had a shot somewhere, found it when looking for something else (isn't that always the way - there must be one of those "laws" about that!)......



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[rcutler]

How could you not find that a simple search of you hard disk with the numbers 15 or XJR in. It would be successful I can assure you

[Mr. Rick]

See what you mean Rick, but I was rummaging through my prints and negs archive for a piccy of Tim Harvey in his BTCC days that I knew I had and came across this little beauty from one of the early "Group C + whatever" events in 2000.