• Jaguar’s final Le Mans “win”, this time in the new GT class at the 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans; finished 15th overall, prior to being disqualified on a minor technicality
• Driven in period by David Brabham, John Nielsen, and future Formula 1 star David Coulthard
• Vanishingly rare; one of just four bespoke XJ220 C chassis constructed
• The starting point of the iconic roadgoing-based GT1-era cars
• Retains many original features, having been retired from racing after competing at Le Mans
• Formerly owned by the Sultan of Brunei, acquired from TWR after Le Mans
• Eligible for Peter Auto’s Endurance Racing Legends and Masters Endurance Legends series

Jaws understandably hit the floor when the Jaguar XJ220 was first unveiled at the 1988 British Motor Show. Not just for its lithe and otherworldly streamlined shape, but for a spec sheet that promised no fewer than 12 cylinders, 6.2 litres, and four-wheel drive. Enthusiasm inevitably cooled when the road car was finally revealed, having lost half its cylinders, almost half its capacity, and two driven wheels to the production process. But despite rationalisation of the ambitious design, performance surpassed all expectations: the supercar could reach 100 km/h in less than four seconds, with a top speed of 343 km/h. The XJ220 became—for a moment, at least—the fastest production car on earth.

Its creators—Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing—saw in the XJ220 the potential for competition success. Off the back of a winning partnership that had produced no fewer than two outright victories at Le Mans, the XJ220 was duly prepared to take on Porsche Carrera RSRs and Venturi 500 LMs in the GT category—which would become the ever-popular GT1 class—for 1993. Three examples of the newly dubbed XJ220 C were created for Le Mans (a fourth chassis was built later), a bespoke Works car unlike cars that ran in domestic GT series.

The race-prepared machines differed considerably from their roadgoing counterparts, being some 400 kilograms lighter. Each was fitted with a fully detachable composite nose, tail, and body panels, which could quickly be removed for access to the car’s mechanical systems. The interior was a stripped-out affair that made extensive use of carbon fibre and was furnished only with a Kevlar racing seat, while the twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V-6 was uprated to reportedly produce as much as 850 horsepower, although restricted under ACO regulations. Each car was prepared to FIA/IMSA Le Mans specification, enabling the model to be campaigned on both sides of the Atlantic.

While a comfortable GT victory marked the model’s race debut at Silverstone on 9 May 1993, its greatest challenge would come at the Circuit de la Sarthe where, after qualifying strongly, a team of three XJ220 Cs took to the grid. Chassis 002—the example offered here—would be driven by David Brabham, John Nielsen, and future Formula 1 ace David Coulthard, contesting his first—and only—Le Mans race. But long before the starter flag dropped, drama began to unfold.

While testing, ACO officials raised concerns about the legality of the XJ220 C’s exhaust, which was a free-flowing arrangement with no catalytic converters—unlike that of the road car. Though correct for the IMSA category regulations the XJ220Cs were entered under, and despite no rival machines in the GT category running catalytic converters, the argument rumbled on before the Jaguars were reluctantly allowed to take the start under appeal.

TWR’s challenge began to falter almost immediately, as the sister car of Win Percy, Armin Hahne and David Leslie suffered catastrophic head gasket failure after just six laps. The British team’s fortunes soon turned though, as Hans-Joachim Stuck’s leading and Works-entered Porsche 911 Turbo S LM suffered an early throttle problem, tumbling down the standings while it was repaired. In an effort to get back into contention, Walter Röhrl pushed too hard, striking a back marker and forcing his own retirement.

The Jaguars duly assumed the class lead until the early hours of the morning, when a fuel leak in chassis 002 forced Brabham into the pits for running repairs. Andreas Fuchs continued the charge in chassis 003 until lap 176, when a tyre blow-out threw his car into a gravel trap, enabling Brabham to dramatically work back through the field to cross the finish line in 15th overall and 1st in class. Sadly, the celebrations would prove short lived. A month after their famous victory, the three Jaguars were disqualified on a second technicality: their appeal, which the FIA had supported and upheld, had apparently not been lodged in time.

Following its historic outing at Le Mans, chassis 002 returned to Tom Walkinshaw Racing before being sold to Brunei. It returned to the United Kingdom in 1999, remaining in a significant private collection before being acquired by the consigning owner in early-2018. The Jaguar has notably participated in numerous demonstration events, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2000 and 2011. According to the consigning owner, as the road-going XJ220 S was closely derived from ex-race cars, and a number of McLaren F1 GTRs, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz GT1 cars are now road converted—potential road registration in select countries might be possible without too many major modifications. Please speak to an RM Sotheby’s representative for more details.

A Jaguar legend of immeasurable significance, chassis 002 represents the last occasion that the British manufacturer would taste victory at the Circuit de la Sarthe. This highly original and much celebrated example would be eligible for GT1 demonstrations, Endurance Racing Legends and major concours. This remarkable and important XJ220 C would make a fine addition to any collection of landmark endurance racers.

1993 Jaguar XJ220 C-002 Results       RaceDateEntrantRace NumberDriverQualifyingOverall FinishClass FinishLe Mans Test Session16 May 1993TWR Jaguar Racing50Brabham/Hahne/Fuchs14th14th3rd24 Hours of Le Mans19/20 June 1993TWR Jaguar Racing50Brabham/Nielsen/Coulthard22ndDSQDSQ

Please note this lot has entered the EU on a temporary import bond, which must be cancelled either by exporting the lot outside of the EU on an approved Bill of Lading with supporting customs documentation or by paying the applicable VAT and import duties to have the lot remain in the EU.

Veuillez noter que ce lot a été introduit dans l'UE avec un cautionnement d'importation temporaire, qui devra être soldé par réexportation hors de l'UE avec un connaissement (bon de chargement) accompagné de ses documents douaniers, ou par paiement de la TVA et des droits de douane applicables s'il doit demeurer dans l'UE.

To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/lm23.