Upon retirement from racing in 1956, Jaguar made the unusual decision to convert its remaining 24 Hour of Le Mans-winning D-Types for street use. Designated the XKSS, the conversion consisted of little more than fitting a rudimentary windshield and fabricating a passenger door. Just 16 XKSS examples were completed before a factory fire destroyed the rest, making the originals exceedingly rare. With such scarcity, recreations eventually followed. Among the most accurate are those created by the British firm Lynx Motors Engineering Limited, originally founded as specialists in D-Type repair, maintenance, and tuning.

Completed in 2014, this Lynx XKSS Recreation was constructed as a tribute to one of Hollywood actor Steve McQueen’s favorite cars, his British Racing Green 1957 Jaguar XKSS, which he dubbed the “Green Rat.” Using a 1970 Jaguar E-Type Roadster as a donor vehicle, Lynx hand built a custom aluminum bonnet, tail section, and monocoque body with an extended footwell for taller drivers. In further tribute to the Green Rat, the car was fitted with a satin black dash and McQueen-specification black leather seats. Under the hood lurks a highly tuned version of Jaguar’s 4.2-liter straight six-cylinder engine fed by a trio of Weber carburetors and rated by Lynx at 270 horsepower.

In 2019, the car was treated to over $52,000 in servicing by Winning Makes of Santa Barbara, California. Documented work includes the fabrication and fitting of an aluminum airbox, rebuilding the carburetor and distributor, installing new spark plugs, and comprehensively dialing-in the suspension, steering, clutch, and braking systems. Copies of a Lynx Proof of Build & Ownership report, Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate for the donor car, and service invoices accompany the sale.

Original examples of the XKSS seldom come to market, and when they do, command eight-figure price tags. This well-executed, handcrafted recreation, trimmed to the tastes of Steve McQueen, makes the exhilarating performance and beautiful style of the original far more accessible to collectors and marque enthusiasts.