Two years after the success had with the re-edition, with some original parts, of six models of the Type E "Lightweight" to complete the series of 18 initially scheduled, Jaguar would produce the nine missing models of the XKSS series directly derived from the race version of the Type D that won at Le Mans.

Despite the victory for a Jaguar Type C at the 24 Hours in 1953, the British manufacturer developed a new car unsurprisingly named Type D. Released in 1954, it won the first of three wins at Le Mans in 1955 and had the best record of all the cars entered by Jaguar in competition.

Yet, Jaguar officially withdrew from motorsports, with several Type D chassis in stock. Sir William Lyons, the marque's founder, had the idea to convert the racing Type Ds into "supercars" for the American round so as to avoid losing money. The XKSS was created and 25 models were to be produced after having undergone modifications to meet road standards.

Unfortunately, during the night between February 12 and 13, 1957, a fire broke out in the Browns Lane factory located in Coventry in the U.K. Nine of the XKSSs were destroyed, along with the industrial facilities. Jaguar first had to ensure its survival and so production of the XKSS came to a hault. The legend, kept alive by lucky owner Steve McQueen, could begin.

Though the 16 models of the Jaguar XKSS were estimated between five and six million euros, the nine "new" cars sold for one million pounds, or 1.2 million euros.

Cécile Bonardel / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

PHOTO: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SUNDAY JULY 29 1956, RACE. The winning Jaguar Type D passes under the checkered flag.