A Jaguar XJR-9 fleshes out the RM Sotheby’s catalog for Monaco
RM Sotheby’s is preparing its Monegasque sale scheduled for May 14 at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, and the international house has recently expanded its catalog with several exceptional models, including in particular the Jaguar XJR-9 which won the 1990 24 Hours of Daytona.
This ‘factory’ chassis built for the 1988 IMSA GT Championship season by the Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) team, is one of three XJR-9 models manufactured to that IMSA specification at the time, and one of only two still existing.
Chassis 388 recorded excellent results during the 1988 and 1989 seasons in the hands of Davy Jones and Jan Lammers in particular, and its four podiums contributed to Jaguar’s third place in the constructors’ classification in 1988. The following year confirmed the qualities of the XJR-9 and its crews (renewed with the integration of Price Cobb and John Nielsen), which scored four first rows in qualifying (including a pole position) and no less than eight race podiums, including a second place recorded at Daytona.
The most prosperous year for the vehicle which interests us here was of course 1990. Prepared with the XJR-12 specification, this 388 chassis powered by an atmospheric V12 block was indeed driven to victory by the crew composed of Davy Jones, Jan Lammers and Andy Wallace (Bugatti’s current development driver), at the 24 Hours of Daytona. A superb result confirmed a few weeks later with a podium (2nd place) recorded at the 12 Hours of Sebring, in Florida.
At the end of this 1990 season, and despite two additional victories won by its crews at Lime Rock and Portland, Jaguar had to settle for second place in the constructors’ standings behind Nissan Performance and its Nissan NPT-90 chassis, winners of seven of the fifteen events registered in the calendar of the GTP category that year.
Still, this XJR-9, which still bears the names of the winning drivers at Daytona, is a piece of choice for motorsport enthusiasts. Its value has been estimated between 1.9 and 2.4 million euros.
Photo credit: RM Sotheby’s