As the 1988 Le Mans 24 Hours drew to a close, the No. 02 Jaguar XJR-9 roared down the Mulsanne Straight, its V12 screaming at nearly 240 mph. At the wheel was Dutch driver Jan Lammers, gripping both the steering wheel and Jaguar’s decades-long dream of reclaiming Le Mans glory. The team’s nearest rival, a Porsche 962C, was still a lap behind—but trouble was brewing. The gearbox had failed, locking the Jaguar in fourth gear. With less than an hour to go, Lammers had a choice: pull into the pits and concede, or press on and risk it all. He chose the latter.
That decision would write Jaguar back into the history books.
A Race of Grit, Grace, and Gearboxes
The 1988 race began with high hopes and intense competition. Lammers had surged from sixth to second on the opening lap, and the Jaguars soon found themselves in a tense duel with the Porsches. Hour by hour, through the darkness and into dawn, the lead swapped hands. But Jaguar’s campaign nearly unraveled when car No. 03 was retired due to gearbox issues, a problem that would later strike No. 02 as well.
Relying on feedback from Raul Boesel, who had driven the failed No. 03, Lammers managed to nurse his wounded machine by jamming it into fourth gear and staying there. Pit stops became a tightrope act, and the closing laps saw the trailing Porsche gain ground fast. Just in case disaster struck, Jaguar’s team—Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR)—organized a rolling escort: their fourth- and sixteenth-place cars lined up behind Lammers, ready to push him if he faltered.
But he didn’t. At exactly 3 PM, the No. 02 Jaguar crossed the finish line, just 100 seconds ahead. It wasn’t just a victory—it was a resurrection. Jaguar had claimed its first win at Le Mans since 1957, halting Porsche’s dominant seven-year streak.
A Legacy Reborn
British marques had once ruled Le Mans. In the 1920s, Bentley carved its name into the asphalt with the thunderous “Blowers,” while the 1950s saw Jaguar ascend to legendary status, winning five times with its elegant C-Types and D-Types. But by the 1960s, Jaguar’s motorsport ambitions had dimmed. The company was drawn into government ownership, and racing took a backseat. For a while, Jaguar’s presence at Le Mans was maintained by privateers and enthusiasts.
One of them was Tom Walkinshaw. His TWR outfit had already made waves in touring car championships, particularly with the Jaguar XJS. When Jaguar re-privatized in the 1980s and sought a motorsport renaissance, it partnered with both Group 44 Racing and TWR, laying the groundwork for a return to endurance glory.
TWR’s engineering response to Group C competition was the XJR line. The XJR-6 debuted in 1985 with promise but limited success. The XJR-8 delivered Jaguar its first modern championship win in 1987—yet Le Mans still proved elusive.
Then came the XJR-9.
The Monster Under the Hood
Designed by former F1 engineer Tony Southgate, the XJR-9 was an engineering marvel. A carbon monocoque chassis kept weight below 850 kg, while the 7-liter naturally aspirated V12 produced over 700 bhp. Its aerodynamic package featured ground effect tunnels and an innovative short-tail design optimized for both straight-line speed and cornering grip.
In a head-to-head against Porsche’s long-tail 962, the Jaguar had clear advantages. It was faster on the straights, more planted in the corners, and—most importantly—had a team behind it with the hunger to win. Jan Lammers, joined by Johnny Dumfries and Andy Wallace, pushed the XJR-9 to its limits and beyond. Even a crippled gearbox couldn’t stop them.
After the win, the victorious car—chassis J12-C-488—was retired and enshrined in the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, a permanent reminder of the brand’s greatest comeback.
From Track to Street: The XJR-15
Tom Walkinshaw’s ambitions didn’t end at the checkered flag. He envisioned a road-going version of the XJR-9—something that could bring the thrill of Le Mans to the street. The result was the XJR-15, designed by Peter Stevens and built using the same carbon monocoque that had proven itself at 240 mph.
With its 6-liter V12 and sleek bodywork, the XJR-15 was the first production car to feature a full carbon fiber body. Only 52 were made, and 16 were race-spec models. In 1991, the XJR-15 headlined the JaguarSport Intercontinental Challenge, an exclusive series supporting F1 races at Monaco, Silverstone, and Spa.
Each race came with jaw-dropping prizes—custom XJR-S road cars or, at Spa, a $1 million payday. The Silverstone-winning XJR-15, driven by Juan Manuel Fangio II, even passed through the hands of Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-Hee.
In April 2025, three icons from this golden era were displayed together at the Bicester Scramble: the Le Mans-winning XJR-9, the Silverstone-winning XJR-15, and the coveted XJR-S. The XJR-15 and XJR-S are now up for sale, but the XJR-9 remains untouchable—preserved, legendary, and unforgotten.
A Livery that Spoke Volumes
The story of Jaguar’s resurgence wouldn’t be complete without a nod to its unforgettable livery. “Silk Cut”—a British cigarette brand—wasn’t just a sponsor. It was part of the car’s soul. The white body, gold wheels, and bold blocks of purple and yellow weren’t just eye-catching—they were iconic.
Silk Cut’s minimalist advertising—razor blades slicing purple silk without a single word—was strangely elegant. That mystique translated to the racetrack. Jaguar’s livery didn’t whisper; it roared. Other manufacturers may have changed colors with sponsors, but for Jaguar, Silk Cut was a second skin. From the XJR-8 to the XJR-14, the brand helped define a decade of endurance racing aesthetics.
It was loud. It was proud. And in retrospect, it was the visual signature of an era that blurred the line between sport, spectacle, and smoke-filled nostalgia.
The End of the Line?
Jaguar’s triumph at Le Mans in 1988 marked not only a return to form but the peak of an era that would soon pass. Group C would fade. Silk Cut’s sponsorship, like many tobacco deals, would be legislated out of racing. And the V12 thunder would give way to smaller, quieter, turbocharged successors.
But for one incredible moment, Jaguar stood on top again—not just in speed, but in spirit. The XJR-9’s win was more than a checkered flag. It was a full stop at the end of a glorious sentence in motorsport history.
