đź”» WATCH FULL VIDEO BELOWđź”»
The Echo of Cool: Driving Steve McQueen’s Legendary 1957 Jaguar XKSS on Mulholland Drive
The name Steve McQueen still resonates today, nearly 25 years after his passing, with a raw, magnetic energy that few actors have ever achieved. Known as the “King of Cool,” McQueen was a cinematic paradox—a brooding, mercurial soul with a wicked sense of humor, a man capable of both profound kindness and unsettling intensity. He was the embodiment of the counterculture hero, a rebel with a cause that often seemed to be simply living life on his own terms. But beyond the troubled youth and the Hollywood icon was an unapologetic gearhead, a man whose passion for speed and machinery was as deep and genuine as his acting talent.
For enthusiasts of automotive history, McQueen’s legacy is inextricably linked to the machines he drove—the roaring Mustang in Bullitt, the sophisticated Porsche 917 in Le Mans, and the iconic motorcycles of On Any Sunday. Yet, among his extensive collection of cars and bikes, one stands out as a pure distillation of his automotive spirit: a 1957 Jaguar XKSS, chassis number XK.SS.713. This wasn’t just a car; it was a street-legal race car, a machine he affectionately nicknamed the “Green Rat,” and the vehicle he often used for his legendary midnight runs along the winding roads of the Hollywood Hills.
Driving this very car, retracing the route he once took, offers more than just a ride; it’s a visceral connection to a bygone era of Hollywood legend and automotive artistry. It’s a chance to understand why McQueen was so captivated by this machine, and why, even today, the XKSS remains one of the most coveted and evocative Jaguars ever built.
The Genesis of a Legend: From D-Type to XKSS
To fully appreciate the significance of McQueen’s XKSS, one must first understand its origins. The 1950s were a golden age for Jaguar, a period where the British marque dominated sports car racing, particularly at the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans. The foundation of this success was the D-Type, a purpose-built racing machine that represented the pinnacle of automotive engineering for its time.
The D-Type, penned by the brilliant aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer and conceived under the watchful eye of Sir William Lyons, was a masterpiece of form and function. Introduced in 1954, it featured a revolutionary monocoque chassis—a technique more commonly associated with aircraft construction—which provided exceptional rigidity and strength. This central tub was mated to a tubular frame at the front, housing the renowned Jaguar XK inline-six engine. This 3.4-liter DOHC powerhouse, fed by three Weber carburetors, produced around 250 horsepower in race trim, a formidable figure that propelled the lightweight car to victory on numerous occasions.
Jaguar’s D-Types claimed Le Mans victories in 1955, 1956, and 1957, cementing the car’s legendary status. However, by the end of the 1957 season, racing regulations began to shift. The mandated 3.0-liter engine displacement for the 1958 season put the D-Type at a disadvantage against newer, more potent rivals like Ferrari’s Testa Rossa. With the factory concentrating its efforts on the development of the road-going XK150 and the upcoming E-Type, Jaguar found itself with a surplus of unsold D-Types—around 25 customer cars that were suddenly uncompetitive in the highest echelon of motorsport.
Rather than let these exceptional machines languish, Jaguar conceived a brilliant solution: convert them for road use and sell them as exclusive, limited-edition grand tourers. This transformation gave birth to the XKSS, a car that perfectly bridged the gap between the racetrack and the open road.
The conversion process was remarkably straightforward, yet it imbued the car with a unique character. A full-width windscreen was added to replace the aerodynamic fly screen, and rudimentary side curtains provided protection from the elements. A luggage rack was fitted to the rear deck—where the D-Type’s iconic dorsal fin once stood—and a removable top was devised to complete the GT package. The lighting was updated to street specifications, a passenger-side door was added, and four small bumperettes were installed for road legality.
Inside, the race-bred cockpit was softened with the addition of two upholstered seats and a modicum of creature comforts. Yet, the essence of the D-Type remained intact. The car still featured the same race-proven chassis, the same powerful XK engine, and the same intoxicating driving dynamics. A total of 16 XKSS models were produced, making it one of the rarest and most sought-after Jaguars in history.
The Green Rat’s Journey: From California Showroom to Hollywood Icon
The specific car that would become synonymous with Steve McQueen’s legend, chassis number XK.SS.713, began its life not as a racer, but as a road-going special. Imported by Jaguar Cars North America in April 1957, it was a left-hand-drive model despite being originally configured as a right-hand-drive car—a curious anomaly that speaks to the fluid nature of production during that period. Its first owner was James Peterson, a building contractor from Altadena, California, who was involved in the construction of the legendary Riverside International Raceway.
Peterson soon sold the XKSS to Bill Leyden, a local radio and television personality who would often park the striking green machine on a studio lot on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. It was there, amidst the glitz and glamour of the film industry, that Steve McQueen first laid eyes on the car that would become his most cherished automotive possession.
McQueen, already a rising star known for his brooding intensity and rebellious persona, was captivated by the Jaguar’s raw, untamed beauty. He acquired the car around 1958, reportedly for the sum of $4,000, and immediately set about making it his own. He repainted the exterior in a deeper, more understated British Racing Green, although photographs show him with the car in its original lighter hue, indicating the color change may have occurred later.
But the most significant transformation came from the hands of Tony Nancy, a renowned SoCal drag racer, hot-rodder, and upholsterer. Nancy reupholstered the interior in rich black leather, creating a cockpit that exuded a sophisticated, masculine elegance. Perhaps the most iconic modification was the addition of a metal glovebox door, fabricated by the legendary pinstriper Von Dutch. This ingenious addition was designed to prevent McQueen’s sunglasses from flying out of the open dash cubby during his spirited drives.
McQueen affectionately nicknamed the car the “Green Rat,” and it became a fixture in his life. He was often photographed working on the car, showcasing his hands-on approach to mechanics and his genuine passion for the machine. The XKSS was more than just a mode of transportation; it was a reflection of his personality—fast, uncompromising, and utterly cool.
The car remained with McQueen until late 1967, when he sold it to the legendary collector William F. Harrah. Harrah, founder of the Harrah’s Auto Collection in Reno, acquired the XKSS with the understanding that it would remain on permanent display. However, a decade later, McQueen’s affection for the car resurfaced. After a protracted negotiation that was sometimes amicable and sometimes contentious, he repurchased the Green Rat and kept it until the very end of his life.
When McQueen passed away on November 7, 1980, his estate was eventually liquidated. In 1984, the XKSS was sold at auction to Richard Freshman, an avid car enthusiast who had known McQueen from his early Hollywood Hills days. Freshman commissioned a meticulous, yet sympathetic, restoration by Lynx in England, ensuring that McQueen’s modifications—the Tony Nancy leather, the Von Dutch glovebox—remained intact. The goal was not just to restore the car, but to preserve its history and ensure it was well-sorted for the road.
In 2000, the XKSS was sold to Margie and Robert E. Petersen, founders of MotorTrend and benefactors of the Petersen Automotive Museum. It was a fitting home for a car that had played such a significant role in automotive and cinematic history.
Mulholland Drive: Where Legends Come to Play
The true spirit of the XKSS, however, can only be understood in its natural habitat: the winding, challenging roads of the Hollywood Hills. It was here, on the legendary Mulholland Drive, that Steve McQueen would spend countless nights pushing his cars to their limits, leaving behind a trail of tire marks and gasoline fumes that would become the stuff of legend.
Mulholland Drive snakes along the crest of the Hollywood Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains, offering panoramic vistas of Los Angeles that stretch from downtown to the Pacific Ocean. It’s a curvaceous ribbon of asphalt, a playground for those who appreciate the art of driving. For McQueen, it was a sanctuary, a place where he could escape the pressures of fame and simply enjoy the pure, unadulterated thrill of speed.
He would often take his cars out between midnight and 4 a.m., when the streets were deserted and the only witnesses were the stars above. His home on Solar Drive, the very place that inspired the name of his production company, Solar Productions, was just minutes from Mulholland, making these nocturnal escapades easily accessible.
Dick Messer, director of the Petersen Automotive Museum and a native Angeleno, recalls McQueen’s presence on these roads: “I remember him driving
