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Title: Driving Steve McQueen’s 1957 Jaguar XKSS: A Legend’s Machine on the Roads of Los Angeles
!Steve McQueen’s 1957 Jaguar XKSS
The allure of vintage motoring is not merely about the metal, the leather, or the mechanics; it is about the stories embedded within the chassis, the ghosts of drivers past that linger in the cabin air. Few cars carry such an aura as the 1957 Jaguar XKSS once owned by Terrence Steven McQueen—the King of Cool, a man whose off-screen persona was as legendary and complex as any role he played on celluloid. This particular XKSS, chassis number XK.SS.713, is not just a collector’s item; it is a time capsule, a piece of Hollywood history that once tore through the very canyons and boulevards where legends were made.
Even today, decades after his passing, McQueen’s name evokes a potent mix of rebellion, intensity, and raw charisma. He was a walking contradiction: a dyslexic kid from a rough background who became one of the most magnetic movie stars on the planet, a man who craved privacy yet courted danger, a loner who nonetheless cherished his machines with a fierce, possessive love. His complicated life and wildly successful career were a testament to the dramatic highs and lows that define the human condition, playing out against the backdrop of a rapidly modernizing America.
For car enthusiasts, McQueen’s legacy is inextricably linked to the roar of engines and the smell of high-octane fuel. His films are dotted with iconic vehicular moments—the visceral thrill of the San Francisco chase in Bullitt, the high-stakes drama of Le Mans, the rebellious spirit of the dune buggy in The Thomas Crown Affair. But unlike many actors who merely posed with automobiles, McQueen was a genuine gearhead, a man who not only appreciated automotive engineering but lived and breathed it. His garage was a museum of mechanical prowess, housing everything from MGs and Cobras to Porsches, Ferraris, and more than a hundred motorcycles. Among this pantheon of performance machines, the 1957 Jaguar XKSS held a special place, a testament to his unyielding pursuit of speed and style.
The Genesis of a Legend: From Racing Dominance to Street Credential
To understand the significance of the XKSS, one must first look to its formidable ancestor: the Jaguar D-Type. During the 1950s, Jaguar was a dominant force in motorsports, its sleek, aerodynamic racers slicing through the competition at circuits across Europe and America. The D-Type, in particular, was a marvel of engineering—a front-engine sports racer that combined Jaguar’s legendary XK DOHC inline-six engine with a revolutionary monocoque chassis. Designed by the brilliant Malcolm Sayer and championed by the visionary Sir William Lyons, the D-Type was a fusion of art and science, its sensuous curves concealing a highly effective racing machine.
Jaguar’s success was undeniable. The company notched an impressive hat-trick at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955, 1956, and 1957, cementing its reputation as a purveyor of world-class racing pedigree. However, by the late 1950s, the landscape of motorsport was shifting. Stricter regulations regarding engine displacement and a new generation of more powerful rivals began to challenge Jaguar’s dominance.
Faced with a surplus of unsold D-Types—customer cars built for privateer teams that no longer had a competitive edge—Jaguar embarked on an audacious plan. Instead of letting these magnificent machines gather dust, the company decided to convert them for road use, creating a limited run of street-legal versions. Thus, the Jaguar XKSS was born.
The transformation was ingenious in its simplicity. A full-width windscreen was added to replace the dramatic aerodynamic fairing of the D-Type. Removable side curtains provided rudimentary weather protection, and a small luggage rack was fitted to the rear deck. Sidepipes, characteristic of race cars, were retained, though somewhat tamed for public roads. The interior was upholstered with two seats, and a set of bumpers were added to meet road safety standards. The result was a car that retained the D-Type’s raw, unadulterated racing soul while being just civilized enough to navigate the boulevards of Los Angeles.
A total of only 16 XKSS models were produced. Each one was a testament to the craftsmanship of the Coventry factory, a blend of cutting-edge automotive technology and hand-built artistry. When these exclusive vehicles began arriving on American shores, they were not merely cars; they were statements of intent, symbols of a bygone era of racing purity.
The Arrival of the Green Rat: McQueen’s Enduring Connection
The story of XKSS.713 takes a definitive turn when it landed in the hands of Steve McQueen. Imported to the United States in April 1957, this particular right-hand-drive model initially found its way to James Peterson, a building contractor involved in the early development of Riverside International Raceway. It was during this period, while parked on a studio lot on Sunset Boulevard, that the car first caught the eye of a young, ambitious actor named Steve McQueen.
McQueen was already making waves in Hollywood, his rugged good looks and rebellious screen presence setting him apart from the more conventional leading men of the era. He was drawn to speed, to machines that promised an escape from the pressures of fame and the demons of his past. When he acquired the XKSS, believed to be in 1958, he was acquiring more than just a car—he was acquiring a piece of automotive history that mirrored his own burgeoning legend.
The car, affectionately nicknamed the “Green Rat” by McQueen and his coterie of gearhead friends, underwent several transformations under his ownership. While some accounts suggest the car was initially lighter in hue, McQueen had it repainted in a deep, lustrous British Racing Green, a color that perfectly complemented the Jag’s aggressive stance and aerodynamic curves. The interior was given a complete overhaul by renowned SoCal hot-rodder and upholsterer Tony Nancy, who reupholstered the cockpit in rich black leather, adding a layer of luxurious grit that defined McQueen’s aesthetic.
Perhaps the most telling modification was the addition of a metal glovebox door, fabricated by the legendary pinstriper Von Dutch. According to lore, this was done to prevent McQueen’s sunglasses from flying out of the dash during particularly spirited drives through the Hollywood Hills. This small detail speaks volumes about the way McQueen drove—with a ferocity and abandon that bordered on the reckless, pushing his machines to their absolute limits.
McQueen’s relationship with the Green Rat was not merely one of ownership; it was a partnership. He was known to spend hours tinkering with the car, his large hands working on the engine, his brow furrowed in concentration as he adjusted the carburetors or checked the spark plugs. These were not staged photo opportunities; they were genuine moments of a man communing with the machinery he loved. The car became an extension of his personality—uncompromising, powerful, and effortlessly cool.
Cruising the Midnight Mile: A Drive Through Legend
The setting for our exploration of the 1957 Jaguar XKSS is fittingly cinematic: Mulholland Drive. This legendary stretch of road winds along the crest of the Hollywood Hills, offering panoramic views of Los Angeles sprawling below—a glittering tapestry of studios, mansions, and neon lights that has served as the backdrop for countless films and the dreams of countless hopefuls.
For Steve McQueen, Mulholland Drive was his personal proving ground, his midnight playground. Between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m., when the city slept and the streets were his alone, he would take the Green Rat out for a thrash. With the engine roaring and the exhaust echoing off the canyon walls, he would carve through the curves, pushing the Jag to speeds that would make lesser cars falter. It was here that he honed his driving skills, feeding his insatiable appetite for speed and excitement.
As a contemporary automotive journalist with years of experience navigating the nuances of vintage performance, getting behind the wheel of XKSS.713 is an experience that transcends mere road testing. It is a pilgrimage. The cabin, once the domain of a movie icon, is surprisingly intimate. Fitting my larger frame into the compact confines is a challenge, but the effort is immediately rewarded. Tony Nancy’s black leather upholstery, now possessing a rich, deep patina, cradles the body, while the wood and aluminum steering wheel sits close to the chest, a tactile link to a bygone era of driving.
The dashboard is a study in purposeful minimalism. The large Smiths gauges, with their characteristic sweep and snap-click precision, provide a clear, if stark, display of information. There are no extraneous gizmos, no digital distractions—just the pure, unfiltered connection between man and machine.
The starter motor grinds against the Jag’s high compression ratio before the engine erupts to life with a sound that is pure automotive poetry. The side-exit exhaust, a bold statement of racing intent, unleashes a throaty, guttural bark—a sound that speaks of horsepower, of mechanical precision, of a car built for more than just Sunday cruises. It is a noise that commands attention, a sound that demands respect.
With the stubby, aluminum-knobbed shifter in hand, the driving experience becomes a symphony of mechanical engagement. The clutch is firm, requiring a deliberate touch, and the gear changes, if treated with authority, are crisp and precise, like chambering a round in a finely crafted rifle. There is a directness
