This is the Group 44 Jaguar XJS that won the Trans-Am Category 1 Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championship in 1978, racing against cars like the Corvette, Porsche, Datsun, and Camaro.
Jaguar had initially released the XJS to lukewarm reception, but decided to use the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” strategy and entered the car in the Trans-Am series to boost sales in the US. American racer Bob Tullius was offered an XJS for the 1976 season and used it to win the Category 1 Drivers’ Championship in 1977.
In 1978, the XJS was acid-dipped and further modified for racing, winning 7 out of 10 races and securing both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championship.
Photo Source: RM Sotheby’s
