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The Ghost in the Machine: Reliving Steve McQueen’s Final Ride in a 1957 Jaguar XKSS
Los Angeles, CA – 2026 – There are automotive icons, and then there is the Jaguar XKSS. A phantom born from race-track legend and reborn as a street-legal phantom, this legendary machine embodies the very essence of speed, rebellion, and raw charisma. For fans of the King of Cool, Steve McQueen, the XKSS represents the pinnacle of his automotive passion—a car that wasn’t just driven, but lived in. This is the story of that car, a 1957 model once owned by McQueen himself, and the visceral thrill of experiencing it today on the very roads where the legend once hunted the dawn.
For those who breathe octane and live life in the fast lane, Steve McQueen remains an eternal beacon. Even decades after his untimely departure, his myth continues to cast a long, magnetic shadow over popular culture. He was a paradox wrapped in leather and denim: a dyslexic, often homeless youth who rose to become one of the most iconic and bankable stars of his generation. His on-screen persona—cool, detached, and effortlessly lethal—was merely an extension of his off-screen reality. He was a complex mosaic of contradictions: capable of profound tenderness one moment and explosive rage the next, a man who chased perfection with the same intensity he chased adrenaline.
McQueen’s legacy is etched not only in celluloid but also in the asphalt he scorched. His films often served as high-octane showcases for his mechanical affinities. From the visceral relationship he shared with a ship’s steam engine in The Sand Pebbles to the iconic, hair-raising Mustang chase through the streets of San Francisco in Bullitt (1968), cars were never just props—they were extensions of his soul. Yet, no film encapsulates his pure, unadulterated passion for motorsport quite like Le Mans (1971). This harrowing, authentic portrayal of endurance racing was less a movie and more a documentary of McQueen’s obsession, featuring him wheel-to-wheel in a Gulf-liveried Porsche 917, pushing the limits of both machine and man. It was during the grueling production of Le Mans that he famously quipped, “Racing is life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting,” a sentiment that perfectly encapsulated his worldview.
The Genesis of a Legend: From D-Type to XKSS
To understand the allure of McQueen’s XKSS, one must first appreciate its formidable lineage. The car’s DNA traces back to the legendary Jaguar D-Type, a purpose-built racing machine that dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans three consecutive times from 1955 to 1957. Designed by the visionary aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer and the formidable Sir William Lyons, the D-Type was a masterpiece of post-war engineering. It featured a revolutionary monocoque chassis—a revolutionary construction technique at the time—providing exceptional rigidity and lightweight performance. Powered by Jaguar’s lustrous 3.4-liter XK inline-six engine, capable of churning out around 250 horsepower in its race trim, the D-Type was a symphony of speed and beauty.
However, as the racing winds shifted in the late 1950s, Jaguar found itself with a surplus of these formidable chassis. With new regulations mandating smaller 3.0-liter engines and the arrival of more advanced competitors like Ferrari and Aston Martin, the D-Type’s reign on the track was drawing to a close. Rather than let these magnificent machines gather dust, Jaguar embarked on a bold transformation. They converted the remaining D-Types into road-legal GT cars, christening them the XKSS.
The conversion process was a masterclass in pragmatic engineering. A full-width windscreen replaced the cut-down racing screen, a small convertible top was added for rudimentary weather protection, and removable side curtains replaced the open cockpit. A vestigial luggage rack adorned the rear, and bumperettes were fitted to meet road safety standards. While these modifications softened the D-Type’s razor-sharp racing edges, they retained the car’s ferocious spirit. Only 16 examples of the XKSS were ever built, making it one of the rarest and most coveted Jaguars in existence.
McQueen’s Green Rat: A Personal Legend Takes Shape
One of these sixteen fortunate souls was chassis number XK.SS.713, destined to become intrinsically linked with the King of Cool himself. Originally finished in a fetching white with a red interior, this right-hand-drive specimen was imported to the United States in 1957 by Jaguar Cars North America. Its first owner was James Peterson, a building contractor and co-founder of the famed Riverside International Raceway in California. Peterson, a man who understood the raw poetry of speed, soon passed the car to radio personality Bill Leyden.
It was under Leyden’s ownership that the car first captured the imagination of a young, ambitious actor named Steve McQueen. Legend has it that McQueen spotted the XKSS parked on a studio lot on Sunset Boulevard, its aggressive stance and exotic lines immediately igniting his passion. In 1958, he made the purchase, reportedly for around $4,000. The car, initially lighter in color, would soon undergo a transformation at the hands of McQueen’s coterie of automotive artisans.
McQueen had the XKSS repainted in a deep, lustrous British Racing Green, a color that perfectly complemented its predatory form. His friend and associate, the legendary pinstriper Von Dutch, fabricated a metal glovebox door to secure McQueen’s aviator sunglasses during spirited drives. Perhaps the most significant modification was the interior work done by SoCal hot-rodder and upholsterer Tony Nancy. Nancy meticulously reupholstered the cockpit in supple black leather, a testament to McQueen’s preference for understated luxury within his high-performance steeds. The car became known affectionately as the “Green Rat,” a nickname that spoke to its scruffy, battle-hardened character despite its luxurious origins.
McQueen’s relationship with the Green Rat was legendary. He drove it with the same intensity he brought to his films, often late at night, prowling the winding roads of the Hollywood Hills. This was a car that demanded respect and rewarded it with an unfiltered, visceral driving experience that was becoming increasingly rare in a world of cosseted luxury cruisers.
The Mulholland Run: A Timeless Connection
To truly appreciate the essence of McQueen’s XKSS, one must visit the hallowed ground where he once reigned supreme: Mulholland Drive. This legendary ribbon of asphalt snakes along the crest of the Hollywood Hills, offering panoramic vistas of the sprawling Los Angeles basin—a view that stretches from the iconic Hollywood sign to the distant shimmer of the Pacific Ocean. It was here, under the cloak of darkness, that McQueen and his band of automotive outlaws would disappear for hours, their engines echoing through the canyons.
Today, the road remains a tantalizing mix of breathtaking scenery and challenging pavement. Modern traffic and urban encroachment have tamed its wilder days, but for those who know where to look, the spirit of the legend endures. As I prepared to drive the Green Rat on these very roads, a profound sense of connection washed over me. This wasn’t just a test drive; it was a pilgrimage.
Sliding into the XKSS is an experience in itself. The cockpit is a masterclass in focused design—intimate, driver-centric, and utterly lacking in pretension. Tony Nancy’s black leather upholstery, now burnished with the patina of age and countless journeys, cradles the body with a supportive embrace. The wood-rimmed steering wheel sits close to the chest, offering a tactile connection to the road that modern cars, with their electrically assisted steering, can only dream of replicating. The large Smiths gauges—a speedometer that reads up to a theoretical 160 mph and a tachometer that sweeps with a nervous, electric precision—serve as constant reminders of the car’s racing pedigree.
The engine awakens with a throaty roar, a primal sound that seems to vibrate through the very chassis. The side-exit exhaust, a signature feature of the D-Type lineage, barks aggressively, releasing a symphony of pops and crackles as the engine settles into its rhythm. There is no hiding the XKSS’s intentions—this is a race car that happens to be street-legal, and it makes no apologies for it.
The Thrill of the Chase: Driving the Green Rat
With the engine humming a potent baseline, I eased the stubby, alloy-topped shifter into first gear. The gear change, a deliberate and mechanical act, requires a firm hand and a precise touch. Be timid, and the gearbox protests; treat it with authority, and it snaps into place with the satisfying precision of a high-end firearm being cocked.
The clutch engages with a satisfying, if weighty, bite, and the XKSS lunges forward with surprising urgency. The raw, unfiltered torque of the 3.4-liter XK engine is immediately apparent. Planted firmly beneath the long, sloping hood, the inline-six pulls with a relentless surge that defies the car’s age. This is not the smooth, linear acceleration of a modern turbocharged engine; this is an old-school, mechanical shove that pins you to your seat and demands your full attention.
As I navigated the sweeping curves of Mulholland, the XKSS revealed its true genius. The steering, though unassisted, is a revelation. It’s direct, immediate, and alive with feedback, transmitting every nuance of the road surface directly through the
