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Driving Steve McQueen’s 1957 Jaguar XKSS: An Icon of Speed and Style
Steve McQueen—the King of Cool—was more than just a movie star; he was a gearhead through and through. His legacy isn’t just defined by his iconic film roles, but by the roaring machines he drove with unmatched passion. Few vehicles embodied his spirit like his 1957 Jaguar XKSS. More than just a car, it was a legend on four wheels, a rare piece of automotive history that blended raw racing pedigree with Hollywood glamour.
From the winding roads of the Hollywood Hills to the high-octane world of endurance racing, the XKSS followed McQueen through decades of fame and infamy. This isn’t just a story about a vintageJaguar—it’s a journey into the heart of automotive rebellion, the mindset of a cinematic icon, and the enduring allure of a machine built for speed.
The Genesis of Cool: How Steve McQueen Found His Mechanical Soulmate
Even before he became “The King of Cool,” Steve McQueen was captivated by the raw power of machines. His early life was marked by hardship—a troubled youth, a dyslexic mind, and a stint in the Marines—but it was on the stage and set where he found his true calling. Yet, off-screen, his heart belonged to the open road and the roar of an engine.
McQueen’s cinematic career was a testament to his ability to embody the anti-hero—the cool, brooding rebel with a hidden vulnerability. Films like The Great Escape (1963), with its legendary motorcycle chase, and Bullitt (1968), featuring one of the most iconic car chases in history, cemented his status as a cultural icon. But it was his personal life, his relentless pursuit of speed and performance, that truly defined him.
He was a man of contrasts—kindhearted one moment, tempestuous the next. He possessed a wicked sense of humor and a violent temper, a perfectionist who demanded the best from himself and his machines. This complex personality found its perfect expression in his automotive passions. He wasn’t just a collector; he was an enthusiast who lived and breathed cars and motorcycles.
His garages overflowed with mechanical marvels—Maseratis, Ferraris, Porsches, Packards, and more than 100 motorcycles. But among them, one car held a special place in his heart: the 1957 Jaguar XKSS, chassis number XK.SS.713. It wasn’t just a car; it was an extension of his rebellious spirit, a machine built for the track that he tamed on the streets.
The Birth of a Legend: From Le Mans Dominance to Street-Legal Icon
To understand the XKSS, one must first look to its racing pedigree. The 1950s were the golden age of sports car racing, and Jaguar was a dominant force. Its D-Type, a masterpiece of aerodynamic design and engineering, was the car to beat on circuits across the globe.
The D-Type, developed in the mid-1950s, was a marvel of automotive innovation. It featured a revolutionary monocoque chassis—a single-piece body structure that provided exceptional rigidity and strength—combined with Jaguar’s legendary XK DOHC inline-six engine. With its curvaceous bodywork designed by aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer and its triple Weber carburetors, the D-Type was a symphony of speed and beauty.
Jaguar’s factory team, and privateer outfits like Ecurie Ecosse, campaigned the D-Type to victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times during the decade. This racing dominance made the D-Type one of the most coveted race cars of its era.
However, by the late 1950s, the D-Type was beginning to show its age. Stricter racing regulations, particularly the 3.0-liter engine displacement limit for 1958, hampered its performance against newer rivals like Ferrari and Aston Martin. Jaguar found itself with a surplus of unsold D-Types—approximately 25 customer cars that had no takers.
It was then that Jaguar conceived a brilliant idea: convert these purebred race cars into street-legal grand tourers. The result was the XKSS, a machine that retained the D-Type’s thrilling performance while adding the creature comforts needed for road use. The dorsal fin was removed and replaced with a luggage rack, a full-width windscreen and side curtains were added, and upholstered seats replaced the spartan racing buckets. The side-exit exhausts were fitted with heat shields to prevent singed calves, and street-legal lighting and bumpers completed the transformation.
In total, Jaguar built just 16 XKSS models, making it one of the rarest and most exclusive Jaguars ever produced. These weren’t just cars; they were automotive artworks, blending the raw intensity of the track with the refinement of a road car.
A Match Made in Hollywood: How Steve McQueen Acquired His Coveted XKSS
In 1957, chassis number XK.SS.713 rolled off the assembly line, destined for a life of speed and adventure. Originally finished in white with a red interior and sporting left-hand drive, this particular D-Type, later converted to XKSS specifications, found its way to the United States.
Its journey to automotive stardom began in Altadena, California, where it was acquired by James Peterson, a building contractor involved in the construction of the legendary Riverside International Raceway. Peterson soon sold the car to Bill Leyden, a local radio and TV personality who often parked it on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood.
It was there, amidst the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown, that a young Steve McQueen first laid eyes on the car that would become an extension of his very being. Accounts vary on the exact details, but most agree that McQueen purchased the XKSS in 1958, paying a sum of $4,000—a significant amount of money at the time, but a pittance for the icon he would become.
McQueen immediately made his mark on the car. He had it repainted in British Racing Green, a color that would forever be associated with his legendary status. He commissioned the renowned hot-rodder and upholsterer Tony Nancy to re-trim the interior in black leather, creating a cockpit that exuded understated cool. And, in a move that would become legendary, he had Von Dutch, one of McQueen’s circle of car-culture cronies, fabricate a metal glovebox door. This wasn’t just for aesthetics; it was to prevent McQueen’s sunglasses from flying out of the dash during high-speed runs through the Hollywood Hills.
This particular XKSS earned the affectionate nickname “The Green Rat,” a testament to its weathered, battle-tested appearance. McQueen was often seen working on the car himself, his hands calloused from both wrenching and filmmaking. He didn’t just drive his cars; he connected with them on a visceral level.
The Green Rat followed McQueen through some of his most formative years. When he purchased the house on Solar Drive in 1960, which would later inspire the name of his production company, Solar Productions, the XKSS was a constant presence. It was the car that prowled the same streets where James Dean had honed his own driving skills just a decade earlier.
The Legend of Mulholland Drive: Where the King of Cool Ruled the Night
No discussion of Steve McQueen and his XKSS is complete without mentioning Mulholland Drive. This winding ribbon of pavement, snaking along the ridge of the Hollywood Hills, was McQueen’s personal playground. Between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m., the normally quiet residential streets would come alive with the sound of a revving engine.
McQueen, often with a cigarette dangling from his lips and his right hand draped over the wooden steering wheel, would push the Green Rat to its limits. He wasn’t just driving; he was performing, threading the needle through the tight corners, the Jaguar’s powerful engine roaring a soundtrack that echoed through the canyons.
Local legend has it that law enforcement agencies in the Hollywood Hills had a standing offer: an expensive steak dinner for the officer who could successfully ticket McQueen for speeding. The stories vary—some say he was pursued but never caught, others claim he accumulated so many tickets he nearly lost his license. Whatever the truth, one thing is certain: McQueen owned Mulholland Drive after dark.
Dick Messer, director of the Petersen Automotive Museum and one of the caretakers of the Green Rat, remembers hearing the Jaguar approaching: “People who lived up in the Hollywood Hills would hear the Jag coming and say, ‘Yep, there goes McQueen.’ The Jag was his favorite.”
It was this legendary playground that we chose to revisit the Green Rat, over four decades after McQueen first tore through its curves. The road hasn’t changed much—it’s still a curvaceous, demanding ribbon of pavement that requires focus and respect. And as we settled into the cockpit, the experience felt like stepping back in time.
A Symphony of Speed: Experiencing the 1957 Jaguar XKSS
Getting into the XKSS is an experience in itself. The cockpit is snug, compact, and purposeful. The Tony Nancy leather interior, softened by years of use and care, still retains its rich patina. The wood and aluminum steering wheel sits close to the chest, and the large Smiths gauges—the speedometer to the left, the tachometer to the right—are perfectly positioned. In comparison, a modern Miata feels like a limousine.
The starter motor cranks with a deep, resonant growl against the XK’s
