Kerry Packer’s Jaguar XJS up for sale

Bidding for the late Kerry Packer’s modified 1977 Jaguar XJS has officially kicked off at just $1 and no reserve.

But when the hammer drops tomorrow, July 31, Lloyds Auctions is expecting the worked Jag to go for a six-figure sum.

At the time of writing, the highest bid sat at $72,000, but it was rising…

The significance of this particular Jaguar XJS, as the story goes, is the result of a late-1970s ‘horsepower war’ between media mogul Kerry Packer and radio announcer John Laws.

Today it’s restored with a black duco finish, however in 1979 Packer is said to have taken his XJS – which was then cloaked in factory-issue British Racing Green – to Oran Park Raceway at the behest of Lindsay Fox for a few laps with racing driver Kevin Bartlett.

“After a few laps and terse conversation, KP took the wheel, with KB offering to remove himself if he didn’t start listening to his directions,” Lloyds said in its notes on the auction lot.

“From there, the friendship bond between them grew from adversity … [and] Packer asked: ‘So now how do we make it go?’”

Packer subsequently commissioned Rymec to add a pair of turbochargers to the factory 5.3-litre V12, which allowed the fettled XJS to produce 1200bhp (895kW) at 30psi.

But, the story continues, “removing the EFI [electronic fuel injection] and computer management replaced by raw SUs [carburettors] made the car either undrivable or breaking driveline components every step of the way”.

“Eventually reason prevailed and the auto was ditched for the Getrag five-speed [manual], Detroit locker [differential] and the EFI reinstated after many small fires, broken parts and mishaps,” said Lloyds.

“A fire at the Rymec premises gutted the car that was then purchased by Gary Walker, son of Roly Walker Jaguar spares who were well aware of the mythical beast as they had supplied many of the parts.

“They then rebuilt it from the ground up using no expense spared, recommissioning it in perfect black duco and tuned to a much more useable 740bhp (560kW) although still capable of 1000hp (746kW) on race slicks and gentle application of the immense power.

“This car was used as the test bed for the Roly Walker-built Gary Wilmington Group A XJS to see what would break as the street car didn’t have to follow Group A homologation requirements.

“The car was built with a 320km/h top speed, 11.0sec standing 400m time and an incredible fifth gear 30km/h to 250km/h acceleration capability without a stutter or gulp.

“Only previously rumoured to exist, this mythical beast is now for sale and represents a feat of power and engineering refined over years to build/rebuild a legendary Jaguar supercar.”

If you’re interested in what Lloyds describes as a car that’s “truly one of a kind with many stories to tell”, you can bid in person or online here.

Meanwhile, bidding for a rare 1990 HSV VN SS Group A SV (build number 002) is currently at $341,000, while Glenn Seton’s 1997 championship-winning Ford Falcon EL is at $206,000.