Vehicle Description
In the early 1980s, British Leyland was collapsing under its own
weight and the entire fate of that nation's motor industry was in
peril. With the fate of storied marques like Triumph, MG, and even
Jaguar in question, motor racing was low on the priority list and
the funds were cut off to virtually every works or semi-works
program. The ripple effect was felt across the pond in the USA as
well, where longtime BL racing stalwart Bob Tullius was suddenly
left without a car to run, despite his years of success with Jaguar
and Triumph. Tullius had started racing in the early 1960s,
securing a D-Production national championship in 1964 at the wheel
of a Triumph TR4. He worked through the ranks of American sports
car racing, scoring numerous wins along the way. But Tullius was
more than just a hot-shoe driver - he was a shrewd businessman who,
through the creation of Group 44 Racing Inc, essentially created
the modern concept of the professional racing team. Group 44 would
become one of the first teams (alongside Penske Racing) to adopt a
business-like approach to building and running race cars. While
other teams chased the hottest car year to year, Tullius remained
staunchly loyal to Triumph, MG, and Jaguar; his cars always
impeccably turned out in their signature white and green livery. He
maintained long-term partnerships with sponsors Quaker State Oils
and Goodyear, providing them unprecedented value through
promotions, press, and plenty of on-track success. Supported by
British Leyland, Tullius and Group 44 developed the somewhat
unwieldy V12-powered Jaguar E-type into a formidable challenger for
the B-production championship. Jaguar's stock rose further when the
even less-likely XJS walked away with the 1977 and 1978 Trans Am
titles. By the end of the 1970s, Tullius and his signature Group 44
cars were synonymous with Jaguar, and company bosses recognized the
tremendous value of that relationship. After the fall of Leyland,
the fate of Group 44 was in jeopardy. But in late 1981, the head of
Jaguar North America hinted to Bob that he shouldn't sign with
anyone until he heard from Jaguar UK. Tullius' patience paid off
when Group 44 was tapped to run a works-supported team in the hotly
contested IMSA Camel GTP series, which Jaguar saw as a stepping
stone to a Le Mans return. Bob jumped at the opportunity and
expanded his team to build a new GTP car from the ground up and
secured the talents of Lee Dykstra to design a new chassis, and
Randy Wittine to pen the bodywork. Jaguar's insistence of having
Briton Patrick Head design the car was met with fierce resistance
as Tullius knew he needed designers that understood the intricacies
of building a car for the uniquely American GTP series. He got his
way and by August of 1982, the first Group 44 Jaguar XJR-5 rolled
out of the workshop. The XJR-5 was a stunningly beautiful race car,
turned out with the typical exquisite preparation that Group 44 was
known for. That the XJR-5 was initially outclassed by the dominant
Porsche 962 almost didn't matter - its beauty, heritage, and
ear-splitting V12 soundtrack made it an instant hit with the rabid
IMSA fans. Despite being down on power compared to the turbocharged
Porsche, the XJR-5 could still win races - winning several events
between 1982-1986 and scoring numerous other podium finishes along
the way. The Group 44 XJR-5 and XJR-7 GTP programs paved the way
for Jaguar's later Group C efforts and victory at LeMans. Our
featured XJR-5 is chassis number 010, the very last car built and
raced in-period by Group 44. Approximately 13 cars in total are
known, though three have been built up from spares. Chassis 010
raced in the 1984 and 1985 IMSA seasons and features numerous
developments that set it apart from earlier cars. Most notable is
the addition of fuel injection (early cars ran Weber carburetors)
that allows the 6.0 liter Jaguar V12 to develop nearly 650
horsepower. Chassis number 010 was run in-period by a laundry list
of legendary drivers - Doc Bundy, Chip Robinson, Brian Redman,
Hurley Haywood and of course Bob Tullius - and it carries their
signatures on the tub. According to information from Group 44,
chassis 010 won the 1985 Road Atlanta 500KM with Redman and
Haywood, in a one-off appearance wearing race number 04. As #44, it
scored several more podiums and top-tens in its career, mainly with
Tullius, Robinson, and Bundy at the helm. This car was also sent to
Le Mans twice, though only to serve as a backup for chassis 06 &
08. It remained with Tullius until 2008 when it was sold to a noted
racer and collector, Rick Knoop. More recently, it has participated
in the Daytona Classic 24, the Palm Beach Historics and multiple
Monterey Historics (with F1 veteran Stefan Johansson driving on one
occasion). Benefitting from a meticulous restoration in 2008 led by
Rick Knoop and Jim Busby, XJR-5 010 presents in stunning
concours-quality condition yet it remains fully sorted and ready to
race. The original bodywork has been fully restored in its iconic
Group 44 livery, with exquisite paintwork and detailing. The
chassis and original alloy tub have been fully rebuilt, and it is
plumbed and wired with the same meticulous care that Bob Tullius
would have insisted upon in 1984. The thundering Jaguar V12 has
been fully rebuilt by Ed Pink Racing Engines and has fewer than 25
hours since the rebuild. While capable of a screaming 8500 rpm, the
current owner has wisely kept it below 6000 to ensure longevity.
Mated to the engine is a freshly rebuilt Carl Haas Hewland dog-box,
complete with cryo-treated gear sets and a new differential. It is
reported to be very reliable and an absolute joy to drive - even at
speeds approaching 200 mph on the banks at Daytona. As a testament
to its quality and presentation, it has been shown at the Amelia
Island Concours, and won its class at the Quail Motorsports
Gathering and the Carmel Concours. The sale of this legendary
historic racer will include a comprehensive spares package
consisting of spare bodywork (including a nose with headlights),
suspension components, race and show wheels, spare block, new
crank, and spare heads along with a complete road-going V12 with
all of the necessary ancillaries needed for an additional complete
spare engine build. The history and specification are fully
documented with log books and spec sheets from the restoration, and
numerous promotional materials and press kits are included as well.
Impeccably finished and prepared, this truly stellar, race-winning
Jaguar XJR-5 is both a proven concours competitor and eligible for
entry in a wide number of racing events around the world, including
Historic Group C (Class 1 b), Le Mans Classic, and the HSR Classic
24 at Daytona, among many others. The GTP era was notoriously tough
on cars, and it is rare to see examples from this historic period
restored to such a high standard. This is an unmatched opportunity
to acquire one of the best XJR-5s extant; a genuine semi-Works
Jaguar racer with magnificent history at the hands of some the
greatest sports car drivers of all time.