In 1988, race car driver Andy Wallace took the top spot at Le Mans. He did so in the Silkcut-liveried Jaguar XJR-9 LM. Since then, that car has become an iconic machine and is instantly recognizable in its purple, yellow, and white paint scheme. The car was built by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, and it's powered by a 7.0-liter V-12 that produces between 750 and over 1,000 horsepower depending on how it's tuned. The top speed is north of 245 mph.

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Wallace was recently reunited with his Le Mans-winning machine, and he was also introduced to the Jaguar XJR super sedan. Under the lights at Silverstone, Wallace hopped behind the wheel of both vehicles to celebrate his victory back in 1988. This marked the first time that the XJR-9 had actually been driven at night since it slashed a path down the Mulsanne straight all those years ago.

Andy Wallace and the Jaguar XJR

Andy Wallace and the Jaguar XJR

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The road-going XJR is down on power, having just 545 or so horsepower by way of its supercharged 5.5-liter V-8. It does have LED headlamps though, which should prove a bit nicer than the units on the race car. Additionally, this LED setup is a first for Jaguar. The XJR won't hit the 240-mph mark, but if it did it would certainly be aided by the upgraded lighting compared to what Andy Wallace had to contend with back in '88.

Still, as good as the XJR might sound... it can't hold a candle to that wailing V-12 nestled deep inside the chassis of the Le Mans winner.

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