We had the privilege of producing a set of commemorative pieces for this iconic car, spanning a series of books, a bespoke box and multiple photoshoots. Beautifully handcrafted boxes house the two books, weaving the story that surrounds this slice of motoring history.
Client
Private
Sector
Automotive
Deliverables
Art Direction, Print
The books we created bring the story of expert craftsmanship behind this truly unique and rare vehicle to life. Shot to fame by one of the most iconic XKSS owners Steve McQueen (who gave his car the nickname the ‘Green Rat’), the car has a tragic past. In 1957 a fire ripped through the Jaguar Brown’s Lane factory, destroying the final 9 of the original 25 XKSS cars. In 2016, the talented team at Jaguar set about to produce the remaining 9 cars to the exact 1957 specification.
Inspired by the 1963 photograph of Steve McQueen in his XKSS in Los Angeles, we planned and art directed the photo shoots with celebrated car photographer Tom Wood. One shoot taking place in a subterranean car museum and the other at Bicester Heritage, a thriving business campus dedicated to historic motoring, based at the UK’s best-preserved WW2 RAF bomber station – the former RAF Bicester.
A Photographic Homage
Drawing inspiration from the iconic 1963 photograph of Steve McQueen with his XKSS in Los Angeles, we meticulously planned and art-directed multiple photoshoots with celebrated car photographer Tom Wood. The shoots took place in a subterranean car museum and at Bicester Heritage, a site steeped in automotive and wartime history. These settings not only provided a fitting backdrop but also helped capture the essence of the XKSS in a manner that respects its storied past and renewed legacy.
