Bob Roberts has kindly sent a gallery of pictures taken by him whilst the build of a Jaguar XJR-15 two-seater sports car took place at Eurodragster.com sponsor Robinson Race Cars back in 2004.

Bob says ‘The XJR-15 was a late 80s joint development between Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR). It capitalised on the success of the Silk Cut Jaguar race cars which won Le Mans and the World Sportscar Championship and was created as a road-race car with a special one make series. Fast forward to 2003 and the TWR empire was in receivership with assets being sold.

A Robinson Race Cars customer bought some XJR-15 panels and a complete cabin section. The engineering challenge was to take these parts and create a viable road car using readily available parts rather than the bespoke parts originally used. A further complication was that the original had a Jaguar V12 and racing gearbox as a stressed part of the structure.

A contemporary Jaguar V8 engine was chosen as an appropriate power plant with an Audi gearbox suitable for the mid-engine arrangement. Of course this did not have the same load bearing capacity as the original. A tubular steel frame surrounded and located the engine and box which then attached to the bulkhead at the back of the cabin using existing mounting points.

Front suspension was from a Jaguar XKR and steering by Vauxhall Astra rack. Rear suspension was fully fabricated by RRC with uprights again from an XKR. '.