1978 JAGUAR Group 44 XJ-S Trans-Am car

This Jaguar XJ-S was specially prepared for the 1978 Trans-Am season: an acid-dipped XJ-S body was delivered by the Jaguar factory to Group 44, Inc., the company founded by the legendary driver Bob Tullius.

Then, among other pure racing components, the shell was fitted with a 5.3-liter Jaguar V12 engine modified with 6 Weber carburettors, and a 32-gallon fuel cell. The Group 44’s Trans-Am race car XJ-S # 78-44 was born and was ready for competing in the 1978 Trans-Am season.

Driven by Bob Tullius, the second most winning driver in the Trans-Am series’ history with 21 victories over 60 races competed, the Group 44 XJ-S Jaguar # 78-44 started slowly the 1978 season finishing 9th at Sears Point in May, 2nd at Westwood on June 4th and 3rd at Portland on June 11th.
Then Bob Tullius and his XJ-S # 78-44 won consecutively the 7 races remaining until the end of the season, being claimed as the winners of the 1978 Driver’s and Manufacturer’s Championships!

As the newly winner of the 1978 Trans-Am Category I season, the Group 44 XJ-S Jaguar # 78-44 was entered at IMSA’s Camel season-ending 25-mile Challenge at Daytona on November 26th.

Following the 1978 season, the XJ-S # 78-44 was retired and stored by Bob Tullius until December 2007, when she was sold to Gary Bartlett who commissioned an exhaustive mechanical restoration and procured a FIA Historical Technical Passport and a FIVA passport.

This Group 44 XJ-S Jaguar # 78-44 is a cornerstone of the Group 44 legend and a chapter of Jaguar’s racing history! Ideal for Jaguar connoisseurs and/or enthusiats!

Certified racing history by Bob Tullius himself

Cosmetically intouched since its outing at Daytona in late 1978

Only two owners from new

European taxes paid