If there was a single car that really put Jaguar on the World stage, it was the D-Type.
Produced between 1954 and 1957, contemporary estimates claim that 18 factory team race cars and 53 customer cars rolled off the Coventry, England lines. Sporting a massive fin behind the driver's headrest and constructed using an aluminum alloy monocoque chassis design and bodywork, the D-Type is more of a revolution of style and performance on the track than an evolution of the previous C-Type model.
Despite some technical issues with it's 3.4 litre engine during it's debut at the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans (finishing 2nd), the D-Type would win the event in 1955 and 1956. For 1957, a new 3.8 litre engine proved to be a real winner for the Jaguar, finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th.
The D-Type was also raced at various other tracks and events, such as Rheims, Sebring, and Cumberland to name a few.
For 1958, Le Mans imposed new regulations for sports cars and Jaguar complied by building a new 3.0 litre engine, but not one D-Type even finished the race that year.
Over the years, remaining D-Types have skyrocketed in value when they have made an appearance on the market. In 2016, RM Sotheby's Monterey auctioned the very car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1956 for $21.78 million. Lower end, poorer conditioned vehicles can still fetch $3-5 million.
Since my bank account doesn't quite have that much laying in it, I will have to settle for the only other option I have to drive one....
A bit of a sidenote. In 1957, Jaguar decided to offer up the remaining and partially uncompleted D-Types as the XKSS. 25 were planned to be sold and 16 versions did find buyer's hands. A fire at Browns Lane plant destroyed nine cars that were waiting to hit the road.
Despite some technical issues with it's 3.4 litre engine during it's debut at the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans (finishing 2nd), the D-Type would win the event in 1955 and 1956. For 1957, a new 3.8 litre engine proved to be a real winner for the Jaguar, finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th.
The D-Type was also raced at various other tracks and events, such as Rheims, Sebring, and Cumberland to name a few.
For 1958, Le Mans imposed new regulations for sports cars and Jaguar complied by building a new 3.0 litre engine, but not one D-Type even finished the race that year.
Over the years, remaining D-Types have skyrocketed in value when they have made an appearance on the market. In 2016, RM Sotheby's Monterey auctioned the very car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1956 for $21.78 million. Lower end, poorer conditioned vehicles can still fetch $3-5 million.
Since my bank account doesn't quite have that much laying in it, I will have to settle for the only other option I have to drive one....
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