1954 Jaguar D-Type

1951 and 1953 were the years when Jaguar held their heads particularly high, as they celebrated victories at the Cirque de la Sarthe in Le Mans with the C-Type. The winning design was, of course, optimized and further developed, and in 1954, the D-Type, with its graceful aerodynamics and iconic fin, saw the light of day for the first time.

The D-Type had a voracious appetite for victory and was faster, more agile, and rawer than its predecessor. These qualities resulted in an impressive hat-trick of wins at Le Mans in 1955-57.This extremely well-built fiberglass-bodied replica is, unlike most other tributes, actually based on a Series 1 E-Type from the 1960s. This means that the suspension, driveline, seats, instrumentation, and more are entirely period-correct, and this is a genuine Jaguar right down to the chassis number. The car is equipped with a bored-out 3-liter XK engine, a synchronized Series 2 gearbox, and various racing goodies such as a sharper camshaft from Piper, a high-pressure oil pump, and a minimally restricted exhaust system with an incredible sound!The car was originally built for Joe Harwood, an American racing driver who used it extensively for what it was created for, namely racing, well into the 1980s when it was sold to a private collector. Between 2003 and 2007, it underwent a comprehensive restoration, including new paint and a complete engine rebuild. It is noted that the car "drives and performs with plenty of surplus, balance, and ease." The iconic racer recently completed the Ollon-Villars Hillclimb in Switzerland without significant challenges.This Jaguar D-Type is now ready to make the most of its retirement, either as a returning vintage racer, for hobby driving, or as a centerpiece in a collection.