1956 Jaguar D-Type

1956 Jaguar D-Type in Black.

Sleek and fast, Jaguar cars were the brainchild of William Lyons, who began by designing motorcycle sidecars. He set up the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, but by 1927 his thoughts had drifted to cars and in 1931 he launched the SS1.

Despite a string of successful models, Jaguar was aware that more innovation was needed to stay ahead of Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. Thus Lyons assembled a team of engineers, including Malcolm Sayer, an aviation aerodynamist, to create the D-type. They used stressed-skin engineering for the chassis and incorporated the framework with riveted aluminium body panels to form a lighter and more rigid monocoque construction.

The D-type prototype was was incredibly light with a top speed of 178mph, almost 30mph faster than the C-type, thanks to the XK-based engine and advanced brake discs. The D-type prototype also differentiates itself with gauges on the left side of the cockpit and a riveted head cowl even though it was never raced.

The D-type rapidly became the car to beat, recording the best ever performance by any marque in Le Mans history: five cars entered and five at the finish, in first, second, third, fourth and sixth place.

With just 45 production and 17 works D-Types made between 1954 to 1958, the chance to purchase an example of the iconic model that won Le Mans is 1955, 1956 and 1957 are understandably few and far between, and becoming more so. This chassis XKD 570 thereby represents a very, very rare opportunity. It rolled out of Jaguar's Brown Lane factory in July 1956. For some years being part of Nigel Moores collection it has more recently rested with, and been campaigned in classic events by, a well known family of historic car enthusiasts, and we are excited and equally delighted to now be offering this Jaguar for sale.