1953 marked the second victory at the Le Mans 24 hours in three years for Jaguar and the C-type. With so many lessons learned and competition hotting up, an all new car was needed to help keep them at the front of the grid. From these learnings, the D-type was born. Retaining the 3.5 litre XK engine from the C-type, the car now sported an aeronautical-inspired, magnesium-alloy central monocoque tub, an aluminium spaceframe and all-round Dunlop disc brakes.
The D-type was created in time for Le Mans 1954 with Jaguar fielding three cars in the race. Unfortunately, all developed misfire-related issues causing both retirement and extensive setbacks. 1955 however brought success with Jaguar achieving 1st and 3rd. Victory continued for the next two consecutive years, with 1st,4th and 6th in 1956 and 1st,2nd, 3rd,4th and 6th in 1957 respectively, albeit by privateer teams.
In the years since, the D-type has been cherished by enthusiasts, collectors and historic racers as one of the era’s finest sports cars. Just 71 examples were built, spanning works cars, long-nose variants and privateer entries.
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