RM Jag Main

By Jordan Aquistapace –  November 04, 2021

RM Sotheby’s Guikas Collection: 1993 Jaguar XJ220 C LM

Presented by RM Sotheby's - For the 1993 Le Mans 24 Hours race, a team of three works-supported Jaguar XJ220 Cs were prepared by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, who in 1988 and 1990 had won the race for Jaguar with their mighty XJR-9LM and XJR-12 chassis respectively. TWR was involved in the XJ220 project from the outset via its JaguarSport Ltd. joint venture with Jaguar and had intimate knowledge of the XJ220’s 3.5-liter V-6 engine previously employed in the team’s XJR-10 and XJR-11. Four chassis were diverted to TWR from the XJ220 production line—chassis numbers 220836, 220837, 220838 and 220839—the first three of which were nominated as race cars, and the fourth as a spare. For internal purposes, the race cars were allocated abbreviated serial numbers by TWR of 001, 002 and 003 respectively. With International Sports Car racing going through a hiatus resulting from the demise of the World Sports Car Championship the previous year, Le Mans would be run as a non-Championship race in 1993 with entries open to a combination of earlier-generation Group C cars, 3.5-liter normally aspirated FIA WSC cars, IMSA WSC cars and production-based GT cars.This particular car, chassis 220838 (serial no. 003) was to be driven by seasoned IMSA racer Jay Cochran, Formula 1 driver Paul Belmondo, and emerging GT racer Andreas Fuchs, while 001 would be piloted by Armin Hahne, Win Percy, and David Leslie with 002 by former Le Mans winner John Nielsen and Grand Prix drivers David Brabham and David Coulthard. Although 003 was not completed in time, 001 and 002 showed encouraging pace at the Le Mans test day in May, finishing second- and third-fastest in the GT class behind the semi-works Porsche 911 Turbo S of Hans Stuck. Less than a month later, qualifying for the race itself showed that the XJ220 C’s test day performance was no fluke, with 002 qualifying 2nd in the GT class to the Stuck Porsche once again. With 003 and 001 as third- and fourth-fastest GT qualifiers respectively, TWR approached the race with genuine optimism. Unfortunately, six laps into the race, 001 suffered a catastrophic cylinder head gasket failure, side-lining that car within 30 minutes of the start. Meanwhile, Stuck’s Porsche developed a sticking throttle after only two hours, costing five laps to repair and promoting 002 and 003 to 1st and 2nd in class as night fell. TWR’s eventful race continued with the Nielsen/Brabham/Coulthard car relinquishing the class lead to 003 in order to repair a serious fuel leak, while Fuchs in 003 later suffered a high-speed tire failure on the Mulsanne Straight which caused him to spin through 360 degrees, albeit mercifully without hitting anything. Despite carefully limping the car back to the pits, terminal damage had been done to the cooling system as a result of the blow out, and the 003 crew were forced to retire after 176 laps. Serial number 002 would valiantly recover from its unplanned pit stop to regain the GT class lead and cross the line in a fine 15th place overall and 1st in the GT class, only to fail post-race scrutinizing as a result of not having catalytic converters fitted, resulting in a disqualification. Number 003 returned to Le Mans in 1995 as part of a two-car team run by privateer squad PC Automotive, although from the outset it was clear that the GT racing landscape was very different from 1993. Ranged against the XJ220 C in the GT1 class were seven new McLaren F1 GTRs, three Ferrari F40 LM/GTE variants and three Porsche 911 RSRs—not to mention assorted Venturis, Nissan GTR-LMs and a Lister Storm. Qualifying confirmed the team’s suspicions: although they had improved 003’s best lap time from 1993 by almost two seconds, in two years they dropped from qualifying 3rd in class to 14th. Heavy rain fell for much of the race, which played to McLaren’s strengths. Having battled throughout the race—and run as high as 4th in class—003 succumbed once again to engine failure after 135 laps. Serial number 003 eventually passed into the collection of an active member of the Jaguar Car Club of Japan. Unfortunately, during his ownership, the car was involved in an accident and sustained damage to the front, right hand side. It was subsequently sent to the renown XJ220 specialists at Don Law Racing in the U.K. to be fully repaired and restored to its 1993 Le Mans livery at a cost of nearly £200,000. Acquired by Mr. Guikas in February of 2020, this represents a rare opportunity to acquire a bona fide works Jaguar—and two-time Le Mans competitor—from the golden years of GT racing which is highly eligible for a variety of racing series across the globe, including Endurance Racing Legends, Master Endurance Legends and Le Mans Classic. The car will be delivered with the ACO scrutineering forms. Much rare than a F40 LM, this is a fantastic opportunity for the next owner to show up at the track with a masterpiece. RM Sotheby’s will present this vehicle as part of a single-owner collection comprised of 75 of the finest racing and road cars in the world, offered entirely without reserve. The Guikas Collection, to be sold at Paul Ricard Circuit in France in November 2021, presents pedigrees spanning from the endurance racing of the 24 Hours of the Le Mans to the world stage of Formula One and nearly everything in between. The collection of race cars will provide modern racing enthusiasts an introduction into virtually all vintage racing series worldwide, including GT and road cars that are equally impressive which offer a wide selection of Pre- and Post War sports cars. View Listing

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1993 Jaguar XJ220 0

By Edward Jones –  October 26, 2021

295-Mile 1993 Jaguar XJ220 - RM Sotheby's London 2021

Presented by RM Sotheby's - The appointment of incoming Chairman Sir John Egan in 1980 heralded a new era for Jaguar. Intent on improving profitability, workforce relations and quality control—and, critically, subscribing to the new Thatcher government’s encouragement of private enterprise—in 1984 Egan presided over Jaguar’s divorce from the government-owned British Leyland, of which it had been part of since 1975. Newly liberated from the corporate inertia which had hampered the company for many years, Egan made no secret of his enthusiasm for high-performance cars and of his desire to return Jaguar to the racetrack; the ultimate aim being victory at Le Mans once again. Having headed up Jaguar’s ETCC XJ-S program in the early 1980s via his eponymous TWR squad, Tom Walkinshaw was a natural choice to run their new-for-1985 Group C Sports Car program. Afforded virtual autonomy by Egan, Walkinshaw fulfilled his brief admirably, with TWR securing three World Sportscar Manufacturer titles and two wins at both Le Mans and Daytona in the next six years. The genesis of the XJ220 program went back as far as 1988, with the unveiling of a V12-powered four-wheel drive concept car at the Birmingham Motor Show. The reaction to this initially decidedly “after hours” project was hugely positive, although Jaguar subsequently decided that it was unfeasible to develop and construct a production version in-house, preferring instead to enter into a joint venture with TWR. Indeed, a new company—JaguarSport Ltd.—would be established to produce the car at a dedicated factory in Bloxham, Oxfordshire. For the production car, JaguarSport abandoned the idea of using a normally aspirated V12 in favor of a more compact and emissions-compliant twin-turbo V6 unit, a racing version of which had been previously used in TWR’s XJR-10 and XJR-11 Group C chassis. The concept car’s ingenious bonded honeycomb aluminum chassis was retained however, as was its conventional wishbone and coil spring suspension, although its four-wheel-drive system was also dropped on the grounds of cost and complexity. On completion, it was undeniable that, finally, a genuine road-going Jaguar Sports Car had been born, with designer Keith Helfet cleverly managing to accommodate subtle styling cues from the car’s illustrious C, D and E-type forebears—not to mention echoes of Jaguar’s only previous attempt at a rear-engined car, the glorious XJ13. Furthermore, its top speed of 213 mph rendered it the fastest production car in the world at the time, as had been the XK120 in 1949. Between 1992 and 1994, some 281 XJ220s were constructed, of which this magnificent Right Hand Drive example is believed to be the 72nd example built. Delivered in the appropriately named color of Le Mans Blue with black leather interior, the car was purchased by renowned historic car specialists Talacrest Limited who retained it until October 1994. At this point, it was sold—with a recorded odometer reading of just 100 miles—to Singapore Ferrari Concessionaire Hong Seh Motors Pte Limited. Although principally Ferrari agents, Hong Seh were certainly no strangers to the XJ220, having previously sold no less than six examples to the Brunei Royal Family prior to the acquisition of this particular chassis. The Jaguar arrived with its incumbent Singaporean keeper in October 1995 and was registered in Malaysia in 1996, though the car has been stored in Singapore since. After a period in long-term storage, Hong Seh entrusted the car to marque specialists Don Law Racing, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire for sympathetic recommissioning between May 2017 and March 2018. Having purchased all remaining factory XJ220 spares, patterns and tooling directly from Jaguar in 2007, the latter was uniquely qualified to carry out the necessary repairs to “829”, which included a complete engine rebuild, replacement of the entire fuel system, refurbishment of the cooling and air conditioning systems, the overhaul of all four brake calipers, hubs and dampers, and a full re-spray. In addition to this, the car was treated to a new windscreen, roof screen and a set of original specification Bridgestone tires; the total expenditure during this period totaled some £73,636. Remarkably, even as it approaches its fourth decade, chassis 829 has covered a mere 295 miles from new, making it arguably the lowest mileage XJ220 recently offered for public sale. This accolade, combined with the car’s two-owner provenance, recent expenditure and other-worldly performance surely render this the opportunity of a lifetime for anyone seeking to augment their significant Jaguar or Supercar collection with an example of this truly remarkable landmark design. This vehicle will be offered at RM Sotheby’s 15th annual London auction on 6 November, taking place at Waterloo Place and online at rmsothebys.com. Contact a Car Specialist for more information or to register to bid. View Listing

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1955 Jaguar D Type 0

By Edward Jones –  July 30, 2021

RM Sotheby’s Presents The Paul Andrews Estate Collection:...

Presented by RM Sotheby's - The Jaguar D-Type looks its part in a way that even few other competition cars of the 1950s do: Even sitting still, it fairly radiates speed and lightness. It is, at its heart, a strong, lightweight monocoque body tub, snugly fitting the driver, with a solid rear axle and suspension assembly at their back; an XK-type twin-cam inline six, cradled in a subframe, snarling at their feet; and Dunlop disc brakes securing all four corners. The car appears light because it is light, introducing construction concepts that, while massively modernized, are still used today because they were successful in their day: The D-Type finished a narrow 2nd Overall in its first entry at Le Mans in 1954, then returned a year later to win outright. Jaguar withdrew from competition following the 1956 season, but the D-Type kept going, winning Le Mans two further times, in 1956 and 1957, for the Ecurie Ecosse. The D-Type became a star of endurance circuits because on a good surface and in the right skilled hands, almost nothing could beat it on straights or in curves. Yet, as chassis number XKD 530 offered here proved, it could be surprisingly, even surpassingly successful on other tarmac as well—becoming a worthy, colorful star in a nation far-flung from Goodwood and the Mulsanne Straight, and establishing a history that is truly all its own. It was the kind of history that Paul Andrews appreciated—history that it might be said, one can feel in the car, evoking a bygone age even as today’s sights and sounds hurtle past the edges of the curved windscreen. XKD 530: D-TYPE ON ICE One of 54 privateer D-Types produced, chassis XKD 530 left the factory on 13 February 1956, finished in British Racing Green, as noted on its Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust Certificate. Finnish Jaguar dealer S.M.K. delivered the car in April 1956 to Curt Lincoln, a tennis player on Finland’s Davis Cup team, known in the racing world for his exploits in F3 midget cars and, more pointedly, a Jaguar C-Type. He now upgraded to the latest and best machinery, although he was none too eager to have the Finnish authorities know that. To avoid new vehicle tariffs on the D-Type, he reportedly had Jaguar fit a noticeably used steering wheel, “worn” pedals, and a discreetly tweaked odometer. The D-Type successfully arrived in Finland and was primarily campaigned in the country’s best-known race of the period, the Eläintarhanajo, held annually between 1932 and 1963 on a two-kilometer track in the heart of Helsinki. With a final drive ratio increased to 3.54:1, the car was driven by Mr. Lincoln under the banner of his Scuderia Askolin, named for the timber magnate who was part-team owner. It finished 1st in Class on 10 May 1956, followed by a second 1st in Class later in the season with its owner competing against his “old” C-Type, lent to Väinö Miettinen for the contest. XKD 530 would once again run the Eläintarhanajo in 1957, but its primary exploits after 1956 were in that most uniquely northern motorsport: ice racing. Running tires embedded with 1¾-inch spikes, XKD 530 and Mr. Lincoln achieved 1st Place finishes on the ice on 24 February and 10 March 1957. At that point, XKD 530 was refinished in Scuderia Askolin’s distinctive white and dark blue livery, and was handled largely by the team’s other drivers while Mr. Lincoln drove other cars. Correspondence suggests that Mr. Lincoln expressed interest in converting the car into an XK-SS for GT Class racing, but in the end undertook further competition modifications domestically, with Helsinki coachbuilders Wiima adding a full-length windscreen, a nearside door, and a custom tail fin. In this form the car continued to run in the 1958 season, recording numerous 1st and 2nd Place finishes to further embellish its record. On 26 May 1959, Mr. Lincoln wrote to Jaguar racing chief, F.R.W. “Lofty” England, stating that the rigors of competition had made an overhaul necessary. That December, XKD 530 arrived at the Works competition department at Coventry, and there the engine block was replaced with a factory 3.8-litre example. The 40-millimeter Weber carburetors were replaced with 45-millimeter units, the gearbox and brakes were reconditioned, and the car was refinished in white. XKD 530 then returned to Scuderia Askolin with a written tag stating “+100 hp,” and Mr. Lincoln resumed racing it, taking the checkered flag twice more in February 1960. In late 1960, after five seasons of highly successful competition, XKD 530 finally passed to its second owner, magazine publisher Olli Lyytikäinen, who continued to race the car, usually with future international rally driver Timo Mäkinen behind the wheel. The following year, the car experienced one of its most publicized races, when Heimo Hietarinta finished 1st in the Formula Libre class at the Leningrad Grand Prix on 27 August 1961. With this race, XKD 530 became what is believed to be the only D-Type to ever race in the Soviet Union—an occasion reported in the September 1961 issue of the Finish magazine, Tekniikan Maailma. MODERN HISTORY By November 1966, following several further short-term owners, XKD 530 was no longer competitive on Finland’s ice courses and was sold to the noted British collector, vintage racer, and prolific D-Type acquirer, Nigel Moores. When Moores acquired the car, it showed its hard use, with the body having been modified to an open two-seater cockpit with a truncated tail. Rebuilding the original body was prohibitively expensive given the value of what was, at the time, simply an outmoded race car. It was decided that the construction manner used on later D-Types, which involved separately bolting a front and rear chassis sub-frame to the body monocoque, afforded the opportunity to remove the damaged body while also preserving as many original chassis components as possible. Mr. Moores’ staff accordingly separated the chassis tub, mounted all-new bodywork in the factory long-nose style, and fitted the car with the wide-angle head D-Type engine originally used by the Briggs Cunningham team. The separated monocoque body, original factory-upgraded 3.8-liter engine, and gearbox, were put aside and eventually sold in the mid-1980s to historic racer John Harper, who repaired the coachwork and mounted it to an all-new chassis consisting largely of various original Jaguar factory components. Unfortunately, in a scenario not uncommon to the period, both cars were stamped with the chassis number XKD 530, and so a controversy gradually emerged as to the two cars’ proper identities and as to whom owned the “real” XKD 530. Ole Sommer, a D-Type owner and museum proprietor in Denmark, summed up the situation to Arthur Urciuoli after Urciuoli bought the original monocoque car in 1993. “It seems difficult,” Sommer wrote, “to rectify the situation, unless some benevolent person should decide to purchase both cars and exchange the front sub-frames and the legal documents, resulting in only one single car claiming to be XKD 530.” By the late 1990s, that path had become feasible, and Sommer’s wistful dream became reality when Gary Bartlett acquired both cars in 1998 and 2002 respectively. Both were delivered in late 2002 to D-Type historian and expert Chris Keith-Lucas’s highly regarded CKL Developments of East Sussex. Both cars were fully disassembled, with their individual part numbers noted, and after comparing them to original factory parts numbering, supplied by a longtime D-Type expert, the parts were separated and color-coded to identify which were original to XKD 530. Any doubt over which piece belonged to which car were put to rest when CKL remounted the repaired original monocoque onto the original chassis frame—and found that the original factory bolt holes, fortuitously not uniformly drilled, matched precisely for a form-fitting connection. As such, XKD 530 was finally completed in mid-2003, whole again once more. The completed car was taken to Goodwood, where it was photographed on the circuit for the conclusion of a five-part article, documenting its resurrection, by Paul Skilleter and Jim Patten that ran in Jaguar World Monthly magazine between December 2002 and September 2003. At Goodwood it was joined by Mike Salman, the veteran Le Mans driver who had captained several D-Types in-period. It went on to run the Mille Miglia Storica no fewer than four times, and was invited to the 2009 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and the 2011 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Vintage racing participation included the Stirling Moss Trophy at the 2011 Silverstone Classic and the Sussex Trophy at both the 2011 and 2012 Goodwood Revivals, finishing 8th Overall and 1st among all D-Type entrants in the latter. The car then passed in 2013 to British enthusiast Andrew Baber. When it came time for Paul Andrews to acquire a D-Type, in 2015, it was natural that he looked to XKD 530. Accompanied by its FIVA Passport and FIA papers, having been scrutinized by some of the marque’s leading experts, and retaining once again its original factory-upgraded engine, transmission, chassis frame, monocoque body, and brake calipers, it was all that one could wish for. It had soon been added to the collection, and, in typical fashion, did not sit still for long; it is estimated that the car has been driven some nearly 2,500 miles in its Andrews ownership, including on the Colorado Grand. One wonders how many modern D-Type owners have covered that many miles at the wheel of their machine! The fuel cell bladder has been changed, with the original accompanying the car along with a roll bar and other large spares; further, the brakes and clutch have been rebuilt, as well as new Dunlop tires fitted. The story of XKD 530 pauses here before continuing, in the hands of a new owner, who, as Paul Andrews did, will appreciate all of its many robust attributes on road, track, or ice. RM Sotheby’s is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Monterey auction this year with a third auction night dedicated to the incomparable Paul Andrews Estate Collection. Offered almost entirely without reserve, the impressive collection will kick-off RM’s flagship auction weekend on Thursday, 12 August. View Listing

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1963 Jaguar E Type Lightweight Continuation 0

By Edward Jones –  July 27, 2021

RM Sotheby’s Presents The Paul Andrews Estate Collection:...

Presented by RM Sotheby's - In 2014, Jaguar picked up where they left off in the 1960s and produced an additional six examples of the revered Lightweight E-Types. However, that number did not include this E-Type, “Car 0,” the first such Lightweight built for promotional use by Jaguar Classic. Not “replicas,” these were brand-new cars built as the originals had been, using the original engineering blueprints and designs as well as much of the original materials and methods. Further, the cars were given chassis numbers not utilized in the original production—thus “completing” the Lightweight E-Type model run. Needless to say, the project drew a great deal of attention, and the Jaguars were eagerly snapped up by private collectors. The new Lightweight E-Type (LWE) was based on a unibody built by JLR of Whitley, England, and fully wrapped in aluminum panels, which reduces its weight by 250 pounds over the production steel bodies; the shell was reproduced using detailed scans of an original lightweight body. The grade of aluminum and the forming methods were both the same used in the 1960s. It is important to note that while techniques such as high-strength aluminum alloys and bonded structures are now available and could have been used, they intentionally were not, as they would have invalidated the cars for historic racing events. To that end, a roll cage was mounted as standard equipment. The only components uprated have been for safety and durability, such as later oil and water temperature gauges and Willans safety harnesses. The engine is a Crosthwaite & Gardiner–built 3.8-liter inline-six with an aluminum block with steel liners, significantly reducing weight over the front wheels, and featuring a “wide-angle” aluminum head, dry-sump lubrication system, and either fuel injection or three Weber 45DCOE carburetors. Jaguar quoted over 300 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 rpm, delivered to the rear axle via a close-ratio, fully synchronized four-speed transmission and single-plate clutch. Additional lightweight mechanical components included the radiator, oil cooler, and expansion tank for the coolant. The suspension was fitted with upgraded shock absorbers, controlling the front torsion bars and rear coil springs, while steering is handled by a stock E-Type rack-and-pinion system. Larger 12.25 in. brake discs were mounted at the front, while the perforated 15-inch-diameter wheels were correctly cast of magnesium. CHASSIS NUMBER S 851001 The LWE offered here, chassis number S 851001, was equipped with a 3.8-liter, six-cylinder engine with triple Weber carburetors and “wide-angle” cylinder head. This car, dubbed “Car 0,” was utilized by Jaguar Classic as a North American press car, widely seen in promotional materials and magazines as well as at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion on the Jaguar Special Vehicle Operations stand. Afterward, it was returned to the factory and rebuilt to “new” condition prior to delivery to its first owner. Today, offered from just its second owner, it has been only gently and occasionally used and now has only 718 miles recorded at time of cataloguing. It will place its next custodian in a very small club indeed, one of only seven persons who can enjoy the reborn Lightweight’s unbelievable, evocative performance, worthy of the legend. RM Sotheby’s is thrilled to announce the expansion of its Monterey auction this year with a third auction night dedicated to the incomparable Paul Andrews Estate Collection. Offered almost entirely without reserve, the impressive collection will kick-off RM’s flagship auction weekend on Thursday, 12 August.  View Listing

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1956 Jaguar XK140SE 1

By Edward Jones –  May 27, 2021

CCP Spring Classic Auction: 1956 Jaguar XK140SE

Presented by Collector Car Productions - A very special automobile, this special edition Jaguar has undergone a very thorough and purposeful restoration as the car was being prepared to run the Mille Miglia in Italy. Even though the car was prepared for this endurance race, it is believed that the owner withdrew from the race for personal reasons. We had the privilege of inspecting this Jaguar and immediately realized just how special it really is. The paint was professionally applied with a mirror-like surface finish and the Biscuit interior was just as impressive. A look at the undercarriage showed us that the floor pans were refinished in the body color of Arbour Green and that a stainless exhaust system has been fitted to the car. Disc brakes were also installed along with Lucas fog lamps, and the car rides on Blockley 16 inch tires mounted on Ruote Borrani Milano knock-off wire wheels. This Jag is also fitted with a pair of Brooklands Racing Windscreens. The engine runs crisply and is hooked up to a manual transmission with overdrive. It appears that the mechanical condition of the car is on par with the cosmetic condition. Records indicate that the car was sold to a buyer in Arizona and the restoration was performed by Doc’s Jags in Arizona. Documents include a FIVA Identity Card, a Bill of Lading to ship the car back from Italy and a Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate. Upon decoding the data tag, in was found that the cylinder head, engine block, chassis and body numbers all match. This is just one of approximately 100 great hand-selected cars to be offered at the Toronto Spring Classic Car Online Auction to be held on June 12, 2021 by CCP Auctions. View Listing

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1955 Jaguar D Type 17

By Edward Jones –  January 10, 2021

RM Sotheby's Arizona 2021: 1955 Jaguar D-Type

Presented by RM Sotheby's - THE INDOMITABLE D-TYPE Following World War II, Jaguar Cars wholeheartedly adopted a time-tested automotive sales strategy: Use feats of speed and competition success to market its civilian sports cars and luxury saloons. First came headline-grabbing speed trials in the XK 120, followed by the model’s success in circuit racing. The XK 120 was then developed into the swoopy C-Type racer; the C-Type’s wins at the 1951 and 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans demonstrated that Jaguar’s investment in motorsport was a very wise one indeed. Yet if the C-Type represented an evolution of the XK 120, the machine that would follow—the Jaguar D-Type—was a radical leap into the future of performance. With its round haunches and small, oval grille, the D-Type presented a friendly face to the world; behind it, however, lurked a fierce competition car packed with advanced technology. Unlike its rather conventional predecessor, the D-Type made use of a strikingly modern chassis configuration centered around a strong, lightweight monocoque body tub that enveloped the cockpit. An XK-type dual-overhead camshaft inline-six engine was cradled in a subframe assembly attached to the front of this monocoque; the car’s solid rear axle and rear suspension assembly were correspondingly fitted to the rear bulkhead. While materials and technology have evolved dramatically in subsequent decades, this basic design concept is used on race cars and exotics to this day. Further forward-looking elements included four-wheel disc brakes supplied by Dunlop, first deployed on the C-Type, and a compact, slippery body that minimized frontal area to reduce aerodynamic drag—an effort aided by the XK engine’s dry-sump configuration and slightly canted orientation, which afforded a lower hood height. Finally, an asymmetric vertical fin positioned behind the driver’s headrest, developed to add stability on circuits with long, high-speed sections (and later added to many initially finless cars, this chassis among them) lent the D-Type an unmistakable profile. Introduced in April 1954, the D-Type soon earned success in competition: After victory at the 1954 Sebring 12 Hours and strong second-place finish at 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Jaguar works team achieved a first at Circuit de la Sarthe in 1955; Ecurie Ecosse notched a privateer win there the following year. Racing technology evolves quickly, however, and faced with slowing sales, Jaguar decided to use the D-Type chassis it had on hand to build the very similar (though finless) XKSS road car. D-Type and XKSS production suffered a crippling blow on 12 February 1957, when a fire tore through Jaguar’s Coventry works. Five D-Types were destroyed in the blaze, as well as important tooling and materials. Final D-Type production numbers tallied 17 works race cars (including 11 “long-nose” variants), plus 54 “short-nose” D-Types intended for customers; of that latter group, five were lost in the fire and four were dismantled for parts. A further two of these production D-Types were later converted to XKSS models. Yet despite the Coventry catastrophe, D-Type’s story was far from over. Notably, five privateer D-Types were entered in the 1957 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. They ultimately took the top four places, in addition to sixth place, with the Ecurie Ecosse D-Types famously reprising their 1956 first-place finish and achieving second place to boot. The sleek Jaguar’s place in motorsport history had been secured. CHASSIS NUMBER XKD 518 Dispatched 29 December 1955 and delivered new to Henlys of Manchester, England, XKD 518’s appearance immediately distinguished it from the already rarified D-Type set. Painted Red with an interior trimmed to match, it was one of a very small number of D-Types (perhaps as few as two or three examples) to be so finished when new. One historian suggests, somewhat humorously, that this unexpected livery was selected by Jaguar in hopes of breaking into the Italian privateer racing market. Whatever the motivation may have been, the car remained in England, and racer Peter Blond became its first private owner—having purchased the car for £3,500 from a certain Bernie Ecclestone, who had taken the car on after Henlys failed to find a buyer. Blond soon put it to good use in club racing, achieving second and first place finishes at Snetterton in June 1956, along with another first at Snetterton in September. Other appearances in busy 1956 and 1957 seasons included Aintree, Silverstone, Oulton Park, and Goodwood, where Blond competed in the Goodwood Trophy race and finished ninth. Blond sold the car to Jonathan Sieff in August 1957; Sieff continued to race the car with Blond, with a best recorded finish of second at Full Sutton in July 1958. Following the 1959 racing season Sieff sold to the car to Monty Mostyn of Speedwell Garage, and after a brief period in the hands of John Houghton, it was acquired by racer Jean Bloxham. Bloxham brought the car to Goodwood in March and April of 1961 and raced the car at Silverstone in May, finishing third in one of her outings. XKD 518 returned to John Houghton in around 1962, and around 1967 it was sold on to John Coombs and Richard Wilkins. Under the care of its next owner, Clive Lacey, it attended the first International E-type Day at Donington Park in 1974. Following Lacey, this D-Type was purchased by Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant. The car crossed the Atlantic in 1982 after its purchase by American collector George Stauffer, who retained the D-Type until 1996. From Stauffer it passed to Chris Cox, then in 1998 to Roger Willbanks, before being acquired by Bill Jacobs in 2005. It has resided in the collection of its current owner and consignor since 2008. Importantly, there are no known breaks in XKD 518’s record of ownership or gaps in its history, and the car is included in authoritative marque and model texts including Jaguar Sports Racing Cars: C-Type, D-Type, XKSS and Lightweight E-Type and Jaguar C-Type. D-Type & Lightweight E-Type Register. Painted British Racing Green at some point in its past, XKD 518 has since been returned to its factory Red. Inside the remarkably low-slung cockpit, the correct red interior upholstery found on the lap belt-equipped seats continues on the transmission tunnel. The car’s two seats are a separated by a divider, a feature eliminated on the XKSS road cars; a purposeful wood-rimmed steering wheel—all D-Types were right-hand drive—sits in front of a suite of Smiths gauges. A black tonneau cover provides a degree of weather protection when parked. Initially built with a narrow windscreen and no tailfin behind its headrest, XKD 518 was, as car engaged in regular racing, upgraded as D-Type design was honed by competition. Currently, the car is fitted with a full-width windscreen, a configuration shown in some period photographs; precisely when it gained its distinctive tailfin remains unknown. Underneath the car’s aerodynamically sculpted bonnet, fittingly secured by leather straps, sits the numbers-matching 3.4-liter dry-sump XK engine (both block and cylinder head are stamped E 2028-9). Fed by triple Weber carburetors, breathing through passenger-side-mounted exhaust, and mated to four-speed transmission, this combination was rated at 245 horsepower when new. Meanwhile, at the very tail of the car, a full-size spare wheel is hidden away in small boot; the fuel filler cap is similarly concealed from sight in a compartment behind the driver’s headrest at the base of the tailfin. Advanced in design and construction and highly successful in competition—while also distinguishing itself as one of the most aesthetically pleasing racing machines ever devised—any Jaguar D-Type is an important and notable vehicle. Beyond its distinctive color combination, XKD 518’s particular appeal lies in its well-documented provenance, including a healthy record of in-period racing. Further, despite ample time spent on circuits, it has survived to the present accompanied by its original engine, cylinder head, and bodywork. Needless to say, not all competition machinery from racing’s golden era has been so lucky. A compelling centerpiece for any serious collection of significant sports and racing cars, XKD 518 is also a worthy candidate for vintage competition at the highest and most prestigious levels; it awaits a dedicated owner prepared to carry on the legacy established by racers and enthusiasts in the decades since this special D-Type first left Coventry. This vehicle will be offered at RM Sotheby’s 22nd annual Arizona sale, kicking off its 2021 auction calendar at the OTTO Car Club on Friday, 22 January. It will join approximately 80 blue-chip motor cars, and the sale will be a live event with limited attendance; online and phone bidding options are available by contacting RM Sotheby’s. View Listing

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By Edward Jones –  December 01, 2016

Lengedary Jaguar Set to Sell for Almost $10 Million

Everyone knows that classic Ferraris can sell for massive amounts of money, but what about Jaguars? The English automaker has a long history of iconic automobiles, with one in particular set to cross Bonham's Scottsdale auction block.The 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight Competition, number S850667, was the tenth of the twelve Factory Lightweights that were ever built. This specific car also won the 1963 Australian GT Championship. It's also very well-documented, is very original and, get this, it has less than 4,000 original miles recorded with just three owners from new. Yeah, we're talking about a car from 1963.(Related - So Close: Jaguar E-Type Barely Misses Crashing Into $40 Million Ferrari)According to Bonhams: "This example has been out of the public eye for most of its life and comes recently from a private collection where it has resided since 1999. Its condition, too, is incredibly noteworthy with original finish visible in most areas, including almost all the interior. To have a competition car, and a championship winner at that, in such original condition is unheard of today."So, how much will it be sold for? Bonhams reckons it has an estimated auction price of $7,500,000-$8,000,000. If sold for this price, it will sit below the hammer price of 1955 Jaguar D-Type (CHASSIS NO. XKD 501) sold at RM Sotheby's 2016 Monterey auction, which was $21,780.000. Be sure to check back with us to see how much this 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight Competition sells for at Bonhams' Scottsdale Auction taking place on Thursday, January 19, 2017.All Jaguar For Sale

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