1956 Jaguar D-Type Could Go For $10 Million At Auction
It was owned by Bernie Ecclestone and is almost completely original.
KhodroCar - Arguably one of the most iconic Jaguar vehicles ever built, the D-Type made its debut in 1954. Though production of the sports car lasted just three years, the Jag recorded wins at Le Mans, Sebring, and various other tracks before hanging up its helmet for good. All told, just 53 customer cars were built alongside the 18 factory team cars – and at least one of those examples has come up for sale.
A centerpiece in the upcoming Gooding & Co. Scottsdale auction, this lovely 1956 Jaguar D-Type is available through MotorGT. It's estimated to go for anywhere from $10 to $12 million when it crosses the block. Rarity aside, it remains in excellent condition, and is one of the first examples ever produced. It was delivered new to Henlys of Manchester in 1955, where it was eventually handed over to its first owner, Bernie Ecclestone. Yes, that Bernie Ecclestone.
The car changed hands a number of times, and was owned not only by motorsport veteran Ecclestone, but also famed racing drivers Peter Blond and jean Bloxham. The two went on to race the rare Jag throughout the U.K. at circuits like Goodwood, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, and Crystal Palace, among others, taking home a handful of first place finishes in the process.
"My first race with the D-Type was on 14 April, 1956, when I drove it in the British Empire Trophy at Oulton Park," said Peter Blond in an interview with historian Anthony Pritchard. "It was a proper road circuit, and I liked the fact that the D-Type seemed very happy there, particularly in the dry. It was my local circuit and I came to know it quite well. It was a very testing circuit – if you went off, you were quite likely to go into the lake or hit a tree. I finished fifth in the heat for cars over 3,000 cc, ahead of Ken Wharton with Joakim Bonnier’s Alfa Romeo Disco Volante."
The exterior is finished in its original red livery, and the numbers-matching 3.4-liter engine, stamped E2028-9, alongside the original bodywork remains. The car is being offered up for sale for the first time in nearly a decade, and retains original documentation of ownership. If you’re in the market, head over to the Gooding & Co. Scottsdale auction, which opens its doors on January 19, 2018.
MotorGT is part of Motorsport Network, parent company of Motor1.com. A high-end marketplace where the rarest, fastest, and coolest cars are sold, MotorGT searches the world for the best exotics, hypercars, super cars, classics, and race cars. If you have the means, we highly recommend picking one up.
Source: Gooding & Co via MotorGT
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