Classic Cars 1954 Jaguar d Type
Regardless of what particular make or model an auto enthusiast may prefer, he or she will likely agree that Jaguars are among the most beautifully-styled cars in the world. This holds true for the earliest models all the way up to the British automaker’s current offerings.TheD-Typebecame Jaguar’s most successful racing model after winning the prestigious Le Mans event three years in a row. For those who don’t know, this is a grueling 24-hour race that has taken place near a French town of the same name every year since 1923.The predecessor to Jaguar’s D-Type was the XK120 C, also known as the C Type. This car had won at Le Mans in 1951 and 1953. Even as the XK120 proved to be a successful racer, executives at Jaguar realized that to stay competitive with the likes of Maserati, Alpha Romeo, Aston Martin, and Ferrari, a new and improved car would have to be built.Following a development period of about a year and a half, the D-Type was ready to go and made its debut in 1954. It was shorter than the C-Type and also had a lower suspension. As a result, it reached a top speed of 178 mph (287 kilometers per hour) in its testing phase; nearly 30 mph (48 kilometers per hour) faster than the outgoing model. In regard to the engine, the same XK powerplant used by the C-Type was employed but modified to gain more horsepower.The frame was made of riveted aluminum panels that formed a single body structure, making the D-Type one of the first cars to employ today’s widely-popular unibody construction. Initially, Jaguar used a lightweight magnesium alloy for the body, frame, and suspension. This turned out to be quite expensive, so for 1955, regular aluminum and steel were used instead.The D-Type wasproducedfrom 1954 until 1957. While failing to win at Le Mans in its debut year, it won in 1955, 1956, and 1957. During this model’s final year of production, theXKSS,a street-legal version, was made available to the public.All told, in 1957, 68 D-Type race cars were built. Of those, 25 were unsold, and this is how the XKSS came to be. The aerodynamic rear fin was removed, a windshield was added, and a second seat and door were added as well. Over 300 of the street-versions of these cars were being produced when a fire destroyed the stamping machinery, the assembly line, and most of the cars themselves. As a result, only 16 survived and were ever sold to the public. Perhaps the most notable owner of one of those 16 XKSS models was American actor Steve McQueen. McQueen was not only a big fan of racing himself, but also starred in a 1971 film documentary of Le Mans.Should anyone reading this aspire to own a surviving Jaguar Type D, you should be prepared to have lots of cash. In 2005, one model sold for $1,815,000 and in 2010, another sold for $2,090,000.A bit spendy, but only 87 of these cars were believed to be built during its 3-year run. However, replicas are the next best thing, and for a sum just a bit shy of $200,000, you can have one parked in your garage.
