Jaguar Rolls Out the First D-Type Race Car in Over 60 Years

Jaguar Classic has restarted production of the iconic D-Type race car in Coventry, some 62 years after the last unit was built in 1956.

The first new example will make its debut at the Salon Retromobile show in Paris this week, as the automaker gets ready to build a total of 25 units at Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Warwickshire. Initially in 1955, the British automaker planned to build 100 D-Type models, but only 75 were completed. Now, Jaguar Classic is fulfilling the company’s initial promise by creating the remaining 25 all-new, period-correct sports cars.

That means every unit built for customers from 2018 will be created to authentic, original specification, just like the Jaguar D-Type that conquered the Le Mans 24 Hours race three times between 1955 and 1957.

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The engineering prototype is the 1956 Longnose specification, which can be identified by its extended hood, characteristic tail fin behind the driver’s head, wide-angle cylinder head, and quick-change brake calipers.

This is the third continuation model from Jaguar Classic, following the six missing Lightweight E-Type units completed in 2014-2015, and the nine XKSS built in 2017-2018.

“The Jaguar D-type is one of the most iconic and beautiful competition cars of all time, with an outstanding record in the world’s toughest motor races. And it’s just as spectacular today,” Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director, said. “The opportunity to continue the D-type model’s success story, by completing its planned production run in Coventry, is one of those once-in-a-lifetime projects that our world-class experts at Jaguar Land Rover Classic are proud to fulfill.”