► Back after 62 years: the Jaguar D-type
► Three times Le Mans-winning design
► Just 25 new Jag D-types being made
The D-Type is back. Sixty-two years after the last car was built back in 1956, Jaguar has decided to continue to make its Le Mans-winning D-Type.
Jaguar says 25 models of the new, old D will be produced at its classic work facility in Warwickshire, and the first one has just been shown at the Salon Retromobile in Paris.
Powered by the same six-cylinder XK engine as the original cars, the new D-types will be produced to exactly the same specification as the original car. After all, it won Le Mans 24hrs three times between 1955 and 1957, so why change a winning formula?
‘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,’ said Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover classic director. ‘And it’s just as spectacular today.’
‘The opportunity to continue the D-type’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 fulfil.’
Don’t call it a comeback
Jaguar is making 25 models of the D-type, but that’s not a random number. Back in 1955, Jaguar promised to build 100 of its Le Mans racers, but only ended up building a total of 75. Therefore, this run of 25 can be seen as a fulfilment of its original promise. The D-type was actually produced in both 1955 short-nose and 1956 long-nose configuration and Jaguar says the 25 will be built in whichever form the customer chooses.
It’s the third continuation Jaguar has announced in the last three years, following a run of six Lightweight E-types and nine XKSSs.
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