Jaguar Restarts Production of Legendary D-Type Race Car

Jaguar Classic will reproduce 25 new examples of the iconic D-type race car reflecting the authentic and original specification as the first Jaguar D-Type example built in 1956.

Known for making history in the Le Mans 24 Hours race three times between 1955 and 1957, the new hand-built D-types by Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Warwickshire will be powered by six cylinder XK engine, based on the  engineering prototype of the 1956 Longnose specification.

The 1956 Jaguar classic is characterised by its extended bonnet, characteristic tail fin behind the driver’s head, wide-angle cylinder head and quick-change brake calipers.

Tim Hannig, Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director described the Jaguar D-type as “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.” 

Though Jaguar only planned to build 100 D-types in 1955 of which only 75 were completed, with the opportunity to continue the production run of the D-type’s success story as planned in Coventry, Hannig added that it is “one of those once-in-a-lifetime projects that our world-class experts at Jaguar Land Rover Classic are proud to fulfill.”

The third continuation vehicle from Jaguar Classic, the D-Type complements the six missing Lightweight E-types completed in 2014-2015 and nine XKSSs built in 2017-2018. And Kev Riches, Jaguar Classic Engineering Manager has this to say: “Recreating the nine D-type-derived XKSSs was hugely satisfying, and an even bigger technical challenge than the six missing Lightweight E-types, but lessons learned from the XKSS project have given us a head start on the final 25 D-types.”

”Each one will be absolutely correct, down to the very last detail, just as Jaguar’s Competitions Department intended,” he concluded.

The new Jaguar D-type has made its debut at Salon Retromobile on February 7 and Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director Tim Hannig presented the car during a press conference at 11:30 CET on stand K 030 in Pavilion 1.

All continuation cars from Jaguar Classic are sold strictly for private road or track use only.

For further information on Jaguar Classic, please visit www.jaguar.com/about-jaguar/jaguar-classic.