This is the 1955 Jaguar D-Type that won Le Mans the following year. The racing team that used this Jaguar – chassis number XKD501 – was Ecurie Ecosse (French for “The Scottish Stable”), which was indeed Scottish, despite the French name. The team’s notable achievements included the 1956 Le Mans victory, as well as victories in Le Mans in 1957 and several Formula 1 races. The team’s trademark was the blue color of their cars.
The original engine (which is still in the car, of course) is a 3.4-liter inline-six, producing 250 hp and breathing through three carburetors. A four-speed manual transmission delivers power to the rear wheels via a live axle, while the front has independent suspension. The car also features four disc brakes and a very short wheelbase of 90 inches.
Before June 1957, Jaguar officially withdrew from car racing, and the Scottish team continued to race the car, though not continuously, including in the 1957 Mille Miglia, which it did not finish. However, that year it did win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This is the only Jaguar (from the C and D series) that won Le Mans and has survived in its original condition. After the Ecurie Ecosse racing team, it passed through only two more owners. The second owner held it for 16 years before putting it up for auction in August 2016.
Bottom line: A rare car with a remarkable and documented history.
Sold for: $21.78 million.
