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Jaguar D-Type returns to production after more than 60 years

Iconic racing Jaguar will go back into production for an extremely limited run

Jaguar D-Type returns to production after more than 60 years
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JAGUAR is bringing the iconic D-Type race car back to life, 62 years after the last example was built in 1956.

A special continuation production has been announced, with the company going to extreme lengths to ensure the modern-day creations are identical to their retro siblings.

Jaguar had planned to build 100 D-Types back in 1955, however only 75 rolled off the production line. The final 25 will now be built thanks to Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works in Warwickshire in England.


Jaguar’s classic department has access to the original engineering drawings and records for the D-Type to ensure the cars are built to an accurate and authentic specification.

The D-Type has a hat-trick of Le Mans 24 Hour victories to its name, winning the ’55, ’56, and ’57 editions of the world’s most famous endurance race.

Under the bonnet is a six-cylinder XK engine, which will also be recreated to period specifications without any fancy fuel injectors or turbos.


The new D-Types can be built in either 1955 shortnose or 1956 longnose bodywork configurations, according to the customer’s specifications.

Jaguar has already built the first car of the new run (in the ’56 longnose spec), which will be publically revealed at Salon Retromobile in France

“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,” said Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director Tim Hanning.


The D-Type continuations follows in the footsteps of the six missing lightweight E-Types built in 2014-15, and the nine XKSSs built in 2017-18, which provided valuable lessons for the Classic Works team..

“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,” Kev Riches, Jaguar Classic Engineering Manager, said


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

Aston Martin recently completed a continuation run of the DB4 GT, with two of those being sold to Australian buyers. Here’s hoping a ‘new’ D-Type makes its way Down Under as well.

Cameron Kirby
Contributor

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