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Jaguar revives D-Type roadster as a 'once-in-a-lifetime' project


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Hannah Elliot, Bloomberg  /  February 7, 2018

Jaguar has revealed its third continuation car, the D-Type.

The six-cylinder roadster joins the Jaguar Lightweight E-Type and the Jaguar XKSS continuation cars in the program the company developed in 2014 to re-issue modernized versions of its most iconic models, Jaguar said in a statement.

This latest car, although made this year, will look exactly like the original D-type, which won the Le Mans 24 Hours race three times from 1955 to 1957.

Tim Hannig, the director of Jaguar Land Rover Classic, characterized the car as a "once-in-a-lifetime" project.

The D-Type is likely to cost more than 1 million pounds ($1.4 million), judging from previous continuations.

An original D-Type once owned by Bernie Ecclestone, former head of Formula 1, was offered for sale for $12 million last month at a Gooding & Co. auction in Arizona.

While that one didn't sell, Sotheby's sold a 1955 D-Type in 2016 for almost $22 million. Against those prices, this new one, for what will likely cost less than $2 million, looks like a bargain.

The D-Type is special because of its rarity, racing wins, and body styling. Its shape was heavily influenced by the most advanced aeronautical technology of the time, with a monocoque cockpit fashioned from sheets of aluminum alloy. At the time, designers followed a practice that originated in the field of aviation: putting the fuel in the vehicle's tail.

Every aspect of the new version will follow authentic, original specifications, including the sleek hood, wide-angle cylinder heads, quick-change brake calipers, and unmistakable tail fin.

The interior will have the same round speedometer dial, thin wooden and metal-perforated steering wheel (right-hand drive, of course), and four-speed manual shifter. The steel on the exterior will also be the alloy. At the time of its original debut, the car had 250 hp and could hit a top speed of 167 mph.

Clients can even choose to buy either a 1955-spec shortnose or a 1956-spec longnose version. Deliveries will start later this year.

Twenty-five will be made, considerably more than the six Lightweight E-Types Jaguar built in 2014 and the nine XKSS's it built in 2017.

A spokesman for Jaguar, owned by Tata Motors, said the increase reflects that only 75 were completed of an original production run that had been intended in 1955 to reach 100, though it's safe to say the company will make a good profit producing these modern historic vehicles.

Tata's Jaguar Land Rover has done similar work on a far less-expensive and rarefied scale to much success with its Land Rover Classic and Range Rover Rebuild programs. The Range Rover Rebuild program, for instance, reissues small batches (fewer than a dozen) of 1970s-era Range Rovers to capitalize on the explosion of interest in them on the vintage market.

Land Rover said last month it will release a limited-edition run of a high-performance version of its Defender model. Official production of the Defender ended in 2016.

The new D-Type will make its first public appearance at the Salon Retromobile on Wednesday in Paris.

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I reckon that TATA (The Indian Owners of Jaguar) will sell heaps more than 25 of 'em.

Edited by Hayseed

"Be who you are and say what you feel...
Because those that matter...
don't mind...
And those that mind....
don't matter." -

If the memory serves they made only 75 of 100 because of fire at the factory which ruined the rest 25. And the number they're going to issue now is to cover that niche only.

I always liked D-types but way far from starting to figure out possibilities to harvest a pair of millions for that cat.

Никогда не бывает слишком много грузовиков! leversole 11.2012

On ‎2018‎-‎02‎-‎09 at 3:24 PM, kscarbel2 said:

BC Mack, brand new D-Types in year 2018.........who could have ever thought.

Well, the Germans are now manufacturing new FW190 WW2 fighters as a continuation of serial numbers at absurd prices... so why not rare automobiles by the oem or official licencees... 

new E-type shells have been repopped for many years, so manufacturing should not be an issue and the D was discussed in the auto media about 10 years ago as a possibility...

however, if I was the owner of a priceless original D and somebody dumped another 25 on the market what would mine be worth now???

so, does it get a VIN plate or a serial number.. hmmm... how original do you want it, Lucas electrics..!!!!  lucky LeMans is only 24hrs as that is all the warranty Lucas was good for..!!! :rolleyes:

BC Mack

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