What Dreams are Made Of: Jaguar D-Type Re-Creation
Original Jaguar D-Types run into the millions, but this stunning replica makes the legendary machine almost accessible.
The Jaguar D-Type wasn’t designed to be beautiful. Upon its debut in 1954, the weapons-grade racing machine embraced loads of cutting-edge tech, including monocoque construction, disc brakes, and aircraft-inspired aerodynamic elements, like the iconic vertical tail fin. But all that was done with the intention of winning races, not beauty pageants. The gorgeous lines were just a byproduct of Coventry’s desire to take the checkered flag. And that’s exactly what the D-Type did.
From 1955 to 1957, the D-Type vanquished all comers at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and cemented its place in motorsport history. The last time an original example hit the auction block, during Monterey Car Week in 2016, it sold for an astonishing $21,780,000, and smashed the previous record for the most expensive Jaguar ever sold. Even the continuation cars, build by Jaguar using VINs assigned back in the 1950s, sold for well north of a million dollars, making them all about as unobtainable as vehicles get.
Fortunately, in the years since the D-Type dominated on the track, a host of companies have crafted high-quality replicas, and this example currently for sale on Bring a Trailer is one of the best examples I’ve ever come across. Crafted by Lynx Cars Limited of St. Leonards-on-Sea in England, no expense was spared in making it a proper tribute to these storied machines, and as with the originals, the bodywork is hand-formed aluminum. Details like the Dunlop-style knockoff wheels are sure to make fans of old British iron weak in the knees.
The running gear, including the 3.8-liter XK inline-six, triple Weber carburetors, and four-speed manual transmission, were sourced from later E-Type models, as were the front and rear subframes. So this baby’s beauty isn’t just skin deep, and anyone lucky enough to get behind the wheel will get a fantastic perspective on what it was like to be a factory Jaguar driver in the exciting post-war years. Personally, I love how an aluminum tonneau cover can be fitted over the passenger seat to turn the cockpit into a single-seater.
The best part is that this D-Type replica is no garage queen. It was built for the president of the UK Jaguar Club, and sports over 21,000 miles on the clock. Even cooler is the fact that a lot of those miles were added on the track, as this machine was used in vintage racing events, and the body shows some of the wear and tear you’d expect to see on a car that’s been driven in anger. As I write this, the price for this amazing tribute has already crested the $140,000 mark, and I’m curious to see where it ends up. Because for the presence this machine has? Even that elevated figure seems like a bargain…
Photos: Bring a Trailer