IT'S ON THE MARKET

It's a famous and unIque Australian-raced Jaguar whIch Is now sellIng In the UK

- James Page

JAGUAR’S MOTORSPORT SUCCESSES during the 1950s have been covered in great detail over the decades, in particular its five victories in the most famous race of them all – the Le Mans 24 Hours. Somewhat less heralded is the fact that such international glory was being backed up around the world by a loyal army of privateer racers in their own XK120s, C-Types and D-Types.

Often rarely heard of beyond their home country - or even their own particular region - they nonetheless did much to promote the Jaguar name on the local and national competition scene.

This was a very different era of competition, when amateur owner-drivers could order Le Mans-winning machinery direct from the manufacturer. To begin with, however, the D-Type was very much a works car. Only five were built during its maiden season in 1954 all for factory use.

Chassis number XKC402 (OKV1) nearly won that year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton finishing a close second to the Ferrari of José Froilán González and Maurice Trintignant in terrible weather.

Ken Wharton and Peter Whitehead had more luck next time out when they took XKC404 (OKV3) to victory in the Reims 12 Hours - the first ‘feather in the cap’ for the D-Type in terms of top-level endurance racing.