2005 Le Mans Sports Car Company D-Type 3.4-Litre Replica
Registration no. A636 XTL
Chassis no. SABTVRO3425221537

The C-Type had won the coveted Le Mans 24 Hour race twice (in 1951 and 1953) and was still competitive when Chief Engineer Bill Heynes and his team set about designing its successor. Moving the game on, Heynes abandoned the C-Type's tubular spaceframe chassis, adopting instead an aluminium monocoque body tub to which the aluminium front sub-frame carrying the engine and suspension was welded. Aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer duly came up with an efficient, aerodynamic shape that enabled the D-Type to outrun the opposition despite having a deficit of over 100 horsepower on occasions. As well as building cars for the works team, Jaguar also undertook a limited production run for sale to privateers; between 1954 and 1957 some 87 in total of all variants were produced at Jaguar's Coventry factory.

Multiple Le Mans wins in the 1950s - twice with the C-Type and three times with its D-Type successor - as well as numerous victories in the other great classic endurance events, have ensured a continuing healthy demand for replicas of these rare and exotic sports-racers. The Le Mans Sports Car Company was one of several manufacturers creating a 'kit car' D-Type.

This Le Mans-type D-Type replica has had three owners from new and comes with invoices and photographs relating to its six-year build, which was completed in 2005 by the Le Mans Sports Car Co. Based around an XJ6 3.4 litre engine with a fibreglass body, this replica offers the opportunity to enjoy an iconic shape at a fraction of the cost of an original. The carburettors have been balanced recently ready for MoT (now valid until 11th November 2022). Details of a major service and other extensive works undertaken in May 2021 are on file, and the car also comes with a substantial quantity of old invoices, hand-written notes, etc and a V5C document.