I8AMBR caught Jaguar's famous and rare 1950s D Type on the road !!!
01-19-14, 09:09 PM
#16
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I am redoing all of the art in my cave and I am thinking of buying a canvas print of the Jaguar D Type. I will remember this for a long time and what a beautiful design. The heritage and the personal connection from the experience of seeing it makes it all the more special
02-02-14, 01:45 PM
#17
I am redoing all of the art in my cave and I am thinking of buying a canvas print of the Jaguar D Type. I will remember this for a long time and what a beautiful design. The heritage and the personal connection from the experience of seeing it makes it all the more special
02-02-14, 09:47 PM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
02-03-14, 08:35 AM
#19
Out of Warranty
The D-Type Jaguar was the marque's most successful pure race car, taking Le Mans on three occasions. It was the successor to the stunning XK-120-C. The "C" stood for "competition" as it was supposedly a variation on the XK-120 that was available in showrooms.
The C-Jag that won Le Mans in 1951 put the British car company back on the world map in the wake of WWII. Under the threat of Mercedes-Benz entering the competition in 1952, Jaguar engineers quickly cobbled up their 1952 entry with a more aerodynamic body to permit higher speeds on the Mulsanne straight, but the car proved uncompetitive due to serious overheating issues. Many blamed the new body form for altering air flow to the radiator, but it was found after more testing that the problem was twofold: first the water pump pulley was undersized, causing the pump to cavitate at high speed, reducing coolant flow . . . and it didn't help that some of the cooling system plumbing was also undersized. It was a case of too-rapid last-minute development that cost Jaguar the trophy in 1952.
By 1953, Jaguar had fully sorted the C-type and was ready for a full assault on the Sarthe Circuit. The win that year cemented the racing pedigree of the XK120 that proudly bore its racing record - an emblem on both the XK 120 and XK 140 series . . .
The Jaguar straight 6 XK engine was a superb powerplant for racing and it would power the marque from 1949 to 1992, when creeping emissions regulations and fuel economy issues finally shelved it in favor of a more modern engine. It was a long-stroke hemi-head engine that reliably produced a great deal of torque. But, the engine wasn't the whole story of the racing jungle cats. The frame of the winning C-types was an early "space frame", a complex warren of tubing that pointed the way to its ultimate expression in the "Birdcage Maserati" (Tipo 61) of '59-'61 that appeared to have been assembled from toothpicks. Space frames were extremely light, but expensive and tedious to construct, not to mention a nightmare to repair properly.
Jaguar began to investigate a monocoque structure, first appearing in the XK-D. The resulting 1852 lb car was shorter, lower, and a great deal faster than the previous C-type, thanks to the serious weight loss program applied to its predecessor. A rubber fuel tank, a magnesium sub-frame forward of the firewall and the wide use of magnesium in the suspension combined with a riveted monocoque aluminum body showed the application of aircraft technology to automotive construction. Sir Henry Lyons, the owner and spiritual leader of Jaguar was not afraid to bring in engineers from the aircraft industry as a hedge against the challenge from Mercedes-Benz.
The exotic metals proved expensive and worse, difficult to repair in the event of what was euphemistically called a "prang" in those days. We'd call it a "crash" today, although it didn't result in turning expensive carbon fiber into Fritos like today's racers, it was certainly bad enough. The D-Type eventually settled on steel chassis and running gear with that riveted aluminum body. What's a couple of pounds?.
The lighter weight and shorter wheelbase made the "D" a terror on the track. Not only was it fast, but it handled. One of the last examples of solid axles in European racing, the "D" continued the application of the C-type's Dunlop disc brakes on all four corners, making for a package that would not only go, but stop as well.
The "D" arrived at one of those junctures in racing history where technology was changing rapidly. In 1957 Ferrari introduced the 250 Testa Rossa, another styling (and performance) icon that would define "sports car" for at least a generation.
Is it exclusive? This model was only offered in 1957-1958 - and only 2 factory cars and 19 customer cars were built. If you still want one, be warned: the last 250 Testa Rossa to appear at auction was sold two years ago for $16,400,000. You coulda had one for $4,000 in 1965. That D-Type at $4 million is starting to look like a bargain!
The C-Jag that won Le Mans in 1951 put the British car company back on the world map in the wake of WWII. Under the threat of Mercedes-Benz entering the competition in 1952, Jaguar engineers quickly cobbled up their 1952 entry with a more aerodynamic body to permit higher speeds on the Mulsanne straight, but the car proved uncompetitive due to serious overheating issues. Many blamed the new body form for altering air flow to the radiator, but it was found after more testing that the problem was twofold: first the water pump pulley was undersized, causing the pump to cavitate at high speed, reducing coolant flow . . . and it didn't help that some of the cooling system plumbing was also undersized. It was a case of too-rapid last-minute development that cost Jaguar the trophy in 1952.
By 1953, Jaguar had fully sorted the C-type and was ready for a full assault on the Sarthe Circuit. The win that year cemented the racing pedigree of the XK120 that proudly bore its racing record - an emblem on both the XK 120 and XK 140 series . . .
The Jaguar straight 6 XK engine was a superb powerplant for racing and it would power the marque from 1949 to 1992, when creeping emissions regulations and fuel economy issues finally shelved it in favor of a more modern engine. It was a long-stroke hemi-head engine that reliably produced a great deal of torque. But, the engine wasn't the whole story of the racing jungle cats. The frame of the winning C-types was an early "space frame", a complex warren of tubing that pointed the way to its ultimate expression in the "Birdcage Maserati" (Tipo 61) of '59-'61 that appeared to have been assembled from toothpicks. Space frames were extremely light, but expensive and tedious to construct, not to mention a nightmare to repair properly.
Jaguar began to investigate a monocoque structure, first appearing in the XK-D. The resulting 1852 lb car was shorter, lower, and a great deal faster than the previous C-type, thanks to the serious weight loss program applied to its predecessor. A rubber fuel tank, a magnesium sub-frame forward of the firewall and the wide use of magnesium in the suspension combined with a riveted monocoque aluminum body showed the application of aircraft technology to automotive construction. Sir Henry Lyons, the owner and spiritual leader of Jaguar was not afraid to bring in engineers from the aircraft industry as a hedge against the challenge from Mercedes-Benz.
The exotic metals proved expensive and worse, difficult to repair in the event of what was euphemistically called a "prang" in those days. We'd call it a "crash" today, although it didn't result in turning expensive carbon fiber into Fritos like today's racers, it was certainly bad enough. The D-Type eventually settled on steel chassis and running gear with that riveted aluminum body. What's a couple of pounds?.
The lighter weight and shorter wheelbase made the "D" a terror on the track. Not only was it fast, but it handled. One of the last examples of solid axles in European racing, the "D" continued the application of the C-type's Dunlop disc brakes on all four corners, making for a package that would not only go, but stop as well.
The "D" arrived at one of those junctures in racing history where technology was changing rapidly. In 1957 Ferrari introduced the 250 Testa Rossa, another styling (and performance) icon that would define "sports car" for at least a generation.
Is it exclusive? This model was only offered in 1957-1958 - and only 2 factory cars and 19 customer cars were built. If you still want one, be warned: the last 250 Testa Rossa to appear at auction was sold two years ago for $16,400,000. You coulda had one for $4,000 in 1965. That D-Type at $4 million is starting to look like a bargain!
02-04-14, 03:48 PM
#21
Is it exclusive? This model was only offered in 1957-1958 - and only 2 factory cars and 19 customer cars were built. If you still want one, be warned: the last 250 Testa Rossa to appear at auction was sold two years ago for $16,400,000. You coulda had one for $4,000 in 1965. That D-Type at $4 million is starting to look like a bargain!
1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sells for record $39.8 million
Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/1957-...#photo-362092/
This might not come as a shock, but ultra-rare vintage cars are only going to get more expensive as time rolls on, particularly if there's a prancing horse on the car's nose. For example, in 2011, a Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sold for $16.39 million. In February 2012, a 1964 250 GTO sold for nearly $32 million. Later that year, a 1962 250 GTO sold for $35 million. It was the most expensive car ever sold, making last year's 275 GTB/4 NART Spider and its $27.5-million auction price seem like a drop in the platinum-lined bucket. Now, there's been another high-dollar Ferrari sale.
An unrestored, 1957 250 Testa Rossa was reportedly sold for over $39 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold in the United Kingdom. Just for perspective, $39 million is about 28 LaFerraris or roughly 128 F12 Berlinettas. It's not the most expensive car ever sold, but it still represents a huge sum of money for a classic car. Part of the reason for chassis number 0704 - the car pictured above is 0714, which sold for a mere $12.2 million in 2009 - being sold for so much is down to its excellent provenance.
It made its race debut at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans, although it failed to finish. Phil Hill and Peter Collins racked up wins with this exact car in Buenos Aires and Sebring, according to the folks at Hemmings. Combining race wins by a former Formula One World Champion with an unrestored example of an extremely rare car (one of just 34 250 Testa Rossas ever built) makes its monumental sale price almost seem reasonable.
Following its racing life, the 0704 was donated to The Henry Ford Museum, outside of Detroit. It spent 30 years there, before being sold in 1997. According to Hemmings, the care by The Henry Ford team, which has a voluminous collection of rare and classic cars, is part of the reason this unrestored car remains in such good condition.
As this was a private sale, rather than through an auction house, it's unlikely we'll ever know the complete details behind the sale. The pricing information comes from The Daily Mail, which claims well-placed sources confirmed the price of 24 million pounds (that converts to $39.2 million as of this writing). The car was owned by Tom Hartley, Jr., a UK-based car dealer. Hartley admitted to selling the car, although it's unclear who the new owner is, according to Hemmings.
An unrestored, 1957 250 Testa Rossa was reportedly sold for over $39 million, making it the most expensive car ever sold in the United Kingdom. Just for perspective, $39 million is about 28 LaFerraris or roughly 128 F12 Berlinettas. It's not the most expensive car ever sold, but it still represents a huge sum of money for a classic car. Part of the reason for chassis number 0704 - the car pictured above is 0714, which sold for a mere $12.2 million in 2009 - being sold for so much is down to its excellent provenance.
It made its race debut at the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans, although it failed to finish. Phil Hill and Peter Collins racked up wins with this exact car in Buenos Aires and Sebring, according to the folks at Hemmings. Combining race wins by a former Formula One World Champion with an unrestored example of an extremely rare car (one of just 34 250 Testa Rossas ever built) makes its monumental sale price almost seem reasonable.
Following its racing life, the 0704 was donated to The Henry Ford Museum, outside of Detroit. It spent 30 years there, before being sold in 1997. According to Hemmings, the care by The Henry Ford team, which has a voluminous collection of rare and classic cars, is part of the reason this unrestored car remains in such good condition.
As this was a private sale, rather than through an auction house, it's unlikely we'll ever know the complete details behind the sale. The pricing information comes from The Daily Mail, which claims well-placed sources confirmed the price of 24 million pounds (that converts to $39.2 million as of this writing). The car was owned by Tom Hartley, Jr., a UK-based car dealer. Hartley admitted to selling the car, although it's unclear who the new owner is, according to Hemmings.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
