Jaguar D-type Longnose to be offered by RM Sotheby’s in Arizona

With several key sales remaining in 2015, the auction year is far from over but the various houses are already hard at work consigning cars for next year. Arguably, the best so far is this Jaguar D-type ‘Longnose’ from RM Sotheby’s…

With recent high-profile auction consignments such as the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato andFangio’s Ferrari 290 MM, it feels like blue-chip classics are ten-a-penny on the market right now. This latest offering from RM Sotheby’s – a Jaguar D-type ‘Longnose’, chassis XKD 604 – will be offered at its Arizona sale, taking place on 28-29 January 2016, and is significant in that it’s the first of just six D-types built for the 1956 season, complete with a raft of factory upgrades that include fuel injection and de Dion rear suspension, the latter a feature fitted exclusively to this car.

An accident sustained during its first race at Silverstone in 1956 prematurely ended this D-type’s racing career, when the decision was taken not to repair the car back at the factory, for financial reasons. It was subsequently sold to the Ecurie Ecosse racing team in Scotland where it remained, dormant, until 1971, before passing through a number of collectors to its current custodian, who’s owned the car since 2004. Yes, it might not have the most desirable provenance, but the sale of XKD 604 is a rare opportunity to own a D-type built and developed by the Works team. 

Photos courtesy of RM Sotheby’s © 2015