One Of The Most Original 1955 Jaguar D-Types Could Sell For Over $7 Million In Paris

A gorgeous 1955 Jaguar D-Type will be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s next month in Paris, France. It is expected to sell for between €5,900,000 ($6,547,466) and €6,400,000 ($7,103,040).

This D-Type is chassis number XKD 520 and was the seventh customer D-Type ever manufactured and ordered new in June 1955 through Australian importer Jack Bryson. Following the car’s arrival in Melbourne in January 1956, it was immediately put to work by racing driver Bib Stillwell and competed in the likes of the Bathurst 500, Rob Roy Hill Climb, and South Australia Trophy before winning the Bathurst Road Racing Championship.

In 1957, the car’s racing career continued and was soon purchased by the Australian Motorists Petrol Company on behalf of radio personality Jack Davey. Sadly, it was damaged while being transported to an event and sold on to enthusiast Frank Gardner who rebuilt it and raced it at Bathurst in 1958 (taking 2nd place) as well as claiming victory at the Mount Druitt Hill Climb. That same year it was sold once again and fitted with a factory-supplied 3.8-liter engine.

Over the coming years and decades, the car passed through the hands of many owners, including 1970 Le Mans 24 Hour winner Richard Attwood, before most recently being purchased by the current owner in 2014. That year it competed at the 2014 Goodwood Revival in the Lavant Cup and is thought to be one of the earliest and most original examples of a customer-specification D-Type on earth.