Stunning 1955 Jaguar D-Type Tipped To Sell For Up To $7.5 Million

A gorgeous 1955 Jaguar D-Type will be auctioned off by RM Sotheby’s later this month and is expected to sell for between $5.75 million and $7.5 million.

This D-Type is chassis number XKD 518 and was delivered new to Henlys of Manchester, England and stands out from most other D-Types because of its red paint. It also has a red-trimmed interior and is believed to be one of as few as two or three D-Types finished like this.

The car was first owned by none other than Bernie Ecclestone but before long, it was purchased for £3,500 ($4,731) by Peter Blond. The car soon made its racing debut and achieved first and second place finishes at Snetterton in June 1956. It also raced at Aintree, Silverstone, Oulton Park, and Goodwood during the 1965 and 1957 seasons.

In August 1957, the car was sold to Jonathan Sieff who continued to race it alongside Blond throughout the 1958 and 1959 seasons. The D-Type passed through the hands of various other owners in the 1960s and in 1974, was actually purchased by the manager of Led Zeppelin, Peter Grant.

In more recent years, the car has been in the collection of its current owner since 2008.

The RM Sotheby’s listing reveals that at some stage the car was repainted British Racing Green but has since been returned to the original shade of red. The car was initially built with a narrow windshield and no tailfin behind the headrest but later gained this fin and was fitted with a full-width windshield.