Video: The oldest original Jaguar C-Type still races to this day
For a car with a such a short and limited period of production, the C-Type has garnered quite the heritage since it was first introduced in 1951. Conceptualised as a racing version of the XK120, the XK120-C as it was then known was a step above the competition, winning the Le Mans 24 Hours at its first attempt in 1951 with Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead, and again in 1953 with Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt.
Hamilton wasn’t just a driver of C-Types, he was an owner, too, of this particular car we’re focusing on today. Chassis No. XKC 004 was the fourth C-Type ever built. The first three, 001, 002 and 003, were all dismantled for spares when the D-Type was introduced in 1954, making this the oldest surviving of the original C-Types.
When in Hamilton’s ownership this car saw plenty of racing action, although never directly at Le Mans. Perhaps its most famous moment was the accident he had at the 1953 Portuguese Grand Prix, when he crashed heavily and hit a pylon. He was taken to hospital, where it was discovered power had failed due to said accident. The car was rebuilt courtesy of Jaguar, and Hamilton continued to race it until selling up later in the decade.
Current owner Nigel Webb recommissioned it for racing, and the work of Gary Pearson at Pearsons Engineering returned it to its former Le Mans-winning glory. We’re thankful for that because to have a car with quite such a history racing once more at the Goodwood Revival is a fabulous thing.
Video
Jaguar
C-Type
Event Coverage
Revival
