Is this the world's best Jaguar D-type?
This Jaguar D-type has been in Nick Mason’s collection for longer than any other car, yet the 79th Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport was just the second time it has been raced since it joined the Pink Floyd drummer’s fleet in 1976. So why has been so scarcely used?
He originally bought it to contribute to a part-exchange deal for the Ferrari 250 GTO, but the Ferrari owner didn’t want to take the Jaguar. Nick bought the 250 anyway, and the Jaguar took a back seat. Then the Maserati Birdcage arrived on the scene and the Jaguar slipped further down the pecking order. The result is that it has only covered around 40,000 miles and is in very original condition indeed.
The previous appearance at Goodwood was in the Lavant Cup at the 2014 Revival, where the car also took part in the D-type anniversary celebrations. It was driven by Mason himself, who was there to enjoy driving the car more than with any intent to compete hard. Other than that, it has been seen at concourse events, on hillclimbs and sees use as a sunny day road car.
“Since we’ve been testing for the Members’ Meeting, we’re having to learn a few things about it because it’s never really been driven in anger or properly raced,” says Ben de Chair of Ten Tenths. “So we’re learning about handling and oil pressures, that sort of thing. We’ve done quite a lot and it’s been apart a few times. We’re not intending to break any records or win any races, but we’ll try. I’m not anticipating it to be massively competitive. It’s just lovely to see it out with all the other ones. It’s very low mileage for a car of its age. We’re also trying to work out if the engine as whole has ever been out. Bits of it have been apart. It’s so lovely and original, it’s a timewarp of a car.”
And it does have real motorsport pedigree. In period it was raced at both Daytona and Nassau by John Rutherford. When it came back to the UK, it was owned by Jaguar enthusiast Alan Clark MP before changing hands once more before Nick Mason bought it. For the last four and a half decades, it has been beautifully preserved and is now one of the most original D-types in existence.
Photography by Toby Whales.
Jaguar
D-Type
Members Meeting
79MM
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