This car, Lot 24, sold for $7,370,000, including buyer’s premium, at Bonhams’ auction in Scottsdale, AZ, on January 19, 2017. The mid-1950s were an incredible party for Jaguar from the competition standpoint, with the success of the C-type followed immediately by their D-type, both of which were utterly dominant during their glory years.
The FIA made 4-Wheel Drive legal for race and rally cars in 1979, but back then, the systems were heavy. It’d increase the car’s weight and reduce speed, so nobody used them at first. But when Audi stuffed the Quattro with AWD and brought it to a rally stage in 1980, they dominated the FWD and RWD competition.1954 Jaguar D Type Roadster 1954 Jaguar D Type race car | Jaguar/Malcolm Griffiths This Jaguar is indeed a special car. Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cars in the world, its shape continues to inspire the design of Jaguar’s car to this day. Just take a look at the Jaguar F-Type to see hints of the D Type’s DNA.The first-ever race at Chicago’s International Amphitheatre kicked off on December 30, 1962. The event attracted a crowd of 5,500 drag racing fans and 148 competitors. Cars ranged from top level Stock, Factory Experimental, and even Gassers. The track was a short 440-foot stretch of concrete with lanes that spanned 60-feet wide.