Top Classic Car Auctions

$1 million plus cars

  • Home
  • Record Prices
    • The Most-Expensive Cars of All Time
    • $10 Million Plus
    • Record for Year & Marques
    • Records
  • USA
    • US Auctions
    • Amelia Island, Florida
      • Amelia Island (Florida) Auctions and Concours d’Elegance
      • Amelia Island Results
    • Monterey Week
      • Monterey Classic Car Week
      • Monterey Week Auctions
      • Monterey (RM Sotheby's, Mecum)
      • Pebble Beach (Gooding)
      • Quail Lodge (Bonhams)
    • Scottsdale / Arizona
      • Scottsdale (Arizona) – The First Classic Car Auctions of the Year
      • Results
    • Others
  • Europe
    • European Auctions
    • Goodwood
      • Events
      • Results
    • London
    • Monaco
    • Paris
      • Paris Rétromobile – First European Classic Car Auctions of the Year
      • Results
    • Villa Erba / Este
    • Others
  • News
    • Previews
    • Press Releases
  • Top 10
  • Search 🔎

1955 Jaguar D-Type: Most-Expensive British Car Ever

21 August 2016 in $10 Million Plus, Monterey Week Auctions, Records

1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501
Patrick Ernzen © 2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1956 Le Mans-winning 1955 Jaguar D-Type sold for $21,780,000 at RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2016 as the most-expensive British car ever sold at public auction. This was the top result for any car at the Monterey classic car week auctions in 2016 and also the highest price ever paid in a public sale for a Le Mans 24 Hours race winner. It is only the seventh car ever to have sold for more than $20 million at auction.

1955 Jaguar D-Type, XKD501

1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501
Patrick Ernzen © 2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501, sold for $21,780,000, at the RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2016 classic car auction. This Jaguar famously won the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans race, as an Ecurie Ecosse entry.

The $21,780,000 paid for the 1955 Jaguar D-Type set several new records for a car sold at public auction including:

  • Most-expensive British car ever – previously $14,300,000 paid for a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato at RM Sotheby’s 2015 New York sale.
  • Most-expensive Jaguar ever – previously $13,200,000 paid for a 1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight at RM Sotheby’s 2015 Monterey sale. (This car finished fourth at Le Mans in 1953.)
  • Most-expensive Le Mans Winner ever – previously $10,120,000 for the 1982 Porsche 956 at Gooding Pebble Beach 2015. (As with Jaguar XK501, this Porsche also only won the Le Mans race the year after its debut.)

The 1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501, is the seventh most-expensive car ever sold at public auction and also only the seventh car ever to achieve a result above $20 million. It is the second most-expensive car thus far sold in 2016.

Note: The British record was moved to $22,500,000 by a 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 sold by RM Sotheby’s at Monterey 2017.

1955 Jaguar D-Type at Le Mans 1956

Patrick Ernzen © 2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s
Patrick Ernzen © 2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501, was the first D-Type (of 54) Jaguar produced for sale to private teams. It was bought by the Scottish Ecurie Ecosse racing team but two crashes by Jimmy Stuart, brother of the more famous Jackie, meant that the car missed the ill-fated 1955 Le Mans race won by Mike Hawthorn in a works D-Type.

1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501
Patrick Ernzen © 2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Chassis XKD501 had successes at lesser races in 1955 and 1956 but all these was overshadowed by overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1956. In this race, all three works Jaguars suffered mechanical issues or crashes with the Ecurie Ecosse car driven by Ninian Sanderson and Ron Flockhardt taking overall victory ahead a of Stirling Moss and Peter Collins in an Aston Martin DB3S. A Ferrai 625 LM finished third with a second privateer D-Type for the Equipe Nationale Belge finishing fourth. The Works Jaguar D-Type driven by Mike Hawthorne and Ivor Bueb finished sixth – 20 laps behind XKD501.

1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501
Patrick Ernzen © 2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Although Ecurie Ecosse took first and second place finishes at Le Mans in 1957, this was in different Jaguar D-Type cars. The aging chassis XKD501 was only entered into a few races after its Le Mans victory and only achieved moderate success.

The 1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501, was retired from racing by mid-1957. During the 1970s the car was restored to its 1956 Le Mans race winning specification and not surprisingly retained its Ecurie Ecosse livery with St Andrew’s cross detailing.

1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501
Patrick Ernzen © 2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1955 Jaguar D-Type, chassis XKD501, is considered the only Le Mans winning Jaguar C or D-Type to have survived intact and essentially in its original race-winning form.

See Also:

  • $20-Million Plus Cars – The Most-Expensive Cars in the World
  • 2016: Ten Most-Expensive Cars Sold at Public Auction
  • share 
  • save 
  • tweet 
  • share 

Filed Under: $10 Million Plus, Monterey Week Auctions, Records Tagged With: $10 Million Plus, 2016, Jaguar, Monterey, Records, RM Sotheby's

Cars Sold for $10 Million Plus

Most Expensive car ever sold at auction 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

2022 (May): Ten Most Expensive Cars Sold at Public Auction

May 2022: The most expensive cars sold at public auction thus far in 2022 are a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, a 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS Teardrop Coupe, … [Read More...]

Most Expensive car ever sold at auction 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

The Most Expensive Cars of All Time – $10 Million Plus at Public Auction

Only 56 cars have ever sold for more than $10 million at public auction with the world record for the most expensive car ever $143 million paid for a 1955 … [Read More...]

Most Expensive car ever sold at auction 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Most Expensive Car Ever: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

The most expensive car ever is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé sold for $143 million by RM Sotheby's at a special auction at the Mercedes-Benz … [Read More...]

Side profile of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé

Cars Sold for Over $20 Million – The Most-Expensive Cars Ever

Only 14 cars have ever sold for more than $20 million at public auction: seven Ferraris, two Aston Martins, two Mercedes Benz cars, a Duesenberg SSJ, a Le … [Read More...]

Black 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster

Cars Sold for $10 to $12 Million at Public Auction

Several marques including Mercedes Benz, Bugatti, Alfa Romero, Duesenberg, Ferrari, Ford, and Porsche had cars sold at public auction for between $10 and … [Read More...]

1995 McLaren F1 -- Most expensive McLaren ever sold in a public auction

1995 McLaren F1 – The Most Expensive McLaren Ever Sold at Public Auction

A 1995 McLaren F1 sold for $20,465,000 at the Gooding Pebble Beach 2021 sale as the most expensive McLaren car ever sold in a public auction. A … [Read More...]

1962 Shelby 260 Cobra “CSX2000”

Cars Sold for $12 to $15 Million at Public Auction

Aston Martin, Bugatti, McLaren, Porsche, Shelby, and Jaguar mix with Ferraris as marques that have sold classic or collectors cars for between $12 and $15 … [Read More...]

1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider by Touring

Cars Sold for $15 – $20 Million at Public Auction

Two 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900s, ten Ferraris and two McLarens are the only cars ever to have sold for between $15 and $20 million at public auctions. A … [Read More...]

1956 Ferrari 290 MM

1956 Ferrari 290 MM Sold for $22 Million

A 1956 Ferrari 290 MM raced by Scuderia Ferrari sold for $22 million at the RM Sotheby's Petersen Automotive Museum 2018 sale in Los Angeles. A 1956 … [Read More...]

1935 Duesenberg SSJ – Most-Expensive American and Prewar Car Ever

Gary Cooper’s 1935 Duesenberg SSJ sold for a record $22,000,000 as the most-expensive American car and most-valuable prewar car ever sold at public … [Read More...]

« 2016 Top Cars on Offer at Monterey Auctions (Preview)
1962 Shelby 260 Cobra: Most-Expensive American Car Ever »
Home » Records » 1955 Jaguar D-Type: Most-Expensive British Car Ever

Recent Posts

  • 2022 (May): Ten Most Expensive Cars Sold at Public Auction
  • 2022 Mecum Indianapolis Sale (Indy Auction Results)
  • The Most Expensive Cars of All Time – $10 Million Plus at Public Auction
  • Most Expensive Car Ever: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé
  • Cars Sold for Over $20 Million – The Most-Expensive Cars Ever

Classic Car Auctions

  • Home
  • Record Prices
    • The Most-Expensive Cars of All Time
    • $10 Million Plus
    • Record for Year & Marques
    • Records
  • USA
    • US Auctions
    • Amelia Island, Florida
      • Amelia Island (Florida) Auctions and Concours d’Elegance
      • Amelia Island Results
    • Monterey Week
      • Monterey Classic Car Week
      • Monterey Week Auctions
      • Monterey (RM Sotheby’s, Mecum)
      • Pebble Beach (Gooding)
      • Quail Lodge (Bonhams)
    • Scottsdale / Arizona
      • Scottsdale (Arizona) – The First Classic Car Auctions of the Year
      • Results
    • Others
  • Europe
    • European Auctions
    • Goodwood
      • Events
      • Results
    • London
    • Monaco
    • Paris
      • Paris Rétromobile – First European Classic Car Auctions of the Year
      • Results
    • Villa Erba / Este
    • Others
  • News
    • Previews
    • Press Releases
  • Top 10
  • Search 🔎

Classic Cars on Amazon

Book Monterey Tours and Adventures

Although great care is taken in writing this website, no responsibility is taken for errors or inaccuracies. This website should be considered for entertainment purposes only. Copyright on all photos are with the relevant auction houses - contact them directly for reuse.
Copyright © 2022 - 2010 · Impressum · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Data Protection · Cookie Policy