Matching-numbers 1956 Jaguar D-Type with rich provenance and concours pedigree heads to Broad Arrow’s Zurich Auction this November.
A remarkably original 1956 Jaguar D-Type—one of just 87 factory examples built—will be offered at Broad Arrow’s Zurich Auction on Nov. 1, where it carries a pre-sale estimate between CHF 5.25 million and CHF 6.25 million.
Chassis XKD 551 represents one of the last short-nose D-Types completed before Jaguar’s Browns Lane factory fire in 1957. Finished originally in British Racing Green with Suede Green trim, the car retains its matching-numbers chassis, body, gearbox and 3.4-liter XK inline-six engine. Its history and originality have been verified by a recent inspection and detailed report from CKL Developments Ltd.
Delivered new for showroom display in London, the car avoided period frontline racing and was instead modified lightly for road use in the late 1950s. That sheltered early existence spared it the heavy wear and repairs typical of many D-Types. Over subsequent decades, XKD 551 passed through a succession of notable collectors and racers, including British driver Paul Hawkins and later Sir Paul Vestey, before settling into long-term Swiss ownership in 1995.
The current owner preserved the car for three decades, commissioning a full rebuild of its original engine in 2005 and reinstalling it in preparation for the upcoming sale. Recent servicing in 2024 included a CHF 29,000 overhaul of the braking system and other mechanical components, leaving the car in road- and track-ready condition.
Eligible for premier historic events such as the Mille Miglia Storica, Goodwood Revival, and Le Mans Classic, XKD 551 combines originality with event pedigree, having already appeared at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2012.
Broad Arrow notes that few D-Types of such authenticity and careful preservation reach the market, positioning this example as a major highlight of the Zurich sale. See it here.
