Jaguar’s dominance of Le Mans with the C-Type and D-Type
Posted on 09-01-2015 at 18:57 by mauritsh – 11 Comments”
The profit of Jan Lammers in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1988 with the Jaguar XJR-9 brought the British brand back to the top. Indeed, ‘back’ to a top who thirty years earlier had been reached… and then it was abandoned.
Jaguar obtained in 1951, his first victory in the 24 hour war of attrition and it was perhaps the most important. It meant the final breakthrough for the British car brand. Jaguar established its status of sportwagenbouwer also forever in the subsequent years. No car was in the fifties so dominant on the Circuit de la Sarthe as the ‘Leaper’.
XK
The breakthrough and victory began with the development of a new engine: the XK 3.4 liter capacity and six cylinders in a row. There was a car built for the first time was presented to the public at the London Motor Show of 1948. This sports car was given the name XK120, which referred to the name of the engine and the top speed of 120 miles per hour (more than 190 kilometers per hour). This new Jag was quick, he proved on a piece of closed highway in Belgium (between Jabbeke and Ostend), where at the beginning of 1949 had a top speed of 203 kilometres per hour was clocked. Testcoureur Ron ‘Soapy’ Sutton knew after some aerodynamic modifications, the speedometer even have to hunt to 213 kilometers per hour (132 miles per hour). Incredibly fast for the time, the XK120 was the fastest production car of that time.
Jaguar reed in 1950, with three relatively standard XK120’s in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. There was not won, but the car could come in the prestigious and most important race. That gave me courage, and one year later was the XK120C (with the ‘C’ for ‘Competition’) can be used. This C-Type was a lighter and faster version of the XK120 for the circuit. Using the proven engine, transmission and front suspension from the XK120 developed Jaguar a stiffer lightweight tubular frame, which was combined with a streamlined aluminium body.
Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead were with their ANGLE with chassis number 003 first with an average speed of 150 kilometers per hour and put in 24 hours a recordafstand 3,600 kilometers. Stirling Moss and Jack Fairman drove the XKC120 #002 a new lap record with 168 miles per hour. They fell, however, just as ANGLE #001 with Leslie Johnson and Clemente Biondetti at the wheel.
In 1952 made the Jaguar a grievous error on Le Mans. The C-Type was modified with the idea of him even faster. But the lower nose made for a smaller grille and a smaller radiator… and koelproblemen. All three cars made it to the finish line.
A year later, was fought Jaguar again with a ‘normal’ C-Type with weight-saving interventions. Jaguar finite on the first, second and fourth place. Winners Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt drove their C-Type an average of 170 kilometers per hour. That was not seen before at Le Mans.
There are a total of 53 C-Types built, of which 43 individuals have been sold. One of them is this weekend at the klassiekertentoonstelling Interclassics & Topmobiel. It is a green ANGLE, with chassis number 045 in 1953. He was then bought by the Italian driver Mario Tadini, the Mille Miglia with reed. This ‘NDU’ is still equipped with drum brakes and not the innovative schrijfremmen that Jaguar, together with Dunlop for the C-Type developed.
Vleugelstaart
The C-Type was in 1954, a successor to the D-Type. Subcutaneous came many components of its predecessor, but the bodywork was completely different. The tubular frame was smaller than the C-Type and the most eye-catching details were the vleugelstaart and the round plexiglas of the cockpit. This new racer had a top of 285 kilometers per hour. Of the three D-Types, which that year took part to Le Mans, took two to the finish. Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt ended up with their “OKV1” as a second two-minute gap on Ferrari.
In 1955 the reason there are five well developed lighter and faster D-Types in the 24 Hours of Le Mans; three for the works team and two were managed by private owners. Mike Hawthorn and Ivor Bueb won, but their victory was overshadowed by the greatest racing accident ever involving a Mercedes-Benz the public in flew, what a whopping 83 spectators killed.
Jaguar will start one year later with three D-Types. In addition, there are two D-Types for the Scottish privéteam Ecurie Ecosse. Quickly fall two fabrieksauto. The third Jag of Hawthorne will get problems with the new fuel-injection system, and touch after a pit stop far behind. But the D-Types of Ecurie Ecosse, who saves the honour, and ends with Ron Flockhart and Ninian Sanderson at the wheel first. They drive one lap more than Stirling Moss (and Peter Collins), who that year with an Aston Martin DB3S travel.
Highlight
The highlight at Le Mans achieved a Jaguar in 1957. Although there is no factory team is travelling, because Jaguar has decided to offer the racing and more on his street-legal car to go to target. With the first six cars that year on the finish sit five D-Types. Ecurie Ecosse driving with two old fabrieksauto’s and is first and second. The French Equipe Los Amigos ends in his D-Type in third, followed by the D-Type Equipe Nationale Belge. The Scuderia Ferrari knows is a Ferrari 315S between the British competitors to pick up on the fifth place. The team J. D. Hamilton driving his D-type to be the sixth over the finish line.
The D-Type on Interclassics & Topmobiel is exhibited is the winning car from 1957. With drivers Ron Flockhart and Ivor Bueb drove this XKD606 a recordafstand of 4.397 km with an average speed of 183 miles per hour. The top speed of this car is 288 kilometers per hour. In daily life this racelegende in the Louwman Museum to admire.
In total made Jaguar 87 D-Types: 18 cars for the factory team, 53 customer cars. That makes added together no 83. The remaining 16 cars are concerned, the XKSS. After Jaguar the production of the D-Type had stopped, there were still a number of unsold copies in the factory. These were in 1957 converted to a street-legal car. By the great fire at the Jaguar factory in that year were several XKSS’and in flames. Finally, there are still 16 cars sold. This street version of the D-Type today, is a ability worth.
In the sixties racing racing with private teams with the still legendarischer Jaguar E-Type at Le Mans, but won’t. The E-Type is still more sporty, street-legal car than a race car, even in the lightweight version. In 1965 Jaguar in secret for a new race car for Le Mans. But this XJ13 (V12, mid-engine appeared never to start, because the future of the Jaguar in the meantime was uncertain. It will take until 1988 before the British car brand with the rich racehistorie again as a winner at the Le Mans circuit is flagged.
Gallery: Interclassics 2015 Jaguar C-Type
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Gallery: Jaguar D-Type
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With thanks to Robert van den Oever and Maarten van der Pas for this contribution!