One of only 71 produced, Chassis XKD 551 is a rare short-nose version of the D-Type and one of the last to have been manufactured. Its desirability is undeniable and further enhanced by the fact that it has never been used in competition, which will undoubtedly generate intense interest among the international collector car community.
The Jaguar D-Type will be a highlight of Broad Arrow’s Zürich Auction, which will be held in partnership with Auto Zürich at the world famous Dolder Grand hotel on Saturday 1 November 2025.
“We are extremely honoured to have been granted the opportunity to offer this incredible Jaguar D-Type at our first Zürich Auction,” says Yves Boitel, Car Specialist, EMEA, at Broad Arrow Auctions. “The fact that this car has never been used competitively and has been meticulously cared for throughout its life, makes it one of the most exceptional D-Types in existence and one that will surely create great excitement among collectors.”
Manufactured in 1956, chassis XKD 551 was sold to its first private owner in October 1957, who rather than heading to the nearest racetrack as many D-Types did, carefully converted it to semi-XKSS specification, removing the central bulkhead, adding a passenger door, and fitting a full-width windscreen. In 1963, ownership moved to Hon. James Dawnay, who famously owned and raced the Aston Martin DBR1/1. Motorsport provenance continued when it was sold to Australian Formula 1 driver Paul Hawkins.

The 1970s saw another owner remove the XKSS-style modifications to return this highly collectible D-Type to its original configuration, and it eventually landed with its current Swiss owner in 1994. Prior to this, the original XK inline-six engine (no. E 2070-9) had been removed to ensure its preservation, with a correct specification engine fitted in its place. The new owner invested in a significant rebuild of the original engine, which continued to be preserved in storage for the next two decades. Recently, XKD 551 was reunited with its original engine, still fresh from its 2005 rebuild, and this incredible D-Type was treated to a service by the renowned Swiss specialists Graber Sportgarage in preparation for the sale.
This extremely rare, un-raced example of the iconic Jaguar D-Type, complete with matching chassis and engine numbers, represents a remarkable opportunity for any discerning collector. It is also accompanied by previous FIA Historical Identity Form (1992), FIA Passport (2009) and FIVA Identity Card (2012), and is eligible for the world's most celebrated historic racing events, including the Goodwood Revival, Silverstone Classic, Mille Miglia Storica, Le Mans Classic, Monaco Historic Grand Prix, and Spa Classic.
“The excitement is building ahead of our inaugural Zürich Auction,” says Paul Gaucher, Head of Consignments for Switzerland at Broad Arrow Auctions. “The addition of this truly superb example of the iconic Jaguar D-Type will undoubtedly add to that excitement among international car collectors. There is plenty more to come and we can’t wait to share additional news on the highly desirable models that will be joining the catalogue soon.”
Additional information on The Zürich Auction is available at www.broadarrowauctions.com. Collectors interested in consigning to or attending the auction are invited to speak with a Broad Arrow car specialist about this very special addition to the international collector car calendar.
Why not Sign-up to Receive these Articles by Email each Day on our newsfeed site
>> Scroll down to read more articles like this which have been published recently on this blog <<
You can also read additional current and archived articles on our dedicated magazine website
Low Cost and Free Publicity - Your company can easily benefit from some publicity like the posts above for a contribution towards our layout costs (£75 to £95 plus VAT), payable in advance or you can receive the service absolutely free of charge if you advertise (see below).
We post articles up to twice a day and never delete them - we only archive them each year so that they continue to remain visible to search engines.
To have your story published - just send us your news item, logo and image(s) and we will review the material, make any necessary changes to the wording / wordcount and then advise you when it will be published.
If you are a regular advertiser in our printed and online publications, placing series bookings for adverts or subscribing to our VIP Packages, you will qualify for a specific number of free postings on this blog while you continue to advertise with us. See our media pack for more details.
Also, if you purchase one of our Online and Print Combo packages, Featured Articles or Advertorial packages shown in our media pack, posting on this blog is included in the price.
For details and rates for all of our advertising options in print and online, download our media pack contact us or visit our website.
Door Industry Journal is a trading style of Clearview Group Limited - Company No. 06999111



No comments:
Post a Comment