Vehicle Description
The D-Type was unveiled in 1954 as a successor to the highly
accomplished C-Type. Jaguar was eager to continue their success at
Le Mans and in World Championship sports car racing, so engineers
started with a virtual clean-sheet design to stay at the sharp end
of the highly competitive field. The C-Type's tubular space frame
was ditched in favor of an ingenious semi-monocoque chassis design
that featured a central body tub with bolt-on subframes. The proven
XK inline six was punched out to 3.8 liters and fitted with a
wide-angle cylinder head and triple Weber carburetors (with Lucas
injection appearing later). Dunlop disc brakes, which had proven to
be the C-Type's trump card, were again fitted to all four corners.
The slick, aerodynamic and lightweight D-Type would win numerous
races the world over, including the coveted 24 Hours of Le Mans on
three occasions. Jaguar had developed a successful customer program
with the D-Type and in addition to the 18 Works cars, delivered 53
customer cars to privateer teams. However, once the 3-liter rules
came into effect, the D-Type lost its advantage on the track. The
last 25 chassis were to be converted to "XKSS" specification -
which was little more than a thinly-veiled racer for the road.
However, after 16 cars were completed, a fire ripped through the
Brown's Lane factory, destroying 9 cars and all of the tooling. In
one fateful night, the Jaguar XKSS met an abrupt end. With only 16
examples completed, the XKSS is among the rarest, most desirable of
all road-going Jaguars. With values reflective of their rarity and
near-mythical status, it is little surprise that numerous replicas
have been built- some truer to form than others. Lynx Motors stands
head and shoulders above all others in the world of handcrafted
Jaguar recreations. Founded by Guy Black in 1968, Lynx Motors of
England earned its reputation by servicing and racing original
C-Types and D-Types. With their vast experience and intimate
knowledge as well as a world-class restoration facility, Lynx began
to create stunning recreations of the D-Type and XKSS based on
Jaguar mechanicals. Each Lynx-built car is individually handcrafted
out of aluminum to precise, concours-correct standards. Suspension
components and drivelines are sourced from road-going E-Types for
ease of maintenance and repair. Their low-volume, hand-crafted
nature ensures exclusivity yet they are also usable on the road and
well-suited for driving enthusiasts. Lynx Jaguars are highly
collectible in their own right and values reflect their exquisite
quality and desirability. This 1956 Lynx XKSS is the 9th of 11
built to date, and one of two configured in left-hand drive. It
presents in superb condition, showing just 491 miles. It was built
between 2014 and 2015, using a late 1970 E-Type as a donor that
supplied its chassis number, suspension components, and running
gear. Lynx bases each XKSS on a bespoke, handmade aluminum tub
which is constructed and finished to exacting standards. It is
skinned with handcrafted alloy panels, formed in the same manner as
Jaguar used when building the original XKSS. The body and tub are
built to precise dimensions and scale to ensure the Lynx is
virtually identical to the factory-built XKSS. Close inspection
reveals the outstanding craftsmanship and care that went into the
creation of this truly breathtaking car. It is finished in
traditional British Racing Green over black, in tribute to Steve
McQueen's car. Riding on period correct Dunlop knock-off alloy
wheels and Vredestein Sprint Classic tires, the look is pure 1956.
The all-alloy body is in excellent condition, with high levels of
fit and finish. Paintwork is excellent and shows very little use
which is reflective of the supremely low miles. It is correctly
detailed with the correct style XKSS windscreen, covered headlamps,
subtle alloy bumpers and of course the seemingly incongruous
luggage rack that Jaguar famously installed in-lieu of a proper
boot. Lifting the alloy bonnet reveals a well-detailed 4.2-liter XK
inline six (lifted from the 1971 donor car), which has been updated
with early style polished cam covers and a trio of Weber
carburetors as used on the factory-built cars. The engine bay is
finely detailed and has been meticulously sorted to ensure reliable
running. Special attention was paid to the cooling system which now
features an alloy radiator. In addition, clutch action has been
improved and a fuel cutoff added for safety. Lynx craftsmanship is
exceptional, and even the factory dry-sump tank is replicated for
accuracy, though this engine uses a standard wet-sump arrangement.
The engine runs beautifully, feeling eager and very powerful. The
side-exit exhaust emits a growling, evocative soundtrack. The
quality of the Lynx continues to impress inside, with simple seats
covered in black leather, and a basic, upholstered dash panel. A
subtle nod to Mr. McQueen is the "cigarette glove box" which was a
unique feature on his XKSS, to keep his ever-present smokes and
lighter at hand. This is the only known Lynx car to feature that
detail. There are few concessions to luxury, of course, but it is
nonetheless a cozy and reasonably comfortable place to spend time
enjoying that sonorous engine and the magnificent view out the
windscreen. Performance is thrilling as one would expect from a
tuned 4.2 in such a lightweight package. The Lynx XKSS is an
exquisitely built machine that proudly carries the spirit of
Jaguar's legendary Le Mans racers. With prices for the original 16
XKSS chassis' exceeding seven figures, these highly cherished Lynx
cars rarely appear on the open market. We are delighted to offer
this fabulous example - lightly used and meticulously maintained in
top order by a noted Jaguar collector, vintage racer, and
enthusiast. It has been gently used and shown at numerous events,
including the International Jaguar Festival in 2016. It remains
fresh and ready for any number of driving events worldwide. Please
note the car is titled as a 1970 Jaguar.
