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Mossgreen to offer down-under D-type at Motorclassica

Mossgreen to offer down-under D-type at Motorclassica 22nd September 2017

To borrow from Oscar Wilde, “To suffer one fatal accident may be regarded as a misfortune; to experience two looks like carelessness.” The K500 Guide to the Jaguar D-type advises pre-purchase caution as “few have all their original components, and a large number have particularly colourful histories including fires, crashes and swapped chassis”.
 
So welcome, then, chassis XKD 510, the last remaining D-type ‘Down Under’, to be offered by Australian house Mossgreen at the Motorclassica show in Victoria on 14 October.
 
It looks the part, of course. But a quick check in the relevant books reveals: “Easter Meeting, Goodwood, Tony Dennis, crashed fatally… rebuilt using new monocoque (damaged tub stored on roof of garage)… later built up with damaged sub-frames from XKD 606… crashed at Shelsley Walsh… Johore GP, Yong Nam Kee, crashed fatally breaking car in two with front half going over a cliff to the beach below…
 
You get the picture.
 
The car’s subsequent history is a typical merry-go-round of owners spanning the continents and low-key historic racing, principally in the US. In recent years it has lived in Australia, hence the sale in Victoria.
 
D-types are hot property today, and RM’s sale of the most desirable example in the world – XKD 501, the only ‘virginal’ Le Mans winner – for $21.78m in August 2016 is unlikely to be beaten unless that car comes up for sale again. The estimate of AUD 7m to 8m (USD 5.6m to 6.4m) on XKD 510 presents a dilemma. The seller will doubtlessly point out that it still contains many original bits and probably drives just like the Le Mans winner. But will a serious collector spending millions want a car in which two drivers have died and the history reads like a horror movie? We think this class of car is getting harder to sell unless very, very keenly priced. Otherwise why not pay more if you can afford it and buy something ‘bulletproof’?
 
We know where the top of the D-type market is. Without offence to anyone, if this one sells, we’ll know what the ‘dregs de la crème’ are worth too.

See www.mossgreen.com.au

Photo by Mossgreen