Engine: 3,442 cc DOHC inline six-cylinder
Power: 220BHP
Torque: around 300Nm
Weight: around 950kg
Transmission(s): 4MT
Drivetrain: RWD
Acceleration to 100 kmh: around 6s
Top Speed: around 235KMH
Extrerior colours: blue, green, black
Introduced in 1951, the Jaguar C-type was developed for the singular purpose of delivering a victory at Le Mans. It did so in its debut year, but failed to repeat in its sophomore year, conceding victory to the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. For 1953, Jaguar reworked the C-type into a lightweight version designed to win at the Circuit de la Sarthe, and this time enjoyed the top two podium spots at race end. Only three works C-type Lightweights were ever constructed, and one of those cars, chassis XKC 052, will be crossing the block on August 14 at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale.
Impressed by the performance of a customer’s XK120 during the 1950 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons and engineer Bill Heynes became convinced that a lighter and more aerodynamic version of the car could prove competitive. In just six weeks, the company produced the XK120C, later called the C-type, which used modified mechanicals from the XK120 in a tubular steel space frame, covered in a wind-cheating aluminum body styled by Malcolm Sayer.
Sir William Lyons’s hunch was correct, and at Le Mans in 1951 a C-type driven by Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead delivered a solid victory, finishing 77 miles ahead of the second-place Talbot-Lago. The Jaguar set numerous benchmarks in the process, including a lap record of 105.232 MPH, a 24-hour speed record of 93.495 MPH; and an event distance record of 2,243.886 miles. The two other works Jaguar C-types did not fare as well, finishing in 11th place and 43rd place, both falling victim to oil pressure problems.
For 1952, Jaguar adopted a more aerodynamic body for the C-types entered at Le Mans, but the change proved to be its undoing. All three cars suffered from overheating, but their premature withdrawal may have been a good thing. Changes to the body resulted in a surprising amount of lift at the rear of the car, making them unstable and largely unpredictable at high speeds.
Looking to redeem its reputation for 1953, Jaguar went back to work on a new version of the C-type, fitted with a lightweight aluminum body crafted from thinner panels than the original, a lighter tubular steel space frame, a rubber fuel bladder and a more powerful 3.4-liter engine. A new cylinder head was fitted, a higher-lift camshaft was added, and the original pair of SU H8 carburetors were replaced by a trio of 40-mm Webers. The net result was boost in horsepower from 200 to roughly 220, offset by the C-type Lightweight’s use of disc brakes in all four corners, a bold move for a manufacturer in 1953.
The changes produced the desired results, and the works C-type Lightweights proved unbeatable in the corners. Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton, driving car XKC 051, took the victory, followed by XKC 053, the team car of Stirling Moss and Peter Walker. A Cunningham C5-R crossed the finish line next, followed by XKC 052, the Jaguar driven by Peter Whitehead and Ian Stewart (and the car to be offered in Monterey). The team would field XKC 052 at two more races in 1953, but both would end in DNFs.
At the end of the 1953 season, XKC 052 was rebuilt to Le Mans specifications and sold to the Ecurie Ecosse team. Under its livery, the C-type Lightweight would enjoy stunning success at the hands of drivers like Jimmy Stewart (older brother of Jackie Stewart), Roy Salvadori and Ninian Sanderson. By the end of 1954, XKC 052 had delivered eight wins, four seconds, four thirds and three fourth-place finishes for Ecurie Ecosse, but its days with the storied team had come to an end.
From 1955 into 1959, XKC 052 was raced by a string of privateer owners, with varying degrees of success. A July 1959 shunt temporarily ended the Jaguar’s racing career, at least until it was restored by then-owner Ian Denney, who fitted the car with a replacement aluminum body. Additional owners, and additional races, followed, but in 1971 the C-type Lightweight landed in the stable of collector Martin Morris, who would take care of the rare Jaguar for the next three decades, funding a compete restoration in 1986.
In 2000, the car was sold to an American collector, who restored it to its 1953 Le Mans mechanical specifications and its Ecurie Ecosse livery. Great care was taken to replicate the original body as closely as possible, including the use of sheet aluminum identical in thickness to that of the original body (in the interest of preservation, the car will also include its 1959 body). Since the work was completed, the C-type Lightweight has been exhibited at venues like the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and driven in tours like the California Mille and the Quail Rally, and its age and pedigree make it eligible for the most exclusive of events (such as the Mille Miglia Storica) the world over.
Give the car’s one-of-three built status and vintage racing history, RM Sotheby’s is predicting a selling price between $9 million and $12 million when the C-type Lightweight takes to the stage in California. For additional information on the Monterey sale, visit RMSothebys.com.
- See more at: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/...weight-heads-to-auction/#sthash.OQWPEpyA.dpuf
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