A 1952 Jaguar C-Type could set a new world record price for the famous British marque when it is sold at auction in London next month.
The rare sports car, raced in America in the early 1950s, is tipped to fetch between £1.9 and £2.4 million when it goes under the hammer at the RM Auctions’ Automobiles of London sale.
The current record for any Jaguar is £2.2 million which was set at an auction at the Goodwood racing circuit in 2008 for a 1955 D-Type.
The record price for a C-Type was set in 2009 when another 1952 car driven by US racing legend Phil Hill was sold in America for $2.53 million, which was around £1.6 million at the time.
“Specifically designed to win the Le Mans 24 hour race, the legendary C-Type Jaguar is one of the most desirable sports racing cars ever built,” said Max Girardo, Managing Director of RM Europe.
The car being sold at the RM sale on October 29 was driven to victory at the Golden Gate Nationals, San Francisco, in 1953 by well-known driver of the period, Masten Gregory.
“Powered by a 210bhp, 3,442 cc six-cylinder engine, Jaguar C-Types have an enviable racing heritage from the glory days of 1950s motorsport. The example on offer, (chassis number) XKC-015 is a wonderful illustration and an exciting addition to our London sale,” said Mr Girardo.
Finished in cream with suede green interior trim, the car left Jaguar’s Browns Lane factory in Coventry on October 14, 1952 for delivery to Charles Hornburg, Jaguar’s US West Coast dealer based in Beverly Hills.
Early in 1953 XKC-015 was sold to upcoming driver Masten Gregory, described by sports car legend Carroll Shelby as "the fastest American to ever go over and race a Grand Prix car”.