Scottish independence
The tale of one special car and its triumphs with a small privateer team makes inspiring reading, says Gordon Cruickshank
LOCKDOWN HAS PRODUCED MANY self-starter projects; few of them can have had such impressive outcomes. This is the story of a car, one single car, but of a rare breed and with a very special historical trail behind it. XKD 603 is one of the works long-nose D-types that Jaguar fielded on the track; a mere 11 of these special works cars were assembled in 1955 and ’56, and 603 is one of only five survivors. That in itself is pretty damn good – any D-type is one of the gems in Britain’s motor racing crown, but these works cars not only have a fabulous racing record but also sport what many people see as the prettiest body variant of a stunninglooking car, the extended snout that elevates these Ds from their snub-nosed brothers and adds a vital few mph along Mulsanne straight.