Iconic 1954 Jaguar D-Type to Star at Broad Arrow's 2025 Amelia Auction
Broad Arrow Auctions, part of Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY), is thrilled to present the 1954 Jaguar D-Type Works Competition Car, chassis no. XKD 403, at its 2025 Amelia Auction, the official event of The Amelia Concours d'Elegance. Known as ‘OKV 2’, this D-Type is celebrated as one of the most significant sports racing cars ever and will be auctioned without reserve this March. Historically raced and tested by legendary drivers like Stirling Moss, Peter Walker, Tony Rolt, Peter Whitehead, Mike Hawthorn, Ivor Bueb, Ninian Sanderson, and Norman Dewis, ‘OKV 2’ is arguably the most competed Works D-Type, participating in major European races annually from 1954 to 1958. This storied vehicle is expected to fetch between $6,500,000 and $8,500,000 at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island.
The Jaguar D-Type pioneered sports car design with its aircraft-inspired, lightweight engineering and beautifully streamlined aerodynamics, consistently setting new speed records at Le Mans. Originating from the first batch of three D-Types built for the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans, ‘OKV 2’ was the lead team car, driven by Stirling Moss and his preferred co-driver, Peter Walker. They achieved the fastest practice time and a record-breaking top speed of 172.97 mph on the Mulsanne straight, although they retired later due to brake issues.
Jakob Greisen, Senior Car Specialist at Broad Arrow Auctions, comments, "‘OKV 2’ expertly balances the dual roles of race and road car. Constructed to spearhead the Works team and piloted by elite drivers, it competed at significant motorsport events and remains highly adaptable for historic tours and races. Accompanied by extensive documentation, period testing, Le Mans paperwork, and a wealth of archival racing imagery, it comes to auction from 15 years of dedicated enthusiast ownership."
After its 1954 exploits, ‘OKV 2’ saw additional successful outings and two Works testing sessions with famed drivers before being sold to Jack Broadhead in 1955. Driven by Jaguar’s PR man, Bob Berry, it achieved impressive results, including multiple podium finishes. After a major rebuild in the winter following a crash, Berry continued to race ‘OKV 2’ until the late 1950s.
Since its competitive days, the D-Type has passed through a series of discerning owners, including a complete restoration in the late 1970s and a series of historic races under its current ownership. It even reunited with Stirling Moss for a special event in San Francisco in 2011 and returned to the Le Mans Classic in 2012.
As part of an outstanding lineup at Broad Arrow’s 2025 Amelia Auction, the D-Type is joined by other remarkable vehicles like the 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione and a 1960 Chevrolet Corvette Factory Race Car. Further details and bidder registration for the March 7-8 event are available at broadarrowauctions.com, where interested parties can also contact the Broad Arrow car specialists for more information.
