Nearly 60 years after competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most gorgeous race cars ever crafted by the hand of man has returned to the Circuit de la Sarthe to celebrate 90 years of the world's greatest race.
The very first factory-backed Jaguar D-Type took two parade laps of the French circuit ahead of last weekend's 24-hour enduro, with the Jaguar Competitions Department-built OKV 1 running around the track with some of the fiercest competitors of the last nine decades. Of the 11 cars invited to participate, a 1930 Speed Six Bentley joined the Jag, along with an Alfa Romeo 8C and one of the Ford GT40s that put Ferrari Enzo in his place – not just once, but four times – between 1966 and 1969.
This D-Type came in second at Le Mans, missing the top of the podium by a scant 135 seconds over the rain-soaked 24-hour race in 1954.
The U.K.'s Class Motor Cars Limited did a ground-up restoration of the D-Type in 2000 to bring it back to its exact Le Mans specifications. But the only thing they were able to salvage were the seats.
And no, this isn't a trailer queen. Besides lapping the track last weekend, this D took home the gold at the 2010 Classic Le Mans. Check out the video below for proof.
