1954 Jaguar D-Type MIB
This is the 2023 MATCHBOX COLLECTORS 70th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION 1954 Jaguar D-Type MIB. I was really looking forward to getting this car and photographing it.
The real Jaguar D-Type was a sports racing car that was produced by Jaguar Cars Ltd. between 1954 and 1957. Designed specifically to win the Le Mans 24-hour race. It influenced Sir Ian Callum who was Director of Design for Jaguar up until 2019.
The D-Type inspired two cars he designed. In 2013 Jaguar released the F-Type. 6,377 copies were sold world wide that year and I am the lucky guy who bought the first one sold in the US. It was very different from everything else and every time I drove it — I got more attention than I did driving a Ferrari 599 — which was a much more expensive limited edition car. It was amazing.
The second car the D-Type inspired was Sir Calum’s pet project. It was simply called the Project 7 car. Initially Jaguar made only one of these cars. Later they decided to make a very limited run of 250 — only 50 of which were sold in the USA.
I did some promo work for Jaguar back then and was owner of four different Jaguars (all at the same time) as well as having had a grandfather who owned a Jaguar dealership. That pedigree left me in a position to talk my way into driving the Project 7 car as part of the TOUR D’ELEGANCE at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Élegance.
Those were my glory days. 10 years ago sure seems like a lifetime to me now. Now all I have are my memories and of course my die cast cars :)
One of the things that strongly attracts me to toy cars is my love of real cars. I spent a lot of time at race tracks both as a professional photographer and an amateur driver. Now that I am old and infirm, the toy cars will have to do but they do help stir memories of great days gone by.
So…I made a photo of the D-Type…
My meager photograph here pales by comparison to the events of the Concours but I tried to give it a racing feel, since the D-Type was all about racing.
I have had the pleasure of seeing thousands of rare and special cars in my life — even got to drive several and own a few. Without a doubt the D-Type is one of my favorites of all time.
I hope you like the photo.
Remember, toys are joy.
