Ex-Stirling Moss C-type heads to auction

A 1952 Jaguar C-type once raced by Stirling Moss looks set to be the highlight of Bonhams sale at the Monaco Grand Prix Historique next year. The car, an former Jaguar Works entry said to be in excellent condition, will go under the hammer at the auction on 13 May, 2016.

James Knight, Bonhams group motoring director, said it will be one of just 40 hand-picked cars for sale. He added, ‘The auction will be carefully curated, tailored to offer only the most desirable models to the market.’

The ex-Moss XKC 011 is offered direct from the family that has owned it for 52 years. Research indicates the car is fully original, remaining un-restored since the day it left the Works team in 1955.

It was built new for the Jaguar Works racing team early in 1952. After making its racing debut at Silverstone in May of that year, driven by one-time pre-war Brooklands star Peter Walker, it was fitted with special longnose/longtail aerodynamic bodywork for the Le Mans 24-Hour race. There it was co-driven by Stirling Moss and Peter Walker, but failed to finish.

Reverting to standard body form, it was again co-driven by Moss and Walker in the 1952 Goodwood 9-Hours race, finishing fifth, before Walker set best times in both the Shelsley Walsh and Prescott hill-climbs. Second World War hero Major Tony Rolt drove it to victory in the September Goodwood Meeting.

In 1953 ‘XKC 011’ was then campaigned by Stirling Moss and ‘Mort’ Morris-Goodall in the 1000-mile round-Italy Mille Miglia, and by veteran driver/journalist Tommy Wisdom in the Sicilian Targa Florio. This great car’s Works Team career concluded with Moss finishing second in heat, and fourthin the final of the 1953 British Empire Trophy race which took place at Douglas, Isle of Man.

The following year the car achieved further success, when it was loaned from Jaguar Cars Ltd to Belgian team, Ecurie Francorchamps.

After it was sold from the Works, the car became one of the most raced and best-known of all C-Types on the British club-racing scene, owned and driven by Michael Salmon, Gordon Lee and Robin Sturgess. It finally passed into the current vendor’s family ownership in March 1963, and it has been maintained in active yet incredibly un-spoiled order ever since. 

For further information on Bonhams motor car department visit: www.bonhams.com/cars