Jaguar C-Type Ecurie Ecosse

This is the first Jaguar C-type to be raced by Ecurie Ecosse – Scotland’s world-beating privateer racing team – and scored a clutch of significant victories in period. It’s an acknowledged icon of motorsport north of the border.

The car, chassis number XKC 006. was originally painted British racing green and was first delivered to Ian Stewart, a true gentleman driver and one of the original three Ecurie Ecosse owner-drivers of 1951. Stewart’s Jaguar XK120 had been the first to carry the team’s distinctive metallic blue-and-white livery, and he twice raced for Jaguar at Le Mans in 1952 and 1953.

On the C-Type’s debut in the 1952 Jersey Road Race, Stewart scored a roaring victory, seeing off competition from George Abecassis and Reg Parnell in their Aston Martin DB3s. The success continued for Stewart and XKC 006 throughout 1952 with wins at Charterhall, Crimond, Turnberry, in the Wakefield Trophy at the Curragh, Charterhall, Goodwood and Castle Combe, where Stewart defeated Stirling Moss in another C-type as well as Roy Salvadori in an Aston Martin. Before the Goodwood race, Stewart’s C-type was repainted in the team’s now-iconic Flag metallic blue.

Ecurie Ecosse and Stewart continued their winning streak, winning at Charterhall, Ibsley and in three races at Snetterton. Stewart then hung up his helmet after an injury in Argentina, but his exceptional record makes him probably the greatest Ecurie Ecosse driver until Sir Jackie Stewart.

XKC 006 was acquired by Hans Davids, a pre-war motorcycle racer and Dutch national champion, who continued its period competition success in the 1954 season with a win at Spa. The car subsequently changed owners in Britain and America between 1955 and 1973, used only occasionally in sprints and hillclimbs. The C-type then joined the stable of renowned UK collector Bill Lake, who commissioned a sympathetic but thorough restoration. This included a return from green to Flag metallic blue: the paint was commissioned from its original makers Ault & Wyborg of Glasgow, and so XKC 006 is considered to be as authentically turned out as possible.

On loan courtesy of Fiskens, from Tuesday 12-Tuesday 26 March 2024.