In the aftermath of WWII, the automotive landscape underwent a dramatic transformation. Amid this period of rebirth and innovation, Jaguar emerged as a formidable force in motor sports, quickly gaining recognition for producing fast, beautiful, and competitive sports cars. The company’s early postwar success was spearheaded by the elegant XK120, a model that stunned enthusiasts and the industry alike with its speed and style. However, it was the arrival of the C-Type that truly signaled Jaguar’s arrival on the international stage.

Introduced in 1951, the Jaguar C-Type (short for “Competition Type”) was a machine engineered with a singular purpose: to win races. Designed by aerodynamicist Malcolm Sayer and incorporating the XK120’s well-proven mechanicals, the C-Type featured a lightweight tubular frame, advanced suspension, and streamlined aluminum body that made it both swift and aesthetically pleasing. Powered by a modified version of the 3.4-litre XK engine, the C-Type offered both performance and reliability – critical traits in endurance racing.

The new Jaguar made an immediate impact in competition. While Ferrari reigned supreme at the 1000 Miglia, it was Jaguar who triumphed at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, winning the French endurance race in 1951 and again in 1953. These victories were significant – they marked the beginning of Jaguar’s dominance at Le Mans throughout the 1950s and cemented the C-Type’s legacy as a world-class sports racer.

Beyond the factory team’s success, the C-Type also proved highly effective in private hands. With only 43 production examples built, these cars were eagerly acquired by skilled privateers around the world. From major circuit races to genteel club events, the C-Type showcased its prowess in a wide array of competitive settings. More than just a race car, it was a proper dual-purpose sports car that could be bought “over the counter,” driven to the track, raced with success, and then driven home – albeit with white knuckles and a pounding heart.

In every sense, the Jaguar C-Type was a brilliant sports car: fast, balanced, and undeniably beautiful. It not only elevated Jaguar to new heights in motor sports but also laid the foundation for the company’s future successes, including the legendary D-Type and E-Type that followed.

The C-Type presented here, chassis XKC 028, is among the finest surviving examples of this legendary Le Mans-winning sports racer.

One of the 43 C-Types built for customer use, XKC 028 was dispatched from Jaguar’s Coventry works on November 24, 1952, handsomely finished in silver and fitted with engine no. E1028-8, gearbox no. JH13314, and body no. K1028.

As recorded in The Complete Register of Jaguar C-Types, D-Types, & Lightweight E-Types, XKC 028 was originally delivered via Jaguar distributor Charles Hornburg to Imported Motors Inc., a Denver, Colorado-based dealer operated by Charles Hughes and Kurt Kircher. It was from there that the C-Type was sold to its first private owner, Doug Maier of Cleveland, Ohio, who took delivery in June 1953.

A profile of XKC 028, published in the April 1982 issue of EJAG News Magazine, provides a wonderful snapshot of Maier’s ownership:

“Doug Maier was notorious among the Cleveland Jaguar owners of the day because he would never respond to their waves and horn honks. He drove the C-Type on the street with his ‘nose in the air’ and a cigarette holder clenched between his teeth, FDR-like. According to legend he never acknowledged the friendly salutes of the other Jaguar owners when he was in the C-Type.”

Maier used XKC 028 exclusively as a road car, accumulating approximately 23,000 miles before selling it to second owner William Franz in 1968. Pat Black purchased the C-Type from Franz in 1974, had the engine rebuilt by Jaguar specialist Lou Fidanza, and then took it around the concours circuit, winning several prizes.

The C-Type’s next caretaker was Joe Egle of Kansas City, Missouri. Following his successful career as a British car dealer, Egle began collecting the kind of cars he had previously sold, focusing primarily on the Jaguar marque. During the mid-1970s, he owned an example of virtually every postwar Jaguar, including an XK120, XK150S, E-Type, D-Type, and XKSS. The C-Type was one of the last important models he acquired, purchasing XKC 028 from Pat Black in 1981.

The April 1982 EJAG profile on XKC 028 notes that Egle “acquired the car last year after a marathon telephone session, covering the eastern half of the country, that led him to Black’s door. But Pat Black did not want to sell and it took all of Joe’s persuasive powers to finally see XKC028 parked comfortably next to the MG TD and the other Britons in the Egle garage.”

After performing some light restoration work, Egle debuted the C-Type at the Elkhart Lake vintage races, winning first place in the concours d’elegance. Next, he entered the Jaguar in the Atlanta Vintage Grand Prix, capturing first place in the pre-1956 race and the concours. He continued to campaign the C-Type in historic events, including races at Laguna Seca, Road Atlanta, and Sebring, throughout his ownership. In 1985, Egle loaned XKC 028 to famed C-Type racers Phil Hill and Masten Gregory for a parade lap of the Folly Classic Vintage Grand Prix in Kansas City, Missouri.

Joe Egle retained the C-Type until 1988, when it was sold to Bob Baker of Omaha, Nebraska. A connoisseur who owned some of the most significant postwar sports and racing cars, Baker entered XKC 028 in the Colorado Grand, the Monterey Historic Automobile Races, and the Jaguar factory cavalcade to Le Mans in 1991.

Arizona-based collector Dr. Philippe Reyns acquired the C-Type in 1995 and continued putting it to good use on both road and track, taking part in vintage races like the Monterey Historics and the Wine Country Classic, as well as several editions of Terry Larson’s exclusive C- and D-Type Reunion Tour.

In 2018, XKC 028 returned to the UK when it was acquired by British collector William Ainscough. During his ownership, a sympathetic restoration was carried out in a joint effort by respected marque specialists Chris Keith-Lucas and Julian Parker. Contained in the car’s history file is a detailed report prepared by Mr. Keith-Lucas that concludes:

“XKC 028 is a particularly complete and correct C type, indeed I cannot think of a more original example. The condition is excellent, and I believe it has had the most sensitive of restorations. I would particularly recommend it as a chance to see just how these cars looked on day one. Perhaps rather counter-intuitively, what is good about XKC 028 is that it actually did not race in period. This has saved it from the typical damage and crude modification that some cars suffered in racing at the time they were at their lowest value. It is absolutely a car to cherish and I would love to own it.”

Indeed, it was XKC 028’s sheltered early existence as a fair-weather sports car on the backroads of Cleveland that contributed to its wonderfully intact and original condition today. A real rarity among C-Types, it is correct in all major respects, retaining its original chassis, body, engine, and gearbox among other rarely seen authentic details. Its uncommon, as-supplied silver paintwork perfectly highlights Malcolm Sayer’s breathtaking design, which still looks fresh and modern after more than 70 years.

A truly exceptional C-Type, XKC 028 is worthy of your closest inspection and consideration.