Jaguar “D-TYPE” Very Rare O. Vehicle designation Brass Dash Plaque. The Jaguar D-Type is 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 shared the straight-6 XK engine and many mechanical components with its C-Type predecessor. Its structure, however, was radically different, with innovative monocoque construction and slippery aerodynamics that integrated aviation technology, including in some examples a distinctive vertical stabilizer.