Roger Los (see Roger’s Rusty Heaps in the blogroll) sent this link to the Jag-lovers E-type list:
It is a film taken from the cockpit of a works D-type on a practice lap around Le Mans in 1956. As an added bonus, the narrator is Mike Hawthorn, the Jaguar factory driver who won the race the year before. The ’55 race was marred by a huge accident that killed over 80 spectators, which Hawthorn was slightly involved in. The pit signalling was right before pit lane, and Jaguar signaled Hawthorn in… he braked, a Healey swerved to avoid him, and a Mercedes 300SLR collided with the Healey and somersaulted into the grandstand.
Hawthorn points out where the relocated the signalling to, as well as the location of the tragic accident.
Mercedes withdrew from the race later, and all of racing for several decades shortly afterwards.
I love D-types. I had several toy D-types when I was little and have always been attracted to them (along with Jim Hall Chaparrals.. which I had the privilege to watch in person at Road America when I was a kid!) I have never seen a D-type or XK-SS in the flesh, being driven, until last year when I attended the Colorado Grand (see links on the right), where it seemed I was surrounded by them. Wonderful cars.