JD Classics Goes into Liquidation for a Second Time

Once bestowing largesse as sponsors of racing series, rallies such as the Mille Miglia and hillclimb events like the Grand Turismo, JD Classics has faced multiple financial troubles and bankruptcies in recent years.

It initially went bankrupt 2018 when founder Derek Hood was sued by a customer and received a judgment of “deliberate and dishonest conduct” in April 2018 and faced a £64 million claim by JD Classics administrators for financial irregularities, including inflation of the company’s turnover and assets.

In September 2018, administrators Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP (A&M) secured a buyer for JD Classics.  Woodham Mortimer Ltd, a company controlled by HPS Investment Partners LLC, acquired the business.  This acquisition was meant to safeguard jobs and continue the company’s operations.  Jean Marc Gales, who had been appointed as JD Classics’ new chief executive in June 2018, expressed optimism about the company’s future at that time.

However, the company continued to face financial difficulties and legal troubles in the following years.  Throughout this period, JD Classics experienced continued trading losses since the company’s inception, with frequent changes in directors, with some only serving for a few months.

Most recently, as of March 17, 2025, JD Classics has gone into administration again.  It is not yet known how the administrators plan to dispose of the company and/or its assets.