The Jaguar C-X75 is one of the car industry’s great ‘what-ifs’ of recent years. Originally conceived in 2010 as a concept car powered by a pair of diesel-fed gas turbines, a small production run was announced the following year which was to use a tiny 1.6-litre twin-charged four-cylinder mated to a pair of electric motors.
The production car was ultimately cancelled for cost reasons, and it seemed that was that until a couple of years later when the producers of 2015’s distinctly average Bond film, Spectre, needed a suitably sinister car to be used by Mr Hinx, henchman of the titular shady organisation. A call was made to Jaguar, and a small run of C-X75 stunt cars were built specially for the film, this time with a spaceframe chassis, rally suspension and Jag’s big, thumping 5.0-litre supercharged V8.
Jaguar C-X75 – rear
After its appearance trading blows with Bond’s Aston Martin DB10 through the streets of Rome – probably the best part of the film – it seemed that really was that for Jag’s ambitious supercar. Until now.
Like all Jags of its era, the C-X75’s gorgeous body was penned by Ian Callum, who now runs his own design and engineering consultancy, Callum Designs. Callum has got its hands on one of the Spectre C-X75s and given it a thorough overhaul, finally resulting in a road-legal C-X75 nearly 14 years after the concept debuted.
Jaguar C-X75 – doors open
A project commissioned by a private customer, it’s required more than simply slapping some number plates on and calling it a day. To gain the Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) needed for road legality, it’s been fitted with new glass and switchgear and a quieter, catalytic converter-equipped exhaust system.
Given that it was only ever built to appear on screen, fit and finish wasn’t the greatest, so the car has also had its panel gaps realigned, the quick-release latches used for easy access during filming have been ditched, and the whole thing has been refinished and resprayed in the same metallic orange as in its film appearance.
2010 Jaguar C-X75 concept
Finally, the dampers and ride height were tweaked under the supervision of Callum’s engineering director, Adam Donfrancesco, although these changes are minor: the stunt cars, which were developed with input from Williams Advanced Engineering, were apparently already known for excellent driving dynamics.
The finished car will make its public debut on 21 April at Bicester Heritage’s Scramble event. It’s taken a long and deeply convoluted process, but we’ll finally get to see Jag’s great ‘what-if’ where it belongs – out on the road.
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