Jaguar’s classic division has announced that it will make eight more of the curvaceous C-Type originally manufactured from 1951 to 1953.
The continuation cars, which will converge on a special track day in 2022 to celebrate 70 years since the original release, will be the fourth of its kind for Coventry, the English company. Jaguar started to develop Jaguar lightweight E-type and Jaguar XKSS continuation cars as far back as 2014; in 2018 it started building D-type continuations.
Jaguar is by far not the only company making money on the continuation model, which provides extraordinarily expensive, unlimited new cars to well-meaning fans of the brand. In 2018, Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc has announced that it will make 19 new sequels to its classic DB4 Zagato GT from the 1960s and 25 sequels DB5s known from Gold finger. In 2019, Porsche brought back a single 993 – some would say it continued to do so – to launch a new range of Porsche 911 Turbos. The original 993 line was discontinued in 1998.
The iconic Jaguar C-type won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951 and 1953.
Source: Jaguar
The (re) birth of the legend
Simply put, a continuation car is a vehicle that is discontinued from production and then re-manufactured by the original car manufacturer, usually in very frugal quantities. Track cars are not restorations or replicas; they are newly built according to the original standards and engineering plan. (However, some contain modern components.) As for the numbering – the real key when it comes to appreciating such rare machines – each C-Type sequel will receive a brand new chassis number and unique characters to show that it was built in 2021, rather than following the vintage order.
The success of the continuation as a business model remains undisputed, although Jaguar and Aston Martin both consistently refuse to specify revenue or profit margins. At the time of the D-Type launch, Tim Hannig, the director of Jaguar Land Rover Classic, said that the sequels are not very profitable, but ‘do’ make money from the company ‘.
Eight C-type continuation cars are being built ahead of a renaissance-inspired celebration for the owners in 2022.
Source: Jaguar
The fully authentic, Disc-equipped C-Type is built by Jaguar Classic experts at the Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works plant in Coventry, England.
Source: Jaguar
Virtually every sequel offered by Aston Martin and Jaguar has sold out before its official announcement – even though prices can range from the high six figures to more than $ 2 million.
The consensus among the collectors of the originals seems to be that continuations do not shift their value in any way. Jaguar has a reputation for making meticulous, precise continuations in exceptionally low quantities, which helps retain the value of the original products. (Of the 53 Jaguar C-type sports cars built in the 1950s, 43 were sold to private owners.)
With a new online configurator, prospective customers and enthusiasts can virtually specify their perfect C-type.
Source: Jaguar
‘There was a lot of concern when we did the first lightweight E-Type [in 2014]”That it can weaken values - but the opposite has happened,” Said Hannig. “People were suddenly talking about these cars. This promoted the car on its own. It allows us to communicate in a different way about the past and show what we have as a legacy. ‘
A strong record
The C-Type, originally manufactured from 1951 to 1953, gained notoriety for its cartoon-like body, designed by artist Malcolm Sayer. The car won the coveted 24 Hours of Le Mans Race during its 1951 debut and achieved the first of seven straight victories for Jaguar in that series. The vehicle had groundbreaking innovative disc brake technology in a revolutionary system developed by Jaguar and Dunlop. In 1952, the famous racer Stirling Moss won the Reims Grand Prix in France using the same system. The C-type again won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1953.
The Jaguar C-type no. 18 by Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1953.
Source: JDHT
Each example of an emerging C-Type will reflect the specifications of the 1953 Le Mans award-winning car, including a 220 hp 3.4-liter inline-six engine with triple Weber 40DCO3 carburetors and disc brakes. Additional options include a FIA-approved seat belt, as the C-Type sequels are eligible for – and expected – historic race and track days.
The best news so far: according to a Jaguar spokesman, some C-Type sequels are available for sale. (Usually they sell even before their public announcement.) An Online setup tool enables prospective buyers to compare color and finish options of 12 exterior colors and eight available interior colors, as well as apply optional race rounds and steering badges and hooded arms. The price is expected to start at about $ 1.3 million.
Jaguar’s C-type racing team faces the start of the 1953 Le Mans 24 Hours, with Stirling Moss with no. 17. Moss will finish second overall, with Peter Walker.
Source: JDHT