Motoring enthusiasts of a certain vintage may be old enough to remember the Jaguar C-Type, a pioneering race car which won Le Mans on its debut, introducing aerospace inspired design to motoring.
Jaguar Classic have revealed that they are producing a limited edition of the C-Type, based on the 1953 winning worlds car specification, with a 3.4-litre straight-six engine, triple Weber carburettors, 220bhp and disc brakes. Disk brakes you may ask? Well one of the reasons for the C-Type’s classic status and success in motor racing during the 1950s was pioneering introduction of disc brakes.
The C-Type was the brainchild of legendary Jaguar designer, Malcolm Sayer, one of the first design engineers to introduce the same streamlined aerodynamics of aircraft, Sayer would later produce the iconic E-Type Jaguar and influence the early blueprints for the XJS.
“The C-type is one of the most iconic cars in Jaguar’s illustrious racing history, driven by some of the most-admired drivers in history,” said Jaguar Classic Director, Dan Pink. “The C-type Continuation keeps Malcolm Sayers’ iconic and advanced design alive thanks to the first application of 3D CAD drawings by Jaguar Classic, marrying design and motorsport heritage with the very latest engineering tools.”
Only 53 C-Types were built in the 1950s, with the specification taking the older 1951 engineering, including the drum-braked cars. The new version, built to the 1953 spec will include the same groundbreaking disc brakes, with owners given a choice of 12 exterior colours to choose from, including British Racing Green.