SCars with internal combustion engines are to be banned in just over twelve years. At least new ones. Many experts are certain that this will have a huge Havana effect for all remaining petrol and diesel engines. Used cars will increase in value and be driven for longer until it is no longer possible. And at some point a used car is a youngtimer, i.e. 15 to 25 years old, and later a classic car, i.e. at least 30 years old.
Interest in old cars is already growing steadily, as they are a wonderful way to bring the past into the present. Rare pieces from famous brands such as Jaguar, Ferrari or Bentley fetch top prices at auctions. Thinking evil, wanted classics are the favorite toy of the super-rich and easier to maintain than yachts or racehorses. However, the number of vehicles is limited, the market is self-contained, and the famous barn finds hardly exist anymore.
But now there is movement in the scrap iron business. At some point Jaguar came up with the idea of breathing new life into old models and not only completely restoring existing Jaguars – which is of course also done – but to rebuild them according to the old plans, almost 1:1 according to the model, with the the same materials and the same technical specifications from back then. If Jaguar is rather weak in the new car business, the following applies here: Everything was better in the past, especially in the 1950s when you drove from one victory to the next in the 24-hour race at Le Mans.
The decision to deal with the rebirth of old classics quickly proved to be spot on. There seems to be a market for such replica originals, and the customer is willing to pay a large sum of money. Of course, it’s only about small series, so far Jaguar has reissued nine XKSS, six E-Type Lightweight, and 25 D-Type. Eight new, old C-Types are in the making, the first has just been delivered. Prices range from £1.2m to £1.8m each, plus VAT of course.
The fact that the brand new classics are not allowed on the road, but can only be used on private property or circuits, does not seem to bother at all. They can very well be used in historic races, the FIA (Fédération Internationale d’Automobile) recognizes the vehicles and, in this sense, equates them with the originals. The customers for the vehicles come from all over the world, they may see the fake oldtimers as cheap, because the originals cost several million. The amounts paid are often in double digits.
“Otherwise we wouldn’t do it”
Jaguar started with the Continuation Cars 2014/15, when six E-Type Lightweigt were created. Nine XKSS followed in 2017/18, in 2018 they started with the D-types, currently they are working on the C-types in the Midlands. While production was initially in the immediate vicinity of the classic Jaguar location on Browns Lane in Coventry, it is now located a few miles away in ultra-modern buildings in Ryton on 1400 square meters together with sister brand Land Rover. JLR Classic is run by Stephan Horscroft, who oversees 120 staff and assures that JLR Classics is in the black as a separate operating entity. “Otherwise we wouldn’t do it.”
With the replica of the C-Type, Jaguar Classic has finally arrived in the present, because under “classicvisualiser.jaguar.com“ the new classic can be configured. Twelve colors and eight different interior trims are available. Modern restraint systems (five-point belts) and rollover protection are permitted and recognized by the FIA, although the heroes of the early 1950s actually drove without belts.
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