When Auto Express drove the Jaguar C-X75 back in 2013, Jaguar’s then-designer Ian Callum said, “we really should be building it shouldn’t we?” Well, 11 years on, the car can finally hit the road thanks to design and engineering consultancy Callum.
This second customer commission of the Jaguar C-X75 completed by Callum (the first arrived earlier this year), the firm says it has fulfilled the car’s potential by blending the customer’s bespoke wishes with the original designer’s aim “producing a capable, refined and elegant supercar”.
Built on one of four stunt cars used in the James Bond film Spectre, this C-X75 is car 001 and has been extensively reengineered with hundreds of modifications – including a new drivetrain, active aero and a redesigned ‘contemporary’ interior.
First off, the powertrain. The original C-X75 was designed to use a hybrid system made up of a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol with both a supercharger and turbocharger, plus a mix of two electric motors for a total of 880bhp and 1,000Nm of torque. The Spectre stunt cars however used a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 from the F-Type, mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox. The C-X75 commission is understandably closer to the stunt cars, utilising that same V8, but now connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Callum says the car features drive modes that can tweak the gearbox to provide sharper shifts, plus changes to the throttle response. The exhaust system has been tuned by an ‘acoustic expert’, too. An active aero package was developed by Callum for this car as well, deploying additional downforce at speeds above 37mph, while a hydraulic lift system has been added to enhance urban practicality. Those 20-inch front wheels and 21-inch rears are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.
A very keen eye might notice the panel alignment on this stunt car has been tightened, with Callum taking over 1,000 hours to ‘perfect’ the bodywork. Instead of the dark orange paint finish found on the Spectre car, this commission has been finished in Willow Green, paired with brushed aluminium on the window trims, carbon fibre accents on the intakes and diffuser and a polished metal grille. There’s a new C-X75 emblem on the exhaust tip and the rear lights have been altered as well.
The interior features an even more extensive transformation. The cockpit is now more driver-oriented than before with a new centre console with three pronounced rotary controls (each with their own touchscreens) running down it. There’s a custom-made steering wheel and a new cowl for the driver’s instruments – and if you’re wondering where all the buttons are, they’re situated overhead in a nod to aircraft design.
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