- Rare Bond Jaguar for sale
- Custom stunt cars, film
- C-X75’s troubled past
The road-legal Jaguar supercar of a James Bond antagonist, which was never before unveiled to the public, will soon be for sale for approximately £2.5 million.
The orange Jaguar C-X75, designated with the renowned ‘007’ chassis number, is one of a limited number of custom-built vehicles commissioned to perform a crucial scene in the 007 film Spectre. Specifically, it is involved in a dramatic duel that takes place in the heart of Rome. Pitting it against Daniel Craig’s portrayal of James Bond in an exclusive Aston Martin.
Kaaimans International, a UK-based specialist in luxury and supercars, is selling the redesigned Jaguar on behalf of a client. Under the wraps of meticulous engineering and trim work, the vehicle was transformed from a stunt car for major motion pictures to the road-legal supercar that it was designed to be.
The 2015 James Bond film’s fifth stunt vehicle was wrecked during production, leaving four stunt vehicles.
In 2010, Jaguar debuted the plug-in hybrid electric two-seater C-X75 with much hoopla. It can reach 200 mph. However, the British automaker ultimately decided to abandon the project due to economic considerations.
The 2015 blockbuster film featured multiple custom-built cars, therefore the car was back on the big screen.
A total of seven C-X75s were utilised throughout the filming process; however, two of them were authentic prototype C-X75 hybrids that were exclusively employed for interior and slow-motion views. These prototype vehicles are now considered “priceless” and have been retained by Jaguar Land Rover for their own collection.
The technical and engineering department of the Williams F1 team crafted the remaining five cars exclusively for the film in a matter of months prior to filming, with the fifth car taking just 12 hours to complete, a Williams Advanced Engineering representative revealed in 2015.
In addition to a V8 engine sourced from the Range Rover Sport SVR, each movie-exclusive C-X75 featured an upgraded suspension and a space-frame chassis (which was significantly less expensive than the authentic C-X75 carbon fibre tub) in order to execute leaps during filming.
To master the film’s stunning slides in front of the Colosseum, manual handbrakes, gearboxes, and clutches were installed.
Also constructed was a pod automobile with a roof-mounted roll cage for the seat and controls. This modification allowed stunt drivers to maneuver the vehicle while filming sequences. These sequences featured Dave Bautista as Spectre henchman Mr. Hinx, who was seated in the pod car.
Two of the remaining four film compositions are held in the possession of “serious collectors” based in Switzerland.
In November 2019, one of the four was offered to collectors at an auction hosted by RM Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi. Despite an estimated $800,000 to $1.2 million in reserve value, the product was not sold.
Craig portrays James Bond in the film, who is dramatically pursued at night through Rome and along the riverbank of the Italian capital in a limited-edition Aston Martin DB10 (one of ten Astons created specifically for the film) by the Jaguar driven by Spectre agent Mr. Hinx (portrayed by Dave Bautista).
The collector has two C-X75s, including the Jaguar film car ‘007’ and the chassis model ‘001’.
He intends to retain this item for personal use. The ‘007’ chassis model, however, is available for purchase.
Both have undergone extensive work with specialists to ensure that they are road legal and correctly operable, according to Gary Tolson, co-owner of Tollerton, Nottinghamshire-based supercar specialists Kaaimans International, which is handling the sale.
Both vehicles were previously purchased privately by the prestige dealer, who subsequently transferred them to the present proprietor.
To bring the stunt cars into compliance with road legal requirements, the following modifications have been made: new fuel tanks, an emissions-compliant exhaust system, a speedometer, a proper handbrake, carbon fibre replacement glass, electric mirrors, upgrades to electrical systems, electronics, and components as required, and new interior trim and seats.
Wheels measuring 20 inches in diameter are mounted in the front and 21 inches in the rear.
Once appropriately taxed, insured, and MOT’d, the vehicle will be IVA-certified as road legal (Individual Vehicle Approval from the government’s Vehicle Certification Agency or VCA) and will be able to be driven legally on UK roads following the completion of the work.
The original Jaguar C-X75 prototype was called “the sexiest Jaguar ever” and “the E-Type for the twenty-first century” over a decade ago. This was prior to its Hollywood prominence.
“It is an extremely rare automobile with an impeccable Bond pedigree,” said Mr. Tolson. It will cost £1 million to convert, so we expect it to sell for £2–£2.5 million. We anticipate the work to be finished in the near future and available for purchase in early spring.
“It is one of only four stunt Jaguar C-X75s utilised in the film Spectre,” he explained. Our client also possesses a second vehicle, designated chassis number 001, which he intends to retain. However, chassis ‘007’ bearing the renowned James Bond number is available for purchase.
“The other two stunt Jaguars are with serious collectors in Switzerland, both of whom also own an Aston Martin DB10 from the film as a matching pair,” Mr. Tolson continued. “As a result, it is highly improbable that they will ever be sold.”
Jaguar Land Rover maintains two additional C-X75s, which served as the initial prototypes for pre-production.
Why did Jaguar cease production of the C-X75 hypercar a decade ago?
Unfortunately, the magnificent Jaguar C-X75 supercar has had a troubled past.
The Jaguar C-X75 supercar, conceived by Ian Callum, the company’s former legendary design chief, was initially a prototype of an innovative plug-in hybrid vehicle powered by four electric motors and a ‘turbine’ propulsion system.
At the 2010 Paris Motor Show, it was called “the sexiest Jaguar ever” and “the E-Type for the twenty-first century.”
The initial propulsion system, a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid power 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine mated with two potent electric motors and capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds while consuming little gasoline and emitting little CO2, was ultimately discarded due to technical complications.
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A limited run of 250 C-X75s was slated for production from 2013 to 2015. This was an outcome of a partnership with Williams that integrated state-of-the-art environmental technology with race engineering.
Nevertheless, the model, slated to enter complete production at a cost of approximately £1 million, failed to reach retail outlets.
Jaguar determined that the economic downturn rendered it inappropriate to introduce a limited-run, seven-figure supercar in 2012. As a result, the company cancelled the project to concentrate on the development of its core mainstream vehicles.
Nevertheless, a stunt-modified variant of the C-X75 was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2015. This was prior to its prominent appearance in the James Bond film Spectre.
