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Jaguar XJS gets resto-mod treatment from England-based TWR

From the Volvo P1800 to the Porsche 928, the resto-modding trend has propelled numerous classics into the 21st century. Born-again English firm TWR rummaged through its own backyard to jump on the bandwagon: it unveiled an updated version of the Jaguar XJS. Known as the Supercat, the resto-modded XJS shares little more than a silhouette and a few basic styling cues with the coupe that inspired it. It's more muscular-looking thanks to a body kit that adds a front splitter, Group B-esque wheel arch flares, a rear spoiler and a massive diffuser integrated into the rear bumper. It gets modern-looking LED lights on both ends, and it rides on center-locking wheels. TWR notes that the body panels are made out of carbon fiber to keep weight in check. Interior pictures haven't been released, though we're told nearly every part of the car will be highly customizable, and we'll need to be patient to find out precisely what's under the hood. To whet our appetite, TWR mentioned a V12 engine supercharged to 600 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission. All told, it has taken the company more than two years to reach this stage, including intensive real-world testing. TWR notes that the Supercat will make its dynamic debut during the summer of 2024 (our money is on the Goodwood Festival of Speed). If you want one, act fast: production is limited to 88 units globally and pricing starts at GBP225,000 excluding taxes, which represents about $281,500 at the current conversion rate. Dollars matter here: unlike some resto-mods, the Supercat was developed with our market in mind. If the XJS isn't your thing, TWR stresses it has additional resto-modded projects in the pipeline. It hasn't revealed what's next, however. Jaguar XJS View 6 Photos The donor car Released as the XJS for 1976 as a replacement for the E-Type, the two-door Jaguar (shown above) was offered in numerous configurations during a production run that lasted well beyond even the company's expectations; it remained part of the range until 1996. It was offered with a straight-six, a V12, a stick, an automatic, as a coupe, and as a convertible, and it received numerous updates inside and out to remain relatively fresh. Related Video:

Lunaz electrifying classic cars with coachbuilt, millimeter precision

One day last year, as David Lorenz waited by the side of the road for repair help with his classic car, he had an idea: Why not update all of that ancient mechanical "character" with a modern electric drivetrain? That would give an owner the beauty of the past, the mechanicals of the present, and the powertrain of the future. Jaguar does it with the E-Type Zero, and Aston Martin's in the game with the reversible EV powertrain swap for the DB6 Volante. And so Lorenz founded the British engineering firm Lunaz Design, named after his daughter Luna and headquartered at the Silverstone Technology Park. The company's first products are almost ready for order, starting with a 1953 Jaguar XK120 and a 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V. Lunaz conversions aren't a matter of pulling an engine and installing a battery pack; Lunaz reengineers classics. Managing Director Jon Hilton oversees a team bringing experience from carmakers such as Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce, with Hilton's resume including six years with Cosworth Engineering followed by eight years in Formula One. To develop the Lunaz offerings, a chosen car is stripped to the metal and weighed so that engineers understand the weight distribution at each corner, then the car is stripped to the chassis and 3D-scanned. This yields information allowing designers to create a powertrain that fits to the millimeter and stays true to the handling dynamics of the original vehicle. During the rebuild, the company says, any imperfections are remedied "using traditional coachbuilding techniques." The Jaguar and the Rolls-Royce get battery packs in two locations, one under the hood and one under the trunk floor. Lunaz says it can fit more battery for its in-house design into each car that way. The Jaguar's 80-kWh battery feeds two electric motors sending 375 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. The Phantom V uses a 120-kWh battery pack, but its output hasn't been released. While remaining true to the exterior and interior design of each car, Lunaz fits LED lights and modern tires, a modern suspension, better brakes with regenerative braking, power steering, an upgraded propshaft, and a fly-by-wire throttle. Safety and comfort additions include cruise control, traction control, and anti-lock brakes. Inside, the instrument cluster gets battery gauges, there's modern climate control, an infotainment screen with satellite navigation, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Aston and Jag from James Bond Spectre have at it

Daniel Craig hasn't made a bad James Bond film yet. Spectre is his next step into the iconic role that's due to hit theaters on November 6, and it doesn't look likely to ruin his streak. Still, that's a long wait for such an exciting movie. If you're willing to possibly spoil just a little for yourself, a new featurette shows part of one of the big car chases right now. From what we've seen so far, the chase through Rome in Spectre has earned a good amount of screen time. While the reason for it in the plot is a mystery, that doesn't really matter anyway. What's important is that the scene stars Bond in the Aston Martin DB10 and a villain played by Dave Bautista in the now supercharged V8-powered version of the Jaguar C-X75 racing around the Italian capital's tight streets at night. This clip gives a glimpse at some of the work necessary to get the difficult filming completed. We've seen some of that effort before, though, when footage of the preparation for one shot leaked out. Craig reportedly sustained a pretty bad bump on the head during the shooting, and an earlier rumor also suggested that Bond might get behind the wheel of a Fiat 500 at some point in the scene.