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Jaguar announces continuation run of 1953 C-Type race cars

Jaguar is adding the 1953 C-Type race car to its Jaguar Classic "Continuation" line of historic cars. These factory-built cars are crafted to the same specifications as their inspirations, making them some of the most accurate replicas of any classics available to the public.  For the C-Type, Jaguar turned to the 1953 Le Mans-winning works car, which was powered by a 3.4-liter, 220-horsepower straight-six sporting three Weber carbs. Unlike the road cars, the racers wore disc brakes at all four corners, which is good news for anybody who is purchasing one of these to drive.  "Driven by some of the most-admired racing drivers in history, the C-Type laid the foundations for Jaguar’s success in endurance racing and is synonymous with design and engineering innovation," said Dan Pink, director of Jaguar Classic. "Seventy years on, Jaguar Classic is proud to be able to utilize the latest innovations in manufacturing technology – alongside traditional skills and unrivaled expertise – to reintroduce this legendary car for a new generation of enthusiasts to enjoy." While a new generation of enthusiasts may get the opportunity to drool over a factory-fresh C-Type for the first time, these continuation cars won't exactly be flying off the assembly lines. In fact, the production pace won't come anywhere close to that of the original. Jaguar plans to build just eight examples to be delivered prior to a motorsports-themed celebration event for those lucky customers. (Just 53 were built in the original 1950s production run, of which 43 were sold to private owners.) If they're so inclined, owners of the new C-Types will be able to race their cars in sanctioned vintage series. FIA-approved harness mounts can even be included from the factory. Despite that nod to convention, Jaguar's key motivation with the C-Type revival is staying true to the originals. "Building on the experience gained with previous Jaguar Classic Continuation programs for Lightweight E-Type, XKSS and D-Type, Jaguar Classic engineers consulted the Jaguar archives and cross-referenced scan data taken from an original C-Type in conjunction with the latest computer aided design (CAD) technology, to create the most authentic new C-Type possible," Jaguar said in its announcement. Jaguar is even throwing a bone to those of us who will only be able to admire these beauties from afar. As of Wednesday, a configurator tool for the new C-Type Continuation is available on Jaguar's website.

Ecurie Ecosse collection brings in millions

It's rare to see an entire racing team's collection go up for auction at once, but that's just what happened this past weekend at Bonhams' new headquarters in London, where there Ecurrie Ecosse collection brought in top dollar (or pound, anyway).
The collection, whose consignment we first reported on back in September, included a smattering of Jaguars, other classic racers and an iconic transporter truck, all decked out in the same blue and white livery of the Scottish flag. After reportedly feverish bidding on Sunday, the 1952 Jaguar C-Type sold for £2,900,000 ($4.75m), the '56 short-nose D-Type for another £2,600,000 ($4.26m), and the transporter for a shocking £1,800,000 (nearly $3 million) - all to the same unnamed American collector. A 1952 Jaguar XK120 roadster went to another buyer for a record £707,000 ($1.16m).
With Ringo Star's Facel Vega selling for £337,500 ($550k) and Michael Schumacher's Benetton B194 fetching another £617,500 (just over a million), the auction total skyrocketed to £16,861,630 ($2.75m), which Bonhams described as "a roaring success". Scope out the press release below for more info.

Jaguar Land Rover may buy Silverstone racetrack for new HQ

Jaguar Land Rover might add another chapter to its venerable motorsports legacy by purchasing the revered UK racetrack Silverstone to use as its new company headquarters. JLR could reportedly offer 22.7 million pounds ($34.1 million at current rates) to buy the circuit, according to Automotive News Europe, which cites several British media sources. The British automaker would then invest the equivalent of $78 million to turn the historic track into a celebration of the brand, including a museum, experience center, and hotel. The company would also construct space for its marketing team and engineers, Automotive News Europe reports. Motorsports would still continue there, too, which means the course's Formula One legacy is safe. Neither JLR nor the British Racing Drivers' Club, which leases the track, have confirmed the rumors. The BRDC only suggested that it received several confidential offers to purchase the circuit. Silverstone has a motorsports history that goes back to the late 1940s and is often the home to the Formula One British Grand Prix. The track's organizers have a long-term deal to continue hosting the F1 race, too. Today, the course also features major events from MotoGP and the FIA World Endurance Championship. In November, Jaguar released a video that celebrated some of its legacy at Silverstone by bringing the modern XJR and Le Mans-winning XJ-R9 LM at the track. If the company's purchase happens, you can expect to see a lot more Jags and probably some Land Rovers lapping the course. Related Video: