The design company CALLUM, co-founded by Ian Callum, former Director of Design at Jaguar, has unveiled a road-going bespoke Jaguar C-X75. This is the company’s second take on the Jaguar C-X75 model, since it converted the stunt car 007 from the James Bond film Spectre into a road-approved example. The C-X75 was dreamt up in 2010 with the Formula 1 team Williams and five years later seven cars were used for the 24th James Bond installment.
Ian Callum said, “C-X75 was ‘the one that got away’ – a car brimming with unfulfilled potential. We’ve combined the customer’s wishes with carefully engineered solutions to bring C-X75 to the thoroughly satisfying conclusion it always deserved.”
This example used car 001 as the basis to reengineer the model for road use and individual vehicle approval to recognise its suitability for the road. The C-X75 features a new drivetrain with a supercharged V8 behind the cabin, paired with a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. The car is set up for normal road use and track use with a dynamic sporting mode. Engaging this mode activates sharper gear shifts, better throttle response and tuned exhaust system.
Adding to the C-X75’s aerodynamic shape, CALLUM engineers created an active aero package. When the vehicle is moving at more than 37mph, downforce is increased to improve stability. The team also integrated an air brake function to provide extra braking force to slow the car down from high speeds. When the owner needs to take the car through town and over speed bumps, hydraulic front lift suspension helps to protect the front bumper.
Inside, the C-X75 features green and cream leather trim with a minimalist design. Unusually for modern vehicle design, the car retains analogue dials for the speedometer and rev counter. A panel of controls are housed above the center console in the roof and this is also where the start/stop button is. The three rotary dials next to the driver have integrated touch screens and Apple CarPlay is included.
CALLUM’s Head of Design, Aleck Jones said, “Sporting cars typically feature darker interiors, while comfort is often associated with lighter shades. We wanted to fuse those elements in a dynamic way to reflect the dual nature of this car. Clean and beautiful, the interior is simple, not simplistic.”
Adam Donfrancesco, CALLUM’s engineering director added, “While engineering a raw stunt car into a refined modern supercar with all the expected attributes presented significant challenges, finding the right solutions excited us all. Integrating features including aircon and premium audio whilst also balancing the NVH, refinement and hygiene factors such as engineering the door seals to keep the elements out, all whilst ensuring it still sounded mega, was a formidable but thrilling challenge and the results speak for themselves.”
CALLUM’s managing director, David Fairbairn, concluded, “Through the reengineering of this one-off supercar along with the electrification and validation of a lightweight sportscar, the limited production run of our own CALLUM Vanquish 25, as well as low volume interior design and manufacture programmes for cars such as the Prodrive P25, CALLUM is demonstrating its prowess at bringing a vision to an on-road reality.”
