Ian Callum transforms Bond’s stunt car into a street-legal Jaguar C-X75

If you could find a gold wrapper on a chocolate bar that you could swap for a car from the James Bond franchise, what would it be? Sean Connery’s DB5? Or Moore’s Lotus Esprit S1? Before handing over your ticket, don’t forget to check out cars like the BMW Z8 The World Is Not Enough or the Jaguar C-X75 you see above. The latter has a special story that will be even more special later this year. Sit back, grab some popcorn and find out more about the updated Jaguar C-X75 – and designer Ian Callum has to do with it.

Fourteen years ago, Jaguar came up with a great idea to put a supercar into production. To get into the hybrid supercar rush, Jaguar developed a concept car called the C-X75. It would have been a hybrid with a gas turbine that would charge the battery, but production was abandoned. It didn’t seem to get more than a fantasy – until 007 came along.

Jaguar C-X75 on the silver screen

For a Bond film Spectre The Jaguar C-X75 was used (with varying degrees of success) by the villain in the film, Mr. Hinx. The movie didn’t use a complex hybrid system, but a supercharged V8 dry-sump lubrication. Williams – from the F1 team – was allowed to build stunt cars and used space frame chassis and suspension from the rally.

Callum makes the Jaguar C-X75 road legal

Williams built five amazing cars, four of which survived filming. One of the four Jags now returns to its designer, Ian Callum. He was Jaguar’s chief designer at the time. Now Callum has his own company where he creates creations such as Vanquish 25 and Callum Skye. For a new project, Callum has been asked to modify one of the C-X75 stunt cars for a special (very wealthy) client.

Callum says that this Jaguar C-X75 has been ‘completely revised’. For example, the exhaust and engine, as well as the glass, have been treated. The carbon fiber body is brand new and has been repainted in sparkling orange. It is not known what a customer pays for the only Jaguar C-X75 legal in the world. The car should be ready soon: on April 21, Ian Callum will present a street-legal Jaguar C-X75 during the Bicester Scramble in England.