Motoring: Lister Jaguar; Citroën C3; Fiat 500 Riva

JAGUAR Land Rover’s decision to travel back to the future by using its Heritage Collection as inspiration for a series of special edition racing cars has seen the rebirth of some much-loved motor cars.

Taking its lead from JLR, Lister Motor Company is also producing a special edition of its famous ‘Knobbly’ Jaguars – each of which will command a heavy £1m price tag.

Limited to a run of 10 cars, the Lister Knobbly Jaguar will carry the name of Britain’s most famous racing driver, Sir Stirling Moss.

Each car features a handmade magnesium body and special lightweight specification, in keeping with the ‘works’ racing Knobblys of the 1950s.

These cars follow on from an initial run of 10 aluminium-bodied continuations – now all sold out – production of which began at George Lister Engineering in 2014. Each is built using the same techniques as the original 1950s Knobbly, following the acquisition of Lister Motor Company by Andrew and Lawrence Whittaker in 2013.

The 10 Stirling Moss editions will celebrate the driver’s races for Brian Lister in the ‘works’ racing cars in the 1950s.

While some original Lister Knobblys are still driven in historic racing, none of the original magnesium-bodied ‘works’ cars survive, making this limited run an incredible opportunity for collectors and Lister enthusiasts – providing they’ve deep pockets.

To keep ahead of customer cars and other rivals in the 1950s, Brian Lister reserved a special lightweight specification for his ‘works’ Knobbly racing cars – with one of the main features being a magnesium body.

Magnesium is an exceptional material, lightweight but difficult to source and expensive. It is also time-consuming to work with as it is very hard to form, requiring incredible skill and craftsmanship. As a result, Lister has invested hugely in research and development into how to work with magnesium and produce perfect, hand-turned bodywork.

All 10 Lister Jaguar Knobbly Stirling Moss editions will faithfully feature the same specification as the ‘works’ car with which Sir Stiring won at Silverstone in 1958.

Key features of the Lister Jaguar Knobbly Stirling Moss edition are:
•    Bodyshell manufactured from lightweight magnesium with aerodynamic low-drag Long Wing Design front wings  
•    Engine sump manufactured from magnesium  
•    Clutch and differential casing manufactured from magnesium
•    Lightweight tubular steel chassis
•    Solid sterling silver number plaque 1 to 10 with Sir Stirling Moss’s signature engraved
•    Classic Lister green and yellow paint, matching the original 1950s design

Each one of the 10 owners will receive a handover from Sir Stirling Moss and a personal welcome letter from the legendary racing driver.  

Every Stirling Moss edition will be built at exactly the same factory as the standard lightweight Knobbly: George Lister Engineering in Cambridge. The chassis will be made using exactly the same jig as was used for the first Knobbly, while the bodies will be formed around the same styling buck too.

Customers can choose to have their car in racing specification or as a fully type-approved road car, with a bespoke interior tuned to their individual tastes whatever specification they choose. Historic racing versions will come with a full FIA HTP passport, allowing entry into the Stirling Moss Trophy among other blue riband races on the historic racing calendar.

Lawrence Whittaker, CEO, Lister Motor Company, said: “The launch of these Stirling Moss editions represents a truly unique opportunity. None of the original magnesium-bodied ‘works’ Lister Knobblys survived from the 1950s, so the fortunate few who get to own a Stirling Moss edition will be getting a period-correct continuation ‘works’ Lister made using the same techniques as the original.

“Secondly, as magnesium is such a difficult-to-source material and requires incredible skill and craftsmanship to form, the Lister Jaguar Knobbly Stirling Moss edition will be the only magnesium-bodied car you can buy – either as a road or racing car – anywhere in the world.

“Thirdly, this is only the second time in history that Sir Stirling Moss has put his name to a car. And this is truly limited run – we are only making 10. Ever. There will be no more. Factor in a personal hand-over from Sir Stirling Moss himself – a true British hero and a man who played a huge role in putting Lister on podiums in the 1950s – and you have an unrivalled, very personal experience. And an instant classic.”

Sir Stirling Moss said: “The Knobbly remains one of my favourite racing cars. I remember getting into it in 1958 and thinking ‘who is going to beat me in this?’ At the time I knew they were quick but I never realised, until now, that they were so different to the customer cars.  

“These magnesium-bodied continuations redefine the word ‘special’: they are hugely collectible and they will be very fast indeed. They will be winners on the track – just as they were in their day. I’m looking forward to meeting the new owners and seeing some of these amazing cars on the historic racing circuit being driven flat out as there were designed to be.”

First deliveries are expected in autumn next year.

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IT may be my imagination being as it’s Brexit week, but Europe’s carmakers – at least those still in the EU – appear to have been especially active, promoting new models and special editions.

Although some might want to look again at their marketing campaigns, especially our friends on the other side of the Channel.

With all things French currently in vogue, Citroën has launched its new C3 for which it has high hopes.

The supermini has sold more than 3.6 million examples since it was originally launched in 2002 and with the carmaker keen to continue its presence in this key market it has wasted no time spelling out its ambitions.

A nice little car which I expect will be very popular, although the campaign adopted by the manufacturer might make you think twice.

In making the reveal, the company used this headline on its campaign: “The new Citroën Offensive”.

Really?

Offensive!

I’m not sure I’d want to be seen driving around in a car described as unpleasant.

Maybe it got lost in translation – or are they sticking it to us for the vote.

Maybe we should respond.

Jaguar Agincourt anyone?

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FAR more pleasant is the new campaign by Fiat, which celebrates two of Italy’s iconic designs.

The 1957 Fiat 500 – similar to the original Mini and the Citroën 2CV – is a car that brought mobility to the masses.

Just as with the Mini, its appeal has endured and the reimagining of the model in 2007 has extended its popularity to a whole new generation.
The automotive representation of La Dolce Vita, the car is now part of Italy’s DNA but it is not alone.

During its lifespan another Italian icon also rose to prominence – Aquarama, the Riva speedboat. Elegant and exquisitely executed, the Aquarama was an authentic status symbol and the very essence of ‘cool’.

Almost 60 years later, the two symbols of Italian style and elegance have finally converged in the form of the Fiat 500 Riva.

Aimed at motorists seeking the same exclusivity of Aquariva Super yacht – the current Riva icon – but in an accessible, everyday package, the Fiat 500 Riva is finished in ‘Sera Blue’, an exclusive colour for this limited edition model and one of the most popular for the Aquariva Super, successor to the legendary Aquarama.

The convertible version also gets a new blue soft top, created exclusively for this version, while the hatchback gets a panoramic glass roof as standard, but what really sets the 500 Riva apart is the detailing.

Externally, in addition to the exclusive colour, the mirror caps have a chrome finish, as do the handles and the bonnet trim. A double aquamarine line runs along the belt line, enhancing the soft profile of the 500 and recalling the beautiful line of a yacht, while brand new 16-inch, 20-spoke alloy wheels, with a special blue finish, have been created especially for the FIAT 500 Riva. Finally, the logo of the nautical legend is placed on the boot lid, the wheel arch and the wooden insert of the side moulding.

Inside, the dashboard is finished in hand-painted mahogany with maple inlay work, offering the occupants the luxurious warmth of life on-board, as emphasised by the prominent Riva logo. An innovative engineering process was implemented to make the dashboard, merging state of the art materials technologies with natural wood and classic craftsmanship. The wood is applied onto an ultralight carbon shell to ensure stability, flexibility and perfect strength over the lifetime of the vehicle. The maple inlays are inserted by hand, making each creation truly unique.

The door sills and gear knob are also carved from a solid piece of mahogany, while the seats are trimmed in an exclusive ivory leather created by Poltrona Frau, in colours and materials reminiscent of the exclusive ambience of Aquariva Super. Even the floor mats are especially created with ivory hems and contrasting ‘Sera Blue’ stitching, as is the boot mat that also features a wood insert with Riva lettering.

Luxury equipment includes automatic climate control, front fog lights, rear parking sensors, LED DRLs and a seven-inch TFT instrument cluster with aquamarine background and Riva logo. In addition, the dashboard incorporates as standard FIAT’s latest seven-inch HD Uconnect™ LIVE infotainment system, featuring a high-definition display and a wide range of functions including DAB digital radio, Uconnect™ LIVE services, Bluetooth voice calls, music streaming and voice recognition. The system can be upgraded with 3D satellite navigation as an option.

The new 500 Riva will be available in the UK from the end of August with prices announced closer to its launch date.

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WHILE Britain may still be reeling from the aftershock of Brexit, there is brighter news for collectors of classic cars.

Classic & Sports Finance has said that despite the vote to leave, the outlook for the classic car market remains cautiously optimistic.

It said it had engaged with a number of customers, dealers and suppliers to better understand how interest rates, exchange rates and free movement will affect the classic car market.

It said while economic uncertainty can limit demand for high value luxury items, some investors would see classic cars as a hedge against economic uncertainty.

If interest rates are pushed lower, the classic car market could flourish as investors look for security in tangible assets. Economists expect any increase in interest rates to be negligible, ensuring that classic cars remain a worthwhile investment.

Despite an immediate negative reaction to the referendum result in the financial markets, the classic car market has remained steady. Dealers and auction houses have reported no knee-jerk reaction in sales, values or customer enquiry levels.

Robert Johnson, managing director at Classic & Sports Finance, said: “While there is still plenty of uncertainty about the future of the wider UK economy following the referendum result, the outlook for the classic car market is largely positive.

“Lower interest rates will drive investment in classic cars, while exchange rates will not affect the majority of UK buyers, and credit remains readily available. While there are concerns about the free movement of cars and people, it is too early to say whether restrictions will come into effect.”