Lot 432: Jaguar C-Type Replica by Proteus

The XK120C’s astonishing debut victory in the 1951 Le Mans 24-Hour Race and its follow-up win in ’53 established Jaguar’s first purpose-built racing sports car as one of the all-time great competition automobiles. Jaguar built only 54 C-Types and it is worth noting that the first three Formula 1 World Champions - Guiseppe Farina, Alberto Ascari and Juan-Manuel Fangio - all bought them as road cars. It is not hard to understand why: at the time of its introduction the C-Type represented the state-of-the-art in racing car engineering and thus was one of the most advanced road vehicles in the world.
Those multiple Le Mans wins in the 1950s, as well as numerous victories in the other great classic endurance events, coupled with superlative driving qualities that made it so attractive to three of the greatest drivers in history, have ensured a continuing healthy demand for replicas of Jaguar’s rare and exotic sports-racer. An acknowledged master in this highly specialised field is the Romsey-based firm of Proteus (née Copycats), which has established an international reputation for accuracy and quality second to none.
The car we offer today is an original Proteus factory-built example with all aluminium body and correct-specification 3.4-litre engine. Created as a demonstrator for the US market, it was painstakingly assembled to be the company’s showpiece and during its stay in the USA was awarded 3rd place at the international Pebble Beach Concours d’Élegance, no mean feat in itself and fitting recognition of the sheer quality of this car.
Finished in British Racing Green with matching interior, the car has long hubs and sits on 16” XK120 wheels. A long-range fuel tank is fitted and the gearbox has touring ratios, allowing effortless and comfortable long distance driving, ideal for European rallies of which there are now so many to choose from. (We understand that the car is eligible to be granted FIA papers). Offered with Swansea V5 registration document and current MoT, this car represents an opportunity to acquire a genuine factory built Proteus C-Type at a fraction of the cost of the genuine article.