There are few people in this world who would get away with taking arguably one of the most beautiful cars ever made and modernising it. One of those people is Jaguar's head designer, Ian Callum.
A video posted to YouTube yesterday shows the design icon’s take on the classic Jaguar Mark 2.
The British auto marque began making the Mark 2 in 1959 and continued production until 1967.
This latest reincarnation of the Jag classic was produced by Shropshire-based company Classic Motor Cars Limited.
Speaking about his new set of wheels, Callum said: “The stance of the Mark 2 is already excellent, but I wished to make it even better. The car’s form is now 30mm lower and sits on 17” split rim spoke wheels. The bumpers are now part of the overall form. It is a fine balance of extracting and adding.
“I have always loved traditional louvres as seen on many older race cars. Four louvres appear on the side of the car to add to that sense of power and ‘something different’. Of course they had to work, so they have been designed in a low-pressure area for a better internal airflow from the modified engine.”
This is what Classic Motor Cars Ltd posted on its website about the creation:
“This wonderful car has been redesigned by Ian Callum for his own personal use. Working with CMC’s engineers, it now boasts a huge number of aesthetic and technical modifications that make this a practical, reliable, enjoyable and exciting everyday car.
“This exciting 18 month joint project between Ian Callum and Classic Motor Cars has endeavoured to retain the integrity of the original Mark 2, whilst making it even more exciting in shape and performance. Featuring a modified and uprated 4.3 litre XK engine, 5-speed manual gearbox, a unique independent rear suspension and upgraded front brakes, the Mark 2 by Callum possesses an intuitive driving experience.
“Whilst maintaining the purity of the car’s form, a number of modern twists were made, with emphasis placed on the simplification and clarity of design. Although the Mark 2 has always been a beautiful car, there were a few elements Ian wanted to change, simplifying the profile to create a beautiful ‘performance’ ambiance.”
