Back in the 1950s, Lister produced a small amount of its “Knobbly” Jaguars with magnesium bodies. They were lightweight but expensive, and were used only for racing.
The legendary Stirling Moss drove one of them at Silverstone in 1958, beating Graham Hill and Roy Salvadori to the checkered flag. Now the revived Lister Motor Company is producing ten additional models, complete with magnesium bodies… and Sir Stirling’s endorsement.
The Lister Jaguar Knobbly Stirling Moss edition is based on the continuation model Lister launched two years ago, which in turn is modeled on the original. That means a faithful recreation of the 1950s roadster, produced on the same styling buck that Lister used back in the day. But the special edition but with a few revisions.
It features magnesium bodywork with low-drag extended front fenders, laid over a lightweight tubular steel chassis that’s similar to, but lighter than the standard model’s. The engine sump, clutch and differential case are made from magnesium as well. It’s painted in classic green and yellow, with a solid silver number plaque signed by Stirling Moss. It’s only the second such special edition Moss has endorsed, following the special Mercedes SLR McLaren speedster that bore his name.
Power comes from a recreation of the Jaguar D-Type’s 3.8-liter inline-six, just like the original used. Today the engine is built by Croswaite and Gardiner, and delivers 337 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Since the Stirling Moss edition weights just 841 kg (1,854 lbs), that’s enough to send it to 60 in under four seconds, to 100 mph in under 10, and on to a top speed of 184 mph. Buyers can set it up for use on the road or in historic racing events.
Only ten examples will be made, each taking 4-5 months to build – about three times more than the aluminum version. Of course, that sort of exclusivity doesn’t come cheap: Lister will charge £1 million for the privilege, which includes delivery by Stirling Moss himself. The manufacturer says it has already received “several” deposits.
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