Movies featuring James Bond are renowned for their impressive selection of on-screen automobiles. It’s quite easy to envision 007 zooming in the driver’s seat of an Aston Martin while deploying some form of clandestine tool, but occasionally, the most captivating piece of metal isn’t what Bond is steering—it’s actually the deliberate vehicle choice made for the antagonist.
In the popular film Spectre released in 2015, a specific car graced the silver screen: the Jaguar C-X75. Even though it never materialized as a production supercar, Jaguar fabricated numerous examples specifically for the movie, one of which will be up for bidding at an auction organized by RM Sotheby’s in Abu Dhabi next month.
via Jaguar
Conceived by the renowned Ian Callum and constructed by Williams Advanced Engineering, the C-X75 was nothing less than an automotive masterpiece. Initially, Jaguar envisioned the C-X75 as a limited-production hybrid sports car to rival the likes of the Porsche 918 and McLaren P1. Regrettably, these aspirations never came to fruition.
When news spread that the production team behind Spectre sought a menacing car for the antagonist in an upcoming Bond film, Jaguar perceived an opportunity to outshine Aston Martin and exhibit the concept of its stalled project. The automaker seized the chance and, in collaboration with Williams, produced several additional units, essentially featuring a C-X75 body mounted on a strengthened, custom tubular chassis. Observe the interior reminiscent of a racing car, with a left-sided sequential paddle shifter and a substantial hydraulic handbrake.
via Jaguar
Alongside structural enhancements, the vehicle’s power source underwent a reengineering process. The hybrid system was replaced with a rear-mounted dry-sump iteration of the F-Type’s supercharged V8 engine, and although specific horsepower figures are not disclosed, one can imagine the engine delivers quite an impressive output.
This particular chassis was utilized as one of four stunt vehicles for Spectre. More precisely, it was created as a pod car—a car meant to be maneuvered using a “pod” attached to the roof, allowing the talent to be filmed relinquishing control to a secondary driver who manipulated the vehicle’s functions from the pod.
Following the film, the Jaguar toured various locations worldwide to promote it, including an event in Mexico where individuals, including former Williams Racing driver Felipe Massa, had the opportunity to test drive the car on a specially designed track.
The C-X75 completed a brief global tour sponsored by the factory before it was purchased by a private collector who had consulted for Jaguar in 2016. In their possession, the vehicle traveled to various automotive events in Europe, covering only “a few miles.”
If you are a wealthy enthusiast keen on acquiring a C-X75, this is your opportunity to reignite your dream despite Jaguar abandoning the project. However, be prepared to shell out a substantial sum as the auction is expected to fetch between $800,000 to $1.2 million for this rare gem. Another C-X75 was put up for sale in recent times but its price remains undisclosed.
