ICONIC BRITISH DESIGNS
NICK DIMBLEBY
1991 Jaguar XJR-15
1990 Range Rover C H A R L E S
performance model, fitted with anti-roll bars, ’T’-rated Michelin XM+S tyres and a 3.9-litre V8 producing 185bhp. With the lighter two-door body, the CSK was quicker sprinting from 0-60mph than the standard Range Rover, and reached a top speed
of a heady 114mph. Having completed more than 350,000 miles by 2011, CSK 034 was subject to a complete body-off restoration five years ago, with many hard-to-find new-old-stock parts used. CSKs are now highly sought after; this is one of the best.
The XJR-15 was conceived and built by JaguarSport, a joint venture between Jaguar and Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR). It was mechanically based on the Le Mans-winning XJR-9, with the swooping bodywork designed by Peter Stevens – who went on to style the McLaren F1. The XJR-15 was the world’s first road car made entirely from carbonfibre. The intention was to build 50, though in the end 53 examples were produced. XJR-15s competed in the Jaguar Intercontinental Challenge single-make series, which supported three F1 races (Monaco, Silverstone and Spa) in 1991.
JA M E S B R O N N E RT- WA L K E R
@ G E O R G E S C A R P H OTG R A P H Y
This Range Rover CSK is number 034 of the 200 specialedition models produced to commemorate 20 years of the Range Rover in 1990. CSK stood for Charles Spencer King, the designer and lead engineer of the original Range Rover. The CSK was sold as a
SPENCER KING
PETER STEVENS
1993 Light Car Company Rocket
2012 Aston Martin One-77
2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé
G O R D O N M U R R AY
MAREK REICHMAN
IAN CAMERON
When Gordon Murray teamed up with racer Chris Craft to form the Light Car Company, he already had two decades of Formula 1 designs to his credit. The Rocket was always intended to be a no-compromise road car – which is exactly what it proved to be, weighing around 380kg and powered by a Yamaha motorcycle engine. This Rocket is an ex-Light Car Company factory model, and was rebuilt in 2006 incorporating upgrades by Chris Craft.
The One-77, designed by Marek Reichman, was unveiled in 2009 at the Concorso d’Eleganza Ville d’Este, winning the Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes. The million-pound, 7.3-litre V12 machine was revealed as the fastest-ever Aston Martin, with a top speed of 220mph. This example, 7 AML, is number 76 out of 77 production cars. It is finished in a unique Braemar Blue exterior with Aurora Blue and Winter Wheat leather interior.
Designer Ian Cameron led the design of the Phantom and Ghost models from the start of BMW’s ownership of Rolls-Royce. This included the Phantom Coupé, with its electrically operated rear-hinged doors. The first owner of this example was author Ken Follett, and its second was the notorious Russian oligarch Sergey Fedotov. Happily, the current keepers are Donald and Ian Cameron – the latter the car’s designer, now retired from Rolls-Royce.
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