Jaguar unveiled the C-Type in 1951 and production ended in 1953. But, despite the two years production run only 53 C-Type units were built, 43 of which arrived at private owners, mostly in the U.S. As you can imagine, finding one is very difficult, and when you do it gets very expensive. Usually, the C-Type is being sold at auction for more than $5 million. But now Jaguar has a solution: as part of the C-Type 70th anniversary, the company decided to build the C-Type Continuation - a model built to the original specs using data from the brand’s archive and by scanning an original model. Only eight will be built, and after more than a year of development, the first unit is finally ready to hit the road - just in time to celebrate 70 years since the C-Type won the Reims Grand Prix Meeting on 29 June 1952.

All eight models will be built to the specification of the 1953 Works C-types. What makes this model special is the adoption of disc brakes. While this may sound weird now, disc brakes were not used back in the 1950s. In fact, the C-Type was the first race car to employ disc brakes thanks to an innovative Dunlop set-up that made the car victorious in Reims in 1952 and then next year at Le Mans.

The Continuation C-type will be powered by a 220-horsepower, 3.4-liter straight-six engine with triple Weber carburetors - just like the model that won the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans. This means that the Continuation model should sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 8.0 seconds and could hit a top speed of 140 mph. Each unit requires 3,000 hours to be developed and undergoes at least 250 miles of physical testing by Jaguar Classic engineers. Jaguar will even use CAD technology to make the continuation cars as authentic as possible.

The first unit is finished in Pastel Green with Suede Green leather seats, and it was inspired by the exact C-Type that won the 1952 Reims Grand Prix. Customers can choose between 12 different heritage colors, including finishes like British Racing Green and Pastel Blue with contrasting roundel. For the interior, there is a choice of either leather hues.

The Continuation models are FIA-approved and can race in all FIA Historic events, including the Jaguar Classic Challenge. We still have no idea how much the model is, but we assume that it costs at least $2 million.