The True Spirit Of The Jaguar XJ13 Presented By JD Classics At Retromobile 2024
The masterpiece that is the Spirit of the XJ13 is unveiled at Retromobile 2024 by JD Classics of Chelmsford, England, and seen for the first time by the public. 45 years of development and detailed craftsmanship are a testament to project creator Bryan Wingfield and JD Classics who completed it all these years later.
Jaguar originally built the XJ13 in 1966 to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and was seen as the most elegant example of race car design. The True Spirit captures the details of the original and the purity of the shape designed by Jaguar aerodynamicist Malcom Sayer.
One of only six of the now rare and genuine Jaguar built prototype V12 engines designed for use at Le Mans. The engine has a 5 litre capacity and two camshafts per cylinder bank produced over 500 BHP and is believed to be the only remaining prototype engine outside of the factory car.
To develop True Spirit 3D scanning was utilised to create a CAD model from the factory XJ13 so a CNC machined buck could be produced to make the body on. JD Classics then hand wheeled the aluminium panels that are completely identical to the factory car. All the details match, even down to the E-Type front suspension and the road wheels.
Derrick White, the brilliant engineer responsible for the XJ13, had originally conceived an independent rear suspension system but financial constraints led to design compromises. The new Ture Spirit of XJ13 uses a period correct monocoque derived from the Le Mans winning Ford GT, which also has state of the art rear suspension, as originally conceived by White. This enhances the cars drivability without compromising the original spirit of the design.
The new XJ13 was built to celebrate the racing heritage and gave the chance for people attending Retromobile a glimpse back to the glorious racing cars of the 1960s.
The faithful recreation has been detailed in a book, True Spirit of XJ13, written by Robert Perry giving a comprehensive account of the build and looks back at the original creation by Brian Wingfield and the car’s place in the Walter Hill Collection in the United states.
If you missed the car but want the book you will be able to purchase a copy soon, but I bet they won’t be available for long.
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