After taking the automotive world by storm in the late 1940s with his venerated Jaguar XK 120, Sir William Lyons commissioned his team at Coventry to build a racing version. A newly hired engineer with wartime experience in aerodynamics named Malcom Sayers accepted the challenge, and within a few months, Sayers had created a lightweight, aerodynamic factory racecar that utilized most of the original XK 120 mechanicals. The project was an immediate success, with the new Jaguar C-Type securing the marque its first victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951, beginning an unparalleled decade of dominance by Jaguar at the revered endurance race.

Just 54 C-Types were originally produced, with each now being valued well into the seven figures. The pure physical form, along with its racing success and general passion for the Jaguar marque has led to a cottage industry building recreations of this divine machine.

Ordered new from Copy Cats (later known as Proteus) of Lancashire, UK, the C-type recreation presented here is one of the more user friendly, cost-effective editions of the storied cat. Under the hood, one finds an XK-type engine not unlike the 1953 Le Mans-winning powerplant. The iconic Jaguar 3.8-liter, double overhead camshaft, inline, six-cylinder engine is fed by a trio of Weber 45DCOE carburetors. Four-wheel Dunlop disc brakes on 48-spoke wire wheels complete the period look, while an aluminum radiator with electric fan helps make this icon more driver friendly.

As impressive as this car’s mechanical specifications are, the highlight of the build is unquestionably its wonderfully hand-formed, all-aluminum body. Brilliantly polished to accentuate the high-quality craftsmanship found throughout, it immediately catches the eye of anyone lucky enough to be in its presence.

While it can rightly be seen as rolling sculpture, this C-Type recreation—fresh from a tune-up and inspection at Red Car Restorations—is also a high-performance homage to one of the most successful racing cars of its era, one that would make for a thrilling entrant on tours, rallies, and vintage competition events.