The James Bond franchise is easily one of the longest-running and most successful in filmmaking history and it has legions of fans who enjoy watching Bond’s adventures. Still, some of us are really only watching for the automotive aspect of 007’s illustrious arsenal of movie magic.
The BMW Z3 was a fun roadster that added to 1995’s Golden Eye, while we were utterly heartbroken when we paid good money in 1999 to see The World Is Not Enough, specifically to marvel over the unbelievable BMW Z8, which, even then, we thought was one of the most underrated BMW’s of all time, bow out just 14 minutes into the film after being cut in half by a helicopter.
Plenty of Aston Martins have piqued our interest since then, but one car caught our eye in the 2015 film Spectre. No, it wasn’t the beautiful Aston Martin DB10, created specifically for the movie franchise by Aston Martin as a nod to the longstanding (and symbiotically profitable) relationship the two have had with one another. No, the car wasn’t even driven by 007 himself. The Jaguar X-X75 was driven by the bad guy racing after James Bond through the streets of Rome, and for the first time, we found ourselves not wishing we were a secret spy from MI6 but the villainous evildoer behind the wheel of a stunning car we had never seen before. Well, nearly a decade later, that car is finally a reality.
The Callum C-X75 began life as a quad-motor hybrid
When designer Ian Callum first designed the spectacular C-X75 in 2010, the idea of performance-oriented hybrids was on the verge of becoming a reality with the magnificently innovative BMW i8. Callum penned the C-X75 to be powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that was both supercharged and turbocharged. That ICE motor then used two diesel-powered micro gas turbines to recharge the four electric motors, one located at each wheel. Sadly, the great recession dashed away any hopes of Jaguar’s halo car becoming a reality until it was called upon to play a supporting role in the 2015 Bond film.
The C-X75 was ‘the one that got away’
Yet, as wonderful as it must have been for Callum to see his creation on the silver screen, it seemed that he was not the only one who desired to make this Jaguar more reality than fantasy. While four examples of the C-X75 were made for the film, none were street-legal. Earlier in 2024, Callum modified one of these cars to be able to be a safe, road-going vehicle.
But, it is this second customer-commissioned car that has made the Jaguar C-X75 finally feel as though it has finally come to fruition, with Design Director Ian Callum saying, “C-X75 was ‘the one that got away’ – a car brimming with unfulfilled potential. We’ve combined the customer’s wishes with carefully engineered solutions to bring C-X75 to the thoroughly satisfying conclusion it always deserved.”
The willow green exterior of this incredibly bespoke vehicle covers over 1,000 hours of bodywork craftsmanship. Brushed aluminum trim and carbon fiber accents complement the massive rear diffuser and polished metal grill. At the same time, etched C-X75 emblems adorn the tailpipes to create a look that can only be described as “understatedly exotic.”
The Jaguar C-X75 is a new level of luxury
Unlike the stripped-down stunt cars featured in the movie, the new C-X75 has been engineered to provide the posh luxury that a British supercar is expected to afford its (undoubtedly) wealthy owner. The cockpit is (naturally) driver-centric and highlighted by the 40-degree-angled “waterline” separating the driver from the passenger. Clean lines are kept thanks to a cowl that covers its digital instrument cluster, while the roof-mounted controls and steering wheel machined from a single piece of billet steel give the Jaguar a bit of Bugatti vibes, always a good thing when you’re going to upmarket pricetags.
Its power comes from an F-Type supercharged V-8
Unlike the fantastical prototype powertrain from 2010, the latest Callum C-X75 modern super-Jag borrows from the fabulous F-Type for its motivation. Although not specifically detailed, the aluminum block and heads DOHC supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 come in two different power levels. In the F-Type P450, power maxes out at 444 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. But, in the R75, that number climbs to an astounding 575 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. Given the nature and supercar aura the C-X75 exudes, we’re inclined to believe it produces the latter amount.
Unlike the prototype, which used a twitchy sequential racing gearbox, the new, more civilized variant of the C-X75 gets a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that can be programmed to be docile. But if performance is desired, Callum added a sport mode, which tightens up steering, throttle response, gear changes, and uncorks the exhaust whenever the urge to hear a truly incredible Jaguar snarl up to the redline is present.
The C-X75 uses active aerodynamics
At speeds above 37 mph, Callum’s engineers gave the X-C75 an active aero package to increase downforce, allowing the Jag to hug the road even harder. An “air brake” function has also been added to the design to assist in hard braking. To tackle more domestic problems than high-G turns, the C-X75 benefits from a hydraulic front-lift system, which raises the front end of the car to clear aggravating speed bumps and steep driveways.
The Callum C-X75 is the ultimate supercar
Despite being Callum’s second C-X75 legal for street use, this car’s fit, finish, and detail make it a legitimate one-of-a-kind project. No price of any kind has been reported, and it more than likely fits into the “If you have to ask …” tax bracket of goodies and toys. Whoever the lucky owner and undoubted Bond fan may be, turning this Spectre star into a roadgoing reality may be the one thing that challenges the idea that The World is Not Enough.
