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Ian Callum’s superb Mark 2 gets limited production run

13 February, 2015

Late last year, Jaguar’s Design Director, Ian Callum, unveiled his own, completed, project car — a stunning resto-modded Mark 2 Jag. Callum designed the car, which was built by Classic Motor Cars (CMC) in Shropshire, England, over an 18-month time period.

The Mark 2 is powered by Jaguar XK’s modified and uprated 4.3-litre engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The car sits on unique, independent rear-suspension, modernized front suspension, power-assisted rack and pinion steering, and uprated front brakes — the whole design was for a practical, reliable, and extremely exciting daily driver.

Functional louvres adorn the Mark 2’s front guards, the bumpers have been redesigned, and the car sits 30mm lower than factory upon beautiful 17-inch split-rim multi-spoke wheels. Inside, the car boasts a modern entertainment system and red-leather interior resembling the very British smoking jacket.

Mere hours after the car’s unveiling, CMC were already fielding enquiries from people across the globe, asking if they too could buy one. Well, the build of the second of these special Mark 2s is underway as part of a limited run of 12 cars.

Nick Goldthorp, managing director of CMC, said, “It is going to be a left-hand-drive car, and the body is nearing completion. We should finish the vehicle by the end of this year.”

Each car will be specifically tailored to the individual buyer, who will finalize the specification with Ian Callum.

“No two cars will be the same, which makes them more unique. It’s all in the small details that can be tailored, including the gearbox, exterior and interior colours,” said Goldthorp.

With the car currently under construction expected to visit the USA next year, we’ll be keeping a close eye out on its progress and bring you more as it happens.

 

NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2026 issue 408, on sale now

18 October, 2026

Star status for classic Porsche
A long search ends: finding the right car
Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963, the Porsche 911 heralded an iconic lineage of sports cars, known for their exceptional performance, remarkable racing reliability, and adaptability, second to none.
New Zealand Classic Car, in conjunction with Star Insure, recently conducted a photo competition to find 13 suitably impressive classics to grace the pages of the magazine’s 2027 calendar. A flood of entries showed that Kiwis recognise eye-catching designs and restorations. Many are handy with a camera, too, and have entered some outstanding results.
The choice was not straightforward, with multiple stunning entries, and Geoff Long’s immaculate 1990 Porsche 911 (964 Factory designation) took top honours. Fortunately, Geoff had Ethan Hanlon handy to take the accompanying photos while working in his office.
“I’ve got a young employee who is doing work experience in my office at the moment, and he’s a very avid photographer. So, I said, I’ll buy you breakfast and then why don’t we go and take some photos. He found the right spot, and he spent over an hour photographing.”
Originally sold new in Japan, hence the right-hand drive, the Porsche was resident there for four years before being exported to New Zealand, as Geoff recalls.
“I bought it two-and-a-half years ago, but I looked for it for over two years, because it’s just the colour scheme, interior and exterior I was after. The service file that came with it is extensive; I mean, it’s been beautifully looked after, which is what I wanted to continue, as it does get driven. It doesn’t sit in the garage.”

Classics on the green

16 October, 2026

Many pretenders vie for the title, but the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance gets my vote as the biggest thing since sliced bread.
The 71st edition of the world’s pre-eminent and best-known concours event featured 28 classes, judged by a 180-strong jury, which also chose the recipients of 26 special awards.
The size of the event, the number of visitors, and, most mind-numbingly, the sheer number of amazing cars, is almost overwhelming. There are so many quality cars to gaze upon, and so many people gazing at those cars, that it is almost impossible to cover everything.
Notable among the many attractions were the centenary celebrations of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an elegant Talbot-Lago Grand Sport, Hermann Graber’s Swiss-bodied cabriolets and coupés, the jewels of Otto Vu Italian V8s, early Alfa Romeos, Lincoln and its centenary, and cars with unorthodox propulsion systems.