Echoing the sentiment of every car enthusiast on the planet, Ian Callum wasn’t following some polished PR script when he stated “The C-X75 was the one that got away – a car brimming with unfulfilled potential,” Given the Scotsman led the design team that penned the original 2010 concept car, you’ll understand the reference to a long-lost love. Now, 14 years after the concept was first shown, the second of two road-legalised cars to carry the gorgeous silhouette has been announced.

Having retired from his post of Design Director at Jaguar, Callum started his own design agency and consultancy business which has shaped the Nyobolt EV prototype, Ferrari 355 by Evuelto. The C-X75 was also ‘retired’, killed off by the Jaguar board due to concerns about the declining financial markets, despite Aston Martin selling every single One-77 hypercar off the back of a clay model.

But as we all know, the C-X75’s story didn’t end there, with the concept car earning a starring role in the 007 caper SPECTRE, as chief henchman Mr. Hinx pursued Bond and his Aston Martin DB10 around streets and staircases of Rome. Seven new cars were built by Williams Advanced Engineering – a partner on the original road car programme – however these cars diverged from the concept in two key ways: using aluminium space frame construction, and a supercharged 5.0 litre V8. One was destroyed as part of filming the epic chase scene, and the survivors would be retired following their time in front of the cameras. Two were sold to private collectors, and this is where Ian Callum comes in, converting the first of the two private cars from film star to road car.

But car number two goes much further than the one revealed at Bicester Heritage earlier this year. Sadly, as talented as Callum Design are proving to be, even they couldn’t get the sci-fi powertrain of the concept to work. Instead of the original quad-motor electric drivetrain with gas turbine range extenders or later twin-charged 1.6-litre four cylinder, backed up by electric motors, the V8 remains. No power figures have been supplied, however given the sizeable budget required to complete the work, we can safely assume it will be rather more than the most powerful Jaguar itinerant found in the F-Type SVR, which produced 567bhp and 516lb-ft (700 Nm).

As ever, the styling is the first thing that captures your attention with the C-X75, and blimey doesn’t Chassis 001 look good in its rather fetching Willow Green hue. Over 1,000 hours were spent perfecting the positioning of the bodywork and applying the paint, while the window surrounds and fuel filler cap were milled from aluminium. The polished metal grille features a dark mesh, and the alloy wheels in dark grey nicely compliment the carbon fibre of the gargantuan rear diffuser. 

It might feel churlish to give Ian Callum design pointers, but one detail that perhaps should’ve been incorporated is the use of polished aluminium for the cowling for the air intakes to match the grille – or dark grey to match the wheels – using contrasts to highlight their functionality, just as was supposed to be the for the hybrid road car.

To complete the supercar styling theme, the car features butterfly doors that were intended for the production model and this uncovers the biggest change made to the C-X75: the interior. The cabins of the seven filming cars were a case of function over form, but for Chassis 001, the interior has become a luxurious driver-centric environment with a completely new dashboard and a 40-degree angled centre console. This, along with the overhead control panel, are a nod to the original concept car. 

The minimalist cabin is filled with fabulous details, such as the billet-machined steering wheel that has been made to the exact specifications of the customer, and the intricate mechanical instrument dials that are a welcome change from digital displays. Elsewhere, a hidden infotainment display can be uncovered to run Apple CarPlay, and a bespoke sound system including a large subwoofer, and two-piece seats adorned in two-tone grey and cream leather from Bridge of Wier make for a transformed, usable interior.

Further changes have taken place under the skin; the front axle has a lifting system, while the suspension has been tuned to offer a balanced and neutral feel through sweeping bends. Grip comes courtesy of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres that wrap around the 20” front and 21” rear wheels, and braking force is complimented by a new active aerodynamics package that sees the rear wing act as an air brake when required. 

Gthe V8 pairs seamlessly with the eight-speed ZF automatic in the F-Type, you’d assume the transmission would be a shoe-in, but Callum have even gone to the lengths of pairing the engine to a new 7-speed twin-clutch transmission - serious stuff for a one-off commission, and certainly an improvement over the sequential ‘box in the stunt cars. The soundtrack has been re-worked too, courtesy of a new exhaust system tuned by an acoustic expert. In a nice touch, both tips feature an etched C-X75 emblem.

While it is a world away from the original vision for the modern Jaguar supercar – devoid of a hybrid or electric powertrain – Chassis 001 encapsulates the spirit of what the stand-out 21st century Jaguar road cars have been made up of – elegant styling and a charismatic supercharged V8 engine – far better than anything the marque itself has offered. After 14 years, the concept has at long last become reality, and the C-X75 story can finally be concluded, fittingly at the hand of the man who first penned it.