There’s a huge debate going around about continuation cars. There’s a section of gearheads who believe these cars are a bad idea. And they’re not the small fish. Big collectors such as Ralph Lauren and Anthony Bamford have even written to Bentley in disappointment over their release of continuation 4 ½ Blower Bentleys.
So why all this fuss?
A continuation car is a classic rebuilt using exactly (or almost) the same techniques while following strictly through the original blueprints. In this heated debate on whether they are a disgrace to the originals or not, different critics have come up with different names for this new crop of cars. Some insist they’re simply replicas with a “deceiving” name, while others think they should be called “perfect copies”. The nomenclature notwithstanding, collectors fear these cars will water down the authenticity and awe of the originals, built at the intended time.
But that raging politics is not for discussion today. Continuation cars are already here. And forgetting that raging fire on the horizon, these 10 are the most amazing so far.
10 Land Rover Defender Series I
Before Ralph Lauren wrote to Bentley in protest, another British manufacturer was already deep into the plans of launching a continuation car. That marque was the Land Rover Defender Series I. Built-in 2016, Land Rover sought to restore 25 of their Series I makes back to pristine condition. Even better, they were going to be road-legal.
And in true continuation spirit, these Defenders were built on the original chassis and specification parts from the back catalog. Customers who bought these had the option of a long or short wheelbase version and five period-correct colors.
9 Bentley Blower
This is the car that stirred up a lot of controversy in the collector’s market. We know the Bentley Blowers were great racers. And they were fast thanks to that massive I4 that rocketed this mighty ship. Thus, when Bentley decided to revive this 90-year old car, they had a mighty job before them.
The first continuation Bentley Blower took 40,000 hours to build. The specifications were reverse-engineered from an original 1929 Blower. The extensive CAD and laser-scanning work that followed, plus the final authentic build that was as detailed as recreating the hand-beaten, steel, and copper fuel tank, made this Bentley one of the most accurate continuation models in the market.
8 Shelby Cobra
The Cobra is another racing icon. This little-known make embarrassed Chevys on the track before the mastermind behind them got into a more permanent partnership with Ford. Today, Carrol Shelby should be smiling from the heavens thanks to this recreation.
But here’s the catch. There’re a ton of Shelby Cobra “continuation” cars out there. Out of these largely poor quality builds, the best in the market is the official make from Superformance under Shelby Legendary Cars. This make is based on the CSX2345 roadster that Bob Bondurant, one of Shelby’s most successful drivers, drove.
7 Ford GT40
This is another spicy make that might not taste too well to collectors who drool for the original. However, Superformance did a tremendous job making sure this iconic marque was recreated in the most authentic and exact way possible.
The continuation Ford GT40 vehicle is based on the original 1969 Le Mans car. Superformance paid close attention to detail, that 90% of the parts in the continuation GT40 are interchangeable with the original GT40. What was changed was the pedal box, H&R springs, and the addition of Wilwood disc brakes.
6 Aston Martin DB4 GT
Between 1959 and 1963, only 75 Aston Martin DB4 GTs were made. Out of these, the few survivors ended up making historic race cars that are astonishingly effective and expensive. An original DB4 GT will take you back £3 million.
That’s why building 25 continuation models of the original DB4 GT sounded fantastic to Aston Martin. Moreover, they were to sell them for half the price, which is still nowhere near cheap. These cars were handmade in Newport Pagnell, the old works. It is track-only, just like the revered D-type, and each of the 25 will use VINs from 1963.
5 Jaguar XKSS
This continuation Jaguar and the aforementioned Aston Martin DB4 GT were so good, that they featured in the Grand Tour Season 2 Episode 8 as timeless classics. And for the XKSS, it wasn’t just because it was an amazing car. Its birth also had an amazing story.
The XKSS was essentially a decommissioned D-type. They were born after Jaguar quit racing in 1956, which forced them to convert the 16 unfinished D-types into road-going sports cars. These cars became a hit and pop culture icon, thanks to Steve McQueen. But then, a fire destroyed nine of them while in the works in 1957. These 9 are the ones Jaguar rebuilt as continuation models in 2017/2018.
4 Alvis Bertelli Sports Coupe
Alvis went to the ground in 1967. However, the company left behind enough parts and blueprints to inspire Red Triangle into relaunching the brand in 2010. The Alvis Bertelli Sports Coupe was thus reborn with the original design, dating back to the 1953 Paris Motor Show.
Red Triangle went all the way to rebuild the 4.3L Straight six that lay under the hood of this marque, giving it a good top speed of 110mph and under 10 seconds from a standing start to 60mph. The interior also received an authentic touch of ultra-luxe leather and walnut veneer.
3 Corvette Grand Sport
The Corvette is another spicy vehicle among collectors. Thus, anything continuation, despite not trumping over the original, should not veer too far from the exact. That’s why this continuation Corvette Grand Sport is one of the best in the market. Not only because of the authenticity but also the story behind it.
This Corvette Grand Sport is the marque GM fought politically against, but the godfather of Corvettes, Zora Arkus-Duntov, still built it in secret. Only 5 of the intended 125 were ever produced. Those originals are worth millions today. However, in 2005, Duntov Motor Company, under permission from GM, made continuation Corvette Grand Sports with 875hp on a 460cu-in V8 and 480hp for a road-going 427cu-in V8 crate engine.
2 Superformance Shelby Daytona Coupe
This is one of the sexiest race cars ever built. What’s even more special about this continuation model is that the original designer, Pete Brock, came back to polish the final design of this one. Even the chassis’ original designer, Bob Negstad, was around to make some modifications to the original suspension.
Thus, this continuation model is 2% larger than the original with a slightly improved chassis too. It’s a powerful marque too with a Roush-built 427 cu-in V8 that’s good for 500hp. Plus, it is eligible for the Shelby Registry which is accompanied by a personal note from Pete Block explaining the modifications added to the car.
1 Lister Knobbly
The Lister nameplate is foreign today. However, back in the ‘50s, the Lister Knobbly was raced by one of the most respectable racers on the planet including Archie Scott Brown and Sir Stirling Moss. With this continuation model, Brian Lister’s original manufacturing jigs and working drawings are combined with modern CAD design and CNC machining to create a model so close to the real ‘50s racer.
Matter of fact, the continuation Lister Knobbly is built to the exact 1958 FIA specifications while using a Jaguar-sourced 3.8L straight-six engine with triple carburetors for grunt.