Britain has had a long legacy of luxury car makers operating from within its shores, and the latest to grace this exclusive list is new venture David Brown Automotive.
This new venture is planning on making a big splash with its first car, which is based on the Jaguar XKR. David Brown Automotive have codenamed the car ‘Project Judi’ and not only is it built on the chassis of the XKR, but also uses the same 5.0-litre supercharged V8. This means the car is capable of doing 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds and has a top speed limited to 248 km/h.
If you’re wondering why the XKR forms the car’s spine, David Brown, the owner of the firm, addressed the topic – he said, “As reliability is vital, we chose to adopt a thoroughly proven and acclaimed chassis that not only delivers dynamic performance but also lends itself to our lightweight aluminium design. Renown for its performance and handling, the XKR has been extensively developed and refined by one of the world’s greatest car manufacturers, making it an obvious choice on which to base our car.”
The similarities with the marquee Jaguar end here though, as the car’s look has been developed completely indigenously by David Brown Automotive, on the outside and on the inside. Brown also explained the direction Project Judi would take in terms of design philosophy; “I wanted all the impact and style of a classic sports car, but with modern capabilities and conveniences. This is what I want in a car, but it’s not something anyone really offers. So, I’ve created it myself.”
“It has been developed using a combination of both traditional and contemporary technology, including the latest in automotive expertise. It has undergone a thorough analysis and development programme, including highly advanced windtunnel and dynamic simulations.”
Project Judi will be unveiled at The Top Marques Show in Monaco on the 17th of April later this year, with car being manufactured in limited numbers by Envisage group.
Story: Harket Suchde
