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MOTORING Built just near
MOTORS
WHAT’S IN A NAME
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If there’s a car with a better name, we’ve yet to hear it. “What do you drive?” she asked, with a coy smile. “A Lister Knobbly!” I replied, with a confident shrug. Daft name maybe, but this beast is absolutely magnificent, and it’s made not too far from Stamford, either!
Words: Rob Davis.
REMEMBER THAT OLD JONNY CASH SONG, A Boy Named Sue? The protagonist’s absent father so named his eponymous lad, so that in loco parentis his deliberately provocative name would give him the strength of character to toughen up to the world. If motoring has an equivalent of Sue, it’s the Lister Knobbly. Odd name, but my goodness, it’s a right lovely car; bursting with style thanks to its hand-built body and with a crackling soundtrack courtesy of a 3.8 litre six-cylinder Jaguar-designed engine. Best of all, this isn’t some classic car with a few miles on the clock. Nor has it been rebuilt from a donor car. It’s not a third party replica, or a copy. It’s a new car created by its existing owner using the very same jigs from which Listers’ 1950s vehicles were made, just over the border at the firm’s factory in Cambridgeshire. But unlike previous vehicles – which have been built only for the racecourse – the Knobbly is now available for the first time as a road-legal car too, with the company ensuring eligibility for Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA), following customer demand. Knobbly it may be, but the Lister is also lean and light. Weighing about 900kg, it’s about 200kg lighter than a Ford Fiesta. It also packs over 330bhp under the bonnet despite its lack of weight, ensuring that its power-toweight ratio is better than a Porsche 911 GT3. With less bulk to move and a 3.8 engine to propel it, little wonder it feels fast! >>
The Lister Three: Local firm also fettles a trio of Jaguars...
Lister Stealth, £109,950: It’s official... the Lister Stealth is the fastest and most powerful British SUV! Fettled by Lister, it’s based on the already dynamic Jaguar F-Pace, but with a 22% increase in torque and upgraded dual superchargers. Other improvements include carbon fibre exterior trim and uprated brakes. It beats the Lamborghini Urus, Aston Martin Vantage and Mclaren 570GT in a drag race, and will enable five to travel in comfort as you exploit some of its 666bhp and 88nm torque. 60mph is reached in 3.6 seconds! n
Lister SUV-E, £125,000 (est): Lister’s electric SUV concept hasn’t been released... yet. However, the firm has tested the water with sample specs and interest is very strong indeed. Jaguar hasn’t (yet) created a sports version of the I-Pace either, but it can’t be far off, and would probably be badged SVR. In the meantime, this version of Jaguar’s first solely electric car has been upgraded with a liberal smothering of carbon fibre, titanium wheels, a more aggressive body kit and 100kg of weight-saving measures. Buyers will be able to specify ‘any paint colour they want,’ plus one of 60 colours of leather. 60mph? Just four seconds. n
Lister LFT-666 (AKA: Thunder), £139,950: 666bhp has provided this Lister version of Jaguar’s F-Type coupé or convertible with its moniker, though we prefer its prototype name; Thunder. The firm have taken a supercharged V8 Jaguar F-Type and created a lighter, more aerodynamic vehicle. Suspension, superchargers, engine management systems and intercoolers – plus a number of other parts – have been tuned, and the result is all that horsepower, plus 770nm torque, 60mph is reached in 3.2 seconds, track-day speed is 208mph. n >> Engines are built using entirely new parts around an original-specification Jaguar block, assembled by experts from Crosthwaite & Gardiner. Despite the ‘old school’ technology, the engine is still capable of an impressive 330bhp – enough to power the Knobbly to 181mph and accelerate from 0-60mph in just 4.3 seconds. The tubular chassis is made from seamless engineering tubes using the original jigs, and all welds are pressure tested to ensure integrity. The aluminium body panels alone take around 500 hours to beat into the Knobbly’s distinctive shape. The Lister Knobbly is shown here in its Stirling Moss edition, of which just 10 were made, incorporating a special lightweight specification.
And speaking of specification... there’s little to speak about. Standard equipment extends to a rear view mirror and a steering wheel... though we’d opt for a rather smart looking retro polished wood steering wheel. ABS? Air conditioning? Electric windows, massaging seats and fragrance dispenser? You’ll perhaps want to look elsewhere. What you will enjoy though, in lieu of radars and sensors, is heard-turning looks, retro style and absolute uniqueness. If you’re a little squeamish about the idea of embarking on a fully unique Lister model, though, or you’re unconvinced of the merits of a roofless two-seater sports car for a weekly supermarket schlep, you’ll be happy to know Lister also engineers vehicles from Jaguar. However, there’s nothing like the Knobbly on the road, and whilst £300,000 is a frightful amount to invest in a ‘something for the weekend’ car, one has to ask... what else would you rather be seen in this summer?
LISTER KNOBBLY
Price: £295,000. Engine: 3.8 litre six-cylinder with 330bhp and four-speed gearbox, rear wheel drive. Performance: 0-62 mph: 4.3 seconds. Top Speed: 181mph. Equipment: Padded leather dashboard, rear view mirrors, indicators with repeater flashes and push-button switches. n
TAKING THE TROPHY
Just last month we featured Land Rover’s new V8-powered Defender with all those electronic driver aids, its heated steering wheel and its 525hp. But for those who like their Land Rovers a little more traditional, this’ll take the Trophy!
LAST MONTH IN PRIDE we featured quite a controversial Land Rover Defender. Brand new, with lots of technology, a V8 engine... and a six-figure price tag. It’s a Land Rover with an existential crisis: can something so modern and comfortable also be worthy of a name which reflects utilitarianism and ruggedness? We reckon that the new Defender is every bit as worthy as its forebears in terms of its capability, and it’s certainly more civilised. But it’s also crying out for a cheaper model to satisfy a more professional user base –farmers, the military and utility companies – for whom the new model is a bit too posh. There are also those who just prefer the style of the old model, and for them, this might be the answer... albeit with a caveat.
This car is produced by Land Rover, so it’s officially an authentic Defender. It’s also a special edition based on the rugged Camel Trophy Expedition tour, which took place between 1980 and 2000, so you know it’s tough and ready for a challenge. Unfortunately, this is still not the holy grail of Land Rovers; a cheap Defender you can chuck a hay bale into. Available in threedoor 90 or five-door 110 versions, prices start at an eye-watering £195,000. It’s also quite pricy to run too, with the same 5.0V8 Land Rover engine in the new Defender flagship, generating 405ps and 515nm torque. To handle all that grunt, the car also has an upgraded ZF-sourced eight speed automatic transmission. Instead of one of those Terrain Response dials, you’ll find a stubby little lever to shift from high-range to low-range gears and to lock diffs before you lock horns.
Additional all-terrain kit includes a front winch, multi-point expedition cage, roof rack, underbody protection, A-bar, raised air intake, LED spotlights and specialist mud-terrain tyres. Exterior style has been enhanced with a unique Eastnor Yellow paint colour with matching 16-inch steel wheels and a heritage grill. Inside you won’t find the new Defender’s Pivi-Pro infotainment system, nor its 360° camera, and sorry but the steering wheel isn’t heated, you pampered things.
However, you do get electric windows, air conditioning and full black Windsor leather upholstery with Recaro sports seats, contrast yellow stitching and a bespoke Land Rover Trophy clock face by Elliot Brown. Land Rover Classic’s own Infotainment System –with integrated navigation – also features, complete with mobile device connectivity.
What price authenticity? Apparently, just shy of £200,000. If you really want to own the last of the great Defenders though, this is the one to have, and in fairness, that huge price tag can be (slightly) justified by the fact that it’ll inevitably appreciate in value, especially as just 25 examples will be made.
Would we rather have the new Defender? Probably, and with a plug-in hybrid engine, not a V8... but are we tempted by a good old Trophy edition Defender? Oh gosh, yes! n
LAND ROVER DEFENDER WORKS V8 TROPHY
Price: £195,000 (limited 25 run). Engine: 5.0 V8 405hp, 515nm torque, petrol engine with eight speed automatic gearbox and low range gears. Equipment: 16” wheels, navigation, Recaro leather seats, air con. n
EV6 is Sheer Kia
PRETTY, GREAT VALUE AND WELL-EQUIPPED. KIA’S NEW EV6 ISN’T MESSING ABOUT!
KIA As success stories go, Kia is a good example. In a few short years it has gone from being a ‘small car’ brand to producing great value cars but also some well-engineered and very desirable larger cars too. And the company isn’t going to be left out of the trend towards electrification, either. Pictured here is its new EV6, a flagship electric SUV, due for release in May, a time when a year the firm has also just reported record sales for the first quarter of 2021. The EV6 will be priced from £41,000 to £59,000 and is available with two or four wheel drive. The car offers upwards of 316 miles of range and it’s dripping with standard equipment, with a modern, interior. This is a seriously pretty, luxurious and modern car, and it’s great value too! n ATAE Farmers, utility companies and those who work and play in the countryside have yearned for a home grown back-tobasics 4x4 since the demise of the Defender. Now, Scottish company ATAE (All Terrain All Electric) think they might have the answer. The Munro Mk1 might not be a looker but it has a simple ladder chassis, permanent all wheel drive, locking diffs, low range gears and chunky tyres. It’s all electric, with a range of 150 miles, and will go on sale this summer, we hope, for £25,000-ish. n
Finally, a good replacement for Land Rover’s Defender?
The Power of Elegance?
NEW DS9 FLAGSHIP FOR CITROËN’S SISTER BRAND LOOKS GOOD BUT THERE’S A SERIOUS DANGER OF DEPRECIATION CITROËN Remember the Citroën DS? It was a fabulous car, but one whose success the company has never quite managed to replicate since. The GS, XM and C5 never quite captured the magic of the 1950s déesse - literally goddess. Undeterred though, this is the latest attempt at a big French car, with plug-in hybrid power and a luxury interior. Prices range from £41,000 to £50,000, and the DS9 boasts all of the bells and whistles, from Drive Assist to automatic parking.
However, history tells us that large French cars depreciate horribly, lets hope that this won’t prove to be the DS9’s Waterloo! n
MOTORING NEWS
In Brief
VOLKSWAGEN
WHITE VAN MAN IS NOW ‘FLAT WHITE MAN’ SAYS VOLKSWAGEN COMMERCIALS
White van man’s traditional beverage has been tea with milk and four sugars... but now, white van man is more likely to be ‘flat white (with oat milk) man...’ according to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, who surveyed 1,000 van drivers across the UK. The results reveal that tradesmen and women across the UK now favour posh coffee over a basic brew while ‘on the tools,’ says Claire English, Head of Fleet at Volkswagen’s Commercial Vehicles division. Van drivers aren’t just becoming more discerning with their choice of tea or coffee, either, with almost one in five opting for an alternative milk, such as oat, almond, soy or coconut. Semi-skimmed was also found to be preferable these days to full-fat milk!
Van Drivers’ Top Hot Drinks
1. Cappuccino: 18% 2. Latte: 16% 3. Breakfast tea: 13% 4. Hot chocolate: 12% 5. Americano: 11% 6. Flat white: 10% 7. Espresso: 9% 8. Mocha: 5% 9. Green/white tea: 2% n
PICTURE THIS
The Lagoons of Rutland Water
THERE ARE EIGHT LAGOONS AT RUTLAND WATER, EACH CURATED TO APPEAL TO A SPECIFIC SPECIES OF WATER BIRD
EGLETON Alas, this year the birdwatching communities of Rutland & Stamford won’t be able to enjoy Birdfair (AKA ‘The Birdwatchers’ Glastonbury’), as organisers have announced that it’s cancelled due to Covid. Fortunately, an announcement of the dates for 2022’s event is due as Pride goes to press. You can still enjoy the pursuit of self-guided birdwatching though, as Egleton and Lyndon nature reserves are adjacent to nine miles of lagoons on the western end of Rutland Water. The sites span 1,000 acres and it is occupied by around 25,000 birds. 30 hides allow you to set up your scope or camera and enjoy not only Rutland’s ospreys – thanks to a conservation project which began in 1996 – but a wealth of other birdlife too. The reserves are a Site of Special Scientific Interest, designated as a European Special Protection Area, and are managed by Anglian Water in partnership with the LRWT. n
Image: www.discover-rutland.co.uk.
