Lister Knobbly back on track

Lister

The Lister Knobbly - one of the most famous British racing cars of the 1950s - is now available to buy new, with prices starting from £249,000 for track-only versions and £259,000 for road car derivatives.

Lister Cars was founded by George Lister in 1954 and its Jaguar-based ‘Lister Knobbly’ race cars were among the most competitive cars in motor racing during the late 1950s.

In May 2013 three existing companies - George Lister Engineering of Cambridge, Brian Lister Light Engineering and Lister Storm – were amalgamated following investment by Warranty Wise to create Lister Motor Company Limited.

At a new production facility in Cambridge, the company will build new cars that it says will be identical to the 1950s models, using original working drawings and manufacturing jigs.

Many of the team from the 1950s have been "called back into service", it says, including Brian Lister, designer of the original car.

The new car will be eligible for entry into FIA/HTP Appendix K historic racing. Its Jaguar D-type-specification engines and D-type gearboxes will be supplied by Crosthwaite & Gardener, while race preparation will be by Chris Keith-Lucas of CKL Developments, a specialist in historic Jaguar restoration and preparation. The car’s bodywork will be created using the original Shapecraft body bucks.

Lawrence Whittaker, CEO of Warranty Wise, said: “The Lister ‘Knobbly’ was a powerful, giant-killing racing car in its heyday, and with all the expertise we have brought together for this project, I can promise that the new Lister will be a fabulously exciting and desirable car. This is a passionate undertaking for us and we also have some very exciting plans for the future.”

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By Leo Wilkinson, senior editor, MSN Cars