2001 Spectre Supersport Ltd R45 for sale at The Hairpin Company

2001 Spectre Supersport Ltd R45

Seller's description

Spectre Cars was the brainchild of Ray Christopher, he had much experience and a proven track record of building mid-engined super cars. His company GT Developments were responsible for around 300 high quality Ford GT40 recreations, this together with previous design experience meant he knew as much about the GT40 model as anyone. His great ambition was always to design and build a modern day interpretation of the GT40 model for the 1990's, it would have similar proportions and retain a mid mounted V8 on a monocoque chassis but have a modern body design, ancillaries and feel.
Ray's experience together with funding from a group of racing drivers and businessmen led to the launching of the modern day GT40 as a production ready Spectre Model R42 (R for Ray and 42 to designate a height of 42") in late 1995 after a four year development period. By 1996 sports car racing legend Derek Bell was on board as the Chairman of Spectre and the R42 being promoted as a ‘racing car in dinner jacket’ was doing well, in all 23 cars sold at £75,000, when a Lotus Esprit was £15,000 cheaper.

Whilst the R42 was in production the ambitious Spectre were busy evolving and developing the successor, named the R45 – the new car was to be lighter, sleeker, more powerful and aerodynamic than its predecessor. In 1997 the R45 concept was launched by Desmond Llewellyn, better known as Q from James Bond, at The London Motor Show, as a design study to test public and press reaction. The strong positive response encouraged further development which continued over several years resulting in the construction of two prototypes. This car is the second prototype, named Prototype 1.6, that re engineered the original concept with a full carbon fibre body and development programme including ride and handling testing to optimise Spring rates, damper settings, bushes and anti roll bar selection. In fact, the car comes with a vast history minutely detailing the design and evaluation progress including a full log of every mile covered in the car. Indeed the history forms a virtual manual on how to evolve, develop and build a super car. This prototype was then finished to a high standard, painted in yellow, fully leather trimmed and road registered, it continued to be fine tuned and assessed for production and featured in promotional literature, magazine articles and at motor shows. Unfortunately by 2006 it became clear that the car could not be produced economically for the target price of £90,000 and so the project was shelved. This car was retained by the factory as a record of Spectre’s heritage, before finally being sold to a private enthusiast in 2009.

This rather special and extremely rare R45 has had just one further private owner and has covered a total mileage of just 14,000 miles. It remains in very good original order and comes with the vast history noted above. A rare chance to buy a special, fully developed and unique car.

Contact The Hairpin Company for more details.