Jaguar C-Type replica, 1952, XKC 023

Jaguar C-Type – an icon of sports cars from the early 1950s.

The C-Type, developed for motorsport use based on the XK120, was entirely new, except for the optimized engine. Jaguar achieved two overall victories at Le Mans with the C-Type. Between 1952 and 1955, racing teams with the C-Type secured numerous class wins in national and international races. In Coventry, 53 units of the C-Type were produced, including four lightweight chassis.

CMC has meticulously studied the C-Type driven by Jenny (XKC 023). The result is a miniature by CMC, emphasizing the impressive charisma and sporting dynamism of the original.

In their boldest dreams, every collector hopes to find a car in a barn, rusty and dusty, but so significant that it would astonish the professional world. This was the case with Dr. Christian J. Jenny and his C-Type XKC 023. The chassis XKC 023 was first delivered to Charles Hornburg, a Jaguar importer from the West Coast of the United States, at the end of 1952, and was directly handed over to Joe Henderson, a Jaguar dealer in Seattle.

In August 1953, the car participated in its first race — the 100-mile Seattle Seafair race, led by Bill Pollack and Jack Douglas. The latter was a comedy writer and TV producer, well known for his close relationships with Hollywood celebrities, including Mitzi Gaynor, a leading star of “South Pacific”. Jack Douglas became the first owner of the stylish, fast XKC 023 and seized every opportunity to show off his vehicle and girl. Racing was also in his blood, so the C-Type was often successfully used in local races. After an accident that caused significant body damage to XKC 023, the amateur racing driver’s interest in his C-Type waned. The vehicle remained on the West Coast of the United States.

In 1962, it was acquired by Frank Schierenbeck, owner of a European sports car repair workshop. The C-Type remained with him until 1997, but knowledge of its whereabouts faded from memory by the mid-1960s. Search efforts for the missing chassis XKC 023 began in 1986, and the car was found in 1997, though in a disassembled state. In November 2000, XKC 023 was reassembled. Barely fully restored, it participated in Mille Miglia Storica 2001 with Jenny/Werdenberg at the wheel. Two years later, Dr. Jenny took XKC 023 to a celebration honoring the victory of the C-Type at Le Mans in 1951. In May 2006, the vehicle received the coveted FIA Heritage Certificate.

About Classic Model Cars (CMC)

Fantastic products combined with the highest quality finish make us synonymous with the German brand Classic Model Cars. This is a true tribute to handcrafted products that impress with their unique elegance and luxury.

CMC is one of the leading companies manufacturing miniature vintage cars. The company creates classic and collector’s models using authentic materials and fabrics.

Since 1995, CMC has operated its own manufacturing facility with highly skilled engineers and workers in China. After months of research, they produce a variety of classic car models, assembled by hand from over 1800 individual parts. The manufactory uses high-quality materials to fully preserve the “faithfulness to the original” of each vehicle model.

The company focuses on all major and popular collector scales: 1:12, 1:18, 1:24, 1:43. The first model produced by the company was in 1:24 scale — the iconic Mercedes-Benz SSK from 1930. Built in 1995, it received numerous prestigious awards.

Every single element is carefully assembled by hand. Instruments on the dashboard are mounted separately. The seats are covered with fabric or leather. The flooring is laid inside and in the trunk. The replicas replicate the smallest details in accordance with the original plans of the vehicle.