Kitcars are fun. Replicas are sometimes terrible. Reproductions are impressive. But recreations?
These are hand-built (almost) 100% recreations of classic cars from what is usually the top segment. They offer the charm and character of the originals in combination with the reliability of 'a new' or a 'real'. The Porsche Speedsters and Spyders Ford GT40s that are now doing their thing at rallies and on circuits? In 99% of the cases, these are recreations or minimal replicas. Recreations are expensive. And demand is increasing.
Completely original. Or kind of?
The approach of making recreations is of course simply a business model. The Originals are divided. People still want one. Or find it too risky to rally with a real Porsche Speedster. But they do want to race with a Porsche Speedster. Okay, it's rich people's problems. But it will only be your problem.
Relaxed enthusiasts can be completely happy with a polyester Bugatti or Ford GT40 on a VW chassis. But the people who go for perfection and have very deep pockets? They go for recreations. Because they are - almost - real and if all goes well they are completely - or almost completely - identical to the original.
A mix of old, new and craftsmanship
A matter of supply and demand where often a 'less noble' body, chassis and engine is built as a donor for the replica of a rarer copy. The year of manufacture and the chassis number count, which must be as 'real' as possible. That way, everything between Jaguar SS, Bugattis, Bentley 'Blue Trains', Porsche Speedsters and Spyders and Shelby Mustangs has been reborn. But there are also recreations made from scratch, from the original drawings. And craftsmanship deserves all respect.
During a recent visit to England, where of course a lot of magazines were bought again, it was striking how many recreations were offered. Recreations are good trade. But how 'real' is such a creation? How authentic? Funny is that they score 'worse' in many areas than the most admired replicas.
High prices
The idea was picked up a few years ago by Lawrence Whitaker and his father Andrew. They built a series of 10 Lister Knobbly's and sold them in no time at a tight 400.000 pound each. Jaguar Land Rover founded JLR Classic to make six Jaguar Special GT E-Type lightweights whose original chassis numbers were only used for administrative purposes. And the point of contention was: Is it a Whole Real, just a newly made car or a tribute of recreation? Or is it just cold marketing? The Jags cost more than a million each and were sold out within a few days. That tasted like more. So now there are nine all-new XKSSs that are administratively virgin. If you want to know the price, you have too little money.
With the blessing of
And of the dozens of Cobra replicas, only those from Superfomance from California had the blessing of Carroll Shelby himself. And that while they have fiberglass bodies. The Cobras that also make the American Kirkham Motorsports are made of aluminum. And DeLoreans will be made again.
In the context of all those recreations, there are two things that play a role: first, the original manufacturer can take legal action with regard to the rights to the construction / brand / appearance. Secondly, recreations now have the proven ability to be sold as real in the long term. That will happen less quickly with a Blue Train Replica than with an SS100, but still.
The ex-Argentinians of Pur Sang (thoroughbred) who make very beautiful Bugatti 35 recreations with the idea that the originals are no longer raced and that the circuits missed the Bugattis apparently have been called to order. The Dutchman who also made one received worldwide compliments. But he hadn't made his car, a perfect tribute, for the trade.
All in all: what do you think of all those expensive cars that actually appear to be different from what they are?
The real classic Buggatis, E-types, etc. are now so expensive that most of them stand idle in a museum or gallery 365 days a year, doing nothing at the most, because the floor on which they stand has to be waxed again. . In that light, I don't think the rise of recreations and other good-looking fakes is not surprising. Think of it as a tribute to times gone by, with which, unlike the originals, you can at least still be driven around. As long as you don't screw a Bugatti or Jaguar brand plate on it (not because of “name forgery”, but just because it's pretty sad).
I have been in the air-cooled VW world for many years and regularly come across Replicas of the 356s and F40s also called Bonitos. and that is precisely the difference, don't call a replica 356 a Porsche! That smacks of name forgery.