Pre-orders for the Lister Thunder have topped £3 million – only 24 hours after the UK-built supercar was announced.
Lister Motor Company, based in Cambridge and which describes itself as Britain’s oldest surviving racing car company, unveiled the roadgoing Lister Thunder on 31st January. The car will make its public debut during the Historic Motorsport International show at London’s ExCeL between 15th-18th February.
Full specification of the car will not be revealed until its unveiling at the show but Lister says it will use a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 powerplant, with 675hp on tap. The Thunder will be capable of a 0-62mph time of just over three seconds, pass 100mph in 6.8 seconds and go on to a top speed of 208mph.
The chassis is based on that of the Jaguar F-Type, and Lister says plentiful use of carbon fibre will be made, notably the extended front splitter to improve downforce. The car will also be marketed on its luxury, with hand-stitched Bridge of Weir Nappa leather used extensively throughout the interior. The leather will be offered in a choice of 36 colours with contrast stitching.
Lister intends to build only 99 examples of the Thunder, at prices starting from £139,950. The company says that already orders have been placed for 22 cars.
The Thunder will be built at Lister’s Cambridge works alongside the ‘Continuation’ versions of Lister Jaguar cars built by the original company set up by Brian Lister in the 1950s. The Lister Motor Company was acquired by father and son team Andrew and Lawrence Whitaker in 2013, 60 years after the first Lister race car was built.
Glorious history
In the late 1950s Lister Jaguars enjoyed great success in international sports car racing driven by the likes of Stirling Moss. More recently, the Jaguar V12 powered Lister Storm, first launched 25 years ago in road car form, won the FIA World GT Championship in 2000.
According to CEO Lawrence Whittaker Lister aims to return to being synonymous with tuning Jaguar vehicles, in similar fashion to Brabus and AMG with Mercedes-Benz and Alpina with BMW.
“Although we are not directly affiliated with Jaguar Land Rover, Lister has a Jaguar tuning heritage dating back 65 years,” Whittaker adds. “Our new Lister Thunder is the fastest and most powerful Lister ever created – I am utterly proud of what we have achieved, and the Thunder is just the beginning.”
