Lynx (make of car)

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Lynx
LYNX COMPANY LOGO.jpg

Owner / user Lynx Motors Engineering Limited

owner Lynx Motors Engineering Limited
Introductory year 1968
Products Automobiles
Markets worldwide
Website www.lynxmotors.uk
A Lynx D-Type , a replica of the Jaguar D-Type racing car . Between 1954 and 1957, 71 of the prototype were made.

Lynx is a British car brand. The manufacturer has been Lynx Motors Engineering , based in Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire , since 2019 . Many of the products are closely related to Jaguar .

Since the founding in 1968 is restoration , maintenance and race preparation of Jaguar - racing cars at the center. The company is best known as an automobile manufacturer with high-quality replicas of various Jaguar racing cars.

Under the brand name Lynx , technically modernized replicas of the Jaguar D-Type , mostly approved for public road traffic , have been produced in the style of a manufacturer since 1972 , and since the 1990s also the XK-SS , C-Type and E-Type Lightweight models .

Over the course of five decades, the ownership structure of the company changed several times, but Lynx always remained in the south of England.

Company history

The beginnings under Black and Ludgate from 1968

A Lynx XKSS , a replica of the Jaguar XK-SS . In 1957, 16 copies of the prototype were made from leftover parts of the D-Type .

The company was founded in 1968 by Guy Black and Roger Ludgate. In the first few years Lynx specialized in the repair, maintenance and tuning of sports and racing cars, especially Jaguar C-Type and D-Type models. In 1972 the company began to completely rebuild its first D-Type using frame and chassis components from the E-Type ; the vehicle, which was completed around 1974, made its debut at an English trade fair in 1975 as the Lynx D-Type . At the same time, Lynx was involved in the further development of the E-Type on behalf of Jaguar , both with engineering services and the construction of pre-series vehicles. In addition, there were conversions of Jaguar series vehicles on behalf of private customers. From 1980 made modifications based on the Jaguar XJ-S , the economic mainstay of the company, first as a Spyder -called full convertible , in 1983 as Eventer called Shooting Break . From 1982 optical tuning was added, from 1986 convertible conversions also from models from other manufacturers. From 1990 the company offered the Lynx XKSS as a high-quality replica of the Jaguar XK-SS street sports car .

In the early 1980s, the company went through some structural changes. In 1980 it operated under the name of Lynx Motor Co. , based in Northiam near Rye in East Sussex . In the following year, the legally independent Lynx Replica Sales Ltd. based in the upscale London borough of Kensington . In 1982 Lynx Sales Ltd. with new office and exhibition space - again in Kensington - organization and sales, while Lynx Engineering Ltd. took care of the production. For 1983 both companies were founded in St Leonards-on-Sea near Hastings in East Sussex as Lynx Motor Co. Ltd. merged; the company was to stay there for the next 27 years. In 1988 the company finally operated as Lynx Cars Limited and moved into new premises on the same street.

From 1981 up to and including 1985 Lynx vehicles were also available on the German market; a free importer in Merzalben sold them together with vehicles of the British brands MG and Triumph as well as for a time TVR , Kougar and the Argentine Crespi .

The continuation under Mayston-Taylor from 1992

A newly built Jaguar E-Type Lightweight with hatchback, like the one Peter Lindner drove in 1964. In 1994 , Lynx added reproductions of this model to its regular range.

In March 1992 the company was taken over by John Mayston-Taylor. The automobile enthusiast, who collects and restores high-quality classic automobiles himself, initially continued to run Lynx Cars Limited as part of another company, the successful family-owned timber trade CHDavis & Co. Limited, which has been in existence since 1949 . From 1995 he used the company name Lynx Motors International Limited for the automotive division . The full legal independence under this name did not take place until the end of March 2000, when the division was spun off from the long-established trading company.

Under the leadership of Mayston-Taylor, the company concentrated more on the previous pillars with a Jaguar connection. For example, Lynx produced additional new cars as individual pieces in a classic style to order; next to the Lynx D-Type and the XKSS moved from 1994 high-quality reproductions of the E-Type Lightweight into the product range, either as a hatchback - Coupé as of 1964 was killed German Jaguar - racing driver Peter Lindner began, or as a roadster with hardtop . Furthermore, full replicas of the Jaguar C-Type were mentioned for the first time in the 1995 model year . Other companies focus remained the Eventer -Umbau and the restoration of high-quality cars, especially older Jaguar . In addition, spare parts were produced and individual vehicles were technically and visually individualized on behalf of customers. In 2009, Lynx production ended under Mayston-Taylor. There are indications that the production of completely new cars has been suspended since the end of 2005; The reasons were the high costs for the detailed replicas and the resulting temporary lack of demand.

The continuation under Forsyth from 2009

As of April 2009, Lynx Motors International Limited existed under the lead of Nigel John Forsyth; he had acquired the trademark and name rights to Lynx Motors as well as the manufacturing equipment and materials. The detailed replicas of the older Jaguar models were again available as new cars, and restorations of original vehicles and the reproduction of spare parts were initially continued. At the same time, Forsyth headed Proteus Sports & Racing Cars Limited, which still offers replicas of other racing and sports cars. When the demand for the Lynx replicas declined again in the early 2010s, Lynx brought new car production to a standstill again and around 2013 sold parts of its inventory, partly to Jaguar , partly to collectors and car enthusiasts.

The continuation in British-Czech-German cooperation from 2014

Lynx C-Type from 2015

Lynx Motors (International) Limited has existed since October 2014 . Forsyth brought the brand and name rights into the new company, which continues the production of the earlier models. The other directors are the Czech entrepreneur Josef Lopata and the German engineer Johannes Schilcher.

As of 2014, Lynx Motors will again be offering true-to-original replicas of the Jaguar C-Type , D-Type , XKSS and E-Type Lightweight as new vehicles. In addition, there are vehicle restorations, especially for original Jaguars , older Lynx , but also Porsche and Maserati .

The bodies of the new car models continue to be painstakingly handcrafted from light metal sheets in England and riveted in the same way as the originals. The approval for the European market, however, via the German TÜV . For the British market, distribution is carried out exclusively through the trading company Hofmann's of Henley , otherwise directly through the manufacturer. One of the first new vehicles after the 2014 restructuring was a Lynx XKSS ; the demonstration car was the subject of a driving report in the British specialist magazine Classic & Sports Car , May 2015 issue.

The continuation with Ludgate - back to the roots - from 2019

Lynx Motors Engineering Limited has existed since November 2019. Schilcher and Berger brought the brand and name rights into the new company, which continues the production of the earlier models and brings a new model onto the market, the Lynx Predator, a Porsche based on the 964 with an aluminum body and 425 hp the road is brought. Roger Ludgate, who founded the company in 1968, is again a shareholder in the company and, among other things, a great Porsche enthusiast, is delighted to be involved in the new project. The bodies of all Lynx models are perfectly handcrafted from sheet aluminum in Coventry, England. The company's headquarters are in Henley-on-Thames. The director of the company is Frank Berger, who lives in Great Britain and is a sales and marketing expert for manufacture vehicles and classic automobiles.

Lynx vehicles

Recreations (true to the original)

Since 1974 - with occasional interruptions - Lynx has been producing licensed recreations of various racing and sports cars from Jaguar . The exterior of the Lynx vehicles corresponds to the originals in every detail. The smallest rivet sits exactly in the same place as the original. Because of their authenticity, the Lynx models were and are very popular among Jaguar enthusiasts. A real Lynx costs roughly $ 400,000 to $ 680,000.

  • The Lynx D-Type is a replica of the Jaguar D-Type . The model was first introduced in 1974 at the Racing Car Show in London. More than 50 of these vehicles were built, five of which correspond to the Jaguar XK-SS derived from the D-type .
  • The Lynx C-Type is a replica of the Jaguar C-Type .
  • In addition, the E-Type Lightweight, which is currently on offer again, supplemented the delivery program, a replica of the Jaguar racing car of the same name .

The drive

Common to all models are the traditional six-cylinder in - line engines from Jaguar , which Lynx reworks depending on the intended use. There is a choice of versions with 3.4, 3.8 and 4.2 liter displacement and three Weber carburettors each . The engines of the C-Type will receive special, modeled after the historic original cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds , for the other models there is a choice between a conventional Druckumlauf- and especially for motorsport suitable dry sump lubrication . When it comes to power transmission, there is a choice between a traditional 4-speed and a modern 5-speed manual transmission as well as three final ratios of different lengths .

As of 2016, the 4.2-liter engine is usually used, as before, which in the series version has an output of 274 hp / 201 kW at 4500 revolutions per minute and a torque of 410 Nm at 4000 revolutions per minute.

Bodies and chassis

The bodies of all models are made of hand-finished aluminum light metal sheet. In the C-Type, it rests on a tubular space frame , which, like the wheel suspension , is reproduced according to the historical original. The other models have a central, self-supporting structure made of light metal sheets, which are provided with the side members and the front and rear subframes of a Jaguar E-Type . With the Lynx-D-Type and XKSS models , the wheelbase has been extended by 20 to 2,440 millimeters compared to the historical models. The front and rear wheel suspensions are also from the E-Type for these two models ; These Lynx replicas therefore have, in contrast to the historical model with a rigid rear axle , rear independent wheel suspension with better handling and greater comfort.

There are various options for the body of the D-Type . Like the originals, it is available as a short-nose and long-nose version with a front section of different lengths, with or without the distinctive rear fin behind the driver's seat and with a full-length windshield or a small racing window just for the driver.

Conversions of contemporary Jaguar models

From the mid-1970s onwards, Lynx was also involved in the manufacture of special bodies for contemporary Jaguar models.

Jaguar XJ-C Cabriolet

In 1977 Lynx converted a Jaguar XJ-C Coupé into a four-seater convertible at the customer's request . The vehicle was originally intended to remain a one-off; In view of customer reactions, however, Lynx was able to implement a small series. Later the company focused on the Jaguar XJS. Convertible conversions of the XJ-C were then carried out by the competitor Ladbroke Avon until the 1980s .

Lynx XJS Spyder

Shortly after the Jaguar XJS was launched , Lynx developed a full convertible version of this model, which was implemented in larger numbers under the name Lynx XJS Spyder. The introduction of the Jaguar XJ-SC safety convertible, which had a fixed roll bar and a fixed roof section over the front seats, did not affect production of the Lynx Spyder. It was only when Jaguar launched a full convertible version of the XJS in 1988 that Lynx reduced production of its own model. In the years that followed, only individual older coupés were subsequently converted into convertibles at the customer's request.

Lynx Eventer

Lynx Eventer
Rear view of the Lynx Eventer with the rear window of the Citroën Ami 8.

The Lynx Eventer was Lynx Motors' most successful standalone model. It was the conversion of the Jaguar XJS into a station wagon with a long cargo space and a large tailgate; the model was on the British market in the tradition of shooting brakes . Up to the B-pillar, the car corresponded to the standard XJS coupé. Behind it, Lynx added a separate, high-tapering roof structure. The long side windows between the B and C pillars were specially made for Lynx. The rear window, however, came from the Citroën Ami 8 . Lynx also changed the position and shape of the tank and installed two individual seats in the rear, the backrests of which can be folded down in parts. The rear seats have been moved back by 10 centimeters compared to the base vehicle, which results in greater rear legroom. The trunk is 1188 mm long with the rear seats upright and 1880 mm long with the rear seats folded down. The loading volume is 681 liters or 1103 liters. The renovation cost in 1994 was £ 19,500, three years later it was £ 29,500.

By the time the XJS was discontinued, Lynx had produced a total of 67 eventers. The company primarily relied on brand-new original vehicles; In addition, older used vehicles were also retrofitted at the customer's request. In individual cases, coupés that had been manufactured in the 1980s received a so-called upgrade at the same time as the conversion. That is, the bumpers and the wide, darkened taillights of the last XJS series were subsequently adapted. Even after 1997, individual XJS coupés were converted into Eventer models. The last renovation took place in 2002.

With the AJ3, the German Jaguar tuner Arden Automobilbau briefly offered a performance-enhanced replica of the Lynx Eventer known as a station car. After a copyright dispute, the offer was withdrawn, probably only 2 cars were produced.

Another company that copied the Lynx Eventer was the Ateliers Réunis in France. Five to ten other replicas come from her workshop, all of them left-hand drive.

The Düsseldorf Royal Motors offered the original Lynx Eventer under their own label as Royal Motors - Las Vegas . The left-hand drive vehicles have already been ordered from Lynx and are also particularly luxuriously equipped. Two or three cars were sold in Germany.

Lynx Eventer Meeting in St. Leonards on the Sea in October 2012

In 2012, for the 30th birthday of the series, a first eventer meeting took place at the old production facility in St. Leonards on the Sea. 16 vehicles from all over Europe took part.

Other vehicles manufactured, converted and restored by Lynx

Other automobiles were created under the brand name Lynx : The Lynx Turbo Aston Martin Virage was given a turbocharged engine with 730 hp / 537 kW. The Lynx Performer was a Jaguar XJ-S with turbocharging and 456 hp / 336 kW. The Lynx Twin Turbo Jaguar S-Type has a double-charged engine in an optically largely unchanged body from the mid-1960s. The Lynx Porsche 928 Convertible was a convertible conversion based on the Porsche 928 .

Lynx Motors and the XKSS "Green Rat" by Steve McQueen

In 1984, Steve McQueen's XK-SS was auctioned off to ex-neighbor Richard Freshman, who knew Steve from his early Hollywood Hills days, for $ 148,000. Freshman then hired Lynx Motors in England to do a perfect restoration of the car, insisting that any modifications by McQueen (Tony Nancy's black leather interior and Von Dutch's glove box) remain completely intact and that the Jaguar XKSS is safe and ready for road use . Freshman sold the car in 2000 to Margie and Robert E. Petersen (patrons of the Petersen Automotive Museum and founders of Motor Trend), just as Petersen wanted.

Numerous automobiles have been extensively restored at Lynx Motors over the decades . Because of their automotive historical importance and rarity or their economic value or the unusual extent of the restoration, many received a separate article in various specialist magazines, including an Aston Martin DB4 GT restored by Lynx , a Ford GT40 , a Jensen , the racing car transporter of the Ecurie Ecosse , which is well-known among experts , a Tojero -Jaguar, a Jaguar SS100 , a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso and a Ferrari 275 GTB / 4. The current offer also includes the restoration of vehicles from the Porsche , Maserati and Lamborghini brands .

literature

  • Steve Hole: AZ of Kit Cars. The definitive encyclopaedia of the UK's kit-car industry since 1949 . Haynes Publishing, Sparkford 2012, ISBN 978-1-84425-677-8 , pp. 153 (English).
  • Coming Through - Future Classics: The Lynx Eventer. In: Classic and Sports Cars, issue 10/1994, p. 226.

Web links

Commons : Lynx  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Brand number: 018157912 (accessed on June 14, 2020)
  2. ↑ Lynx Motors Engineering Limited at www.opencorporates.com (accessed June 14, 2020)
  3. ↑ Entry on the company Lynx Motors (International) Limited in the British Commercial Register , accessed on March 7, 2016 (English).
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i website of the company Lynx Motors (International) Limited , accessed on March 7, 2016 (English).
  5. ↑ a b c Bernd Ostmann (editor-in-chief): Auto motor und sport - Auto catalog 2011 . 54th annual edition 2010/2011. Motor Presse Stuttgart GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 273.
  6. ↑ a b Rudolf Heitz (managing editor): Auto catalog 1984 . 27th edition year 83/84, Vereinigte Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 88.
  7. ^ Klaus Freund (editor-in-chief): Auto Katalog 1980. 23rd edition, 1979/80. United Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 81.
  8. ^ Klaus Freund (editor-in-chief): Auto catalog 1981 . 24th edition year 80/81. United Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 85.
  9. ^ Klaus Freund (editor-in-chief): Auto catalog 1982 . 25 issue year 81/82. United Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 90.
  10. ↑ Rudolf Heitz (managing editor): Auto catalog 1983 . 26th edition year 82/83. United Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 89.
  11. ↑ Ferdinand Simoneit (editorial director): Auto catalog 1988 . 31st edition 1987/88. United Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 108.
  12. ^ Klaus Freund (editor-in-chief): Auto catalog 1981 . 24th edition year 80/81. United Motor-Verlage GmbH Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 262.
  13. ↑ Rudolf Heitz (managing editor): Auto catalog 1985 . 28th edition, 1984/85. United Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 279.
  14. ↑ Entry on Mayston-Taylor & Company Limited in the British Commercial Register , accessed on March 7, 2016 (English).
  15. ^ Helmut Luckner (editor): Auto catalog 1995 . 38th annual edition 1994/1995. United Motor-Verlage GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart, p. 268.
  16. ↑ Steve Hole: AZ of Kit Cars. The definitive encyclopaedia of the UK's kit-car industry since 1949 . Haynes Publishing, Sparkford 2012, ISBN 978-1-84425-677-8 , pp. 153 (English).
  17. ↑ Entry on the company Orthosie Limited , formerly Lynx Motors International Limited , in the British Commercial Register , accessed on March 7, 2016 (English).
  18. ↑ Entry on the company Proteus Sports and Racing Cars Limited in the British Commercial Register , accessed on March 7, 2016 (English).
  19. ↑ a b Entry on the company Lynx Motors (International) Limited in the British Commercial Register , accessed on March 7, 2017 (English).
  20. ^ XJS Eventer . In: Classic & Sports Car . July 2010, p. 266 (The report claims that the rear window comes from the " Citroën Ami 6 Super Deluxe". That might not be correct. There was no such vehicle. It should be correct that it was an Ami 8. The angle of inclination of its C-pillar corresponds approximately that of the Lynx Eventer, while the rear window of the Ami 6 was inclined inwards and had strongly rounded corners that cannot be seen on the Eventer.).
  21. ↑ a b XJS Eventer . In: Classic & Sports Car . October 1994, p. 226 .
  22. ↑ Factory information in the sales brochure 1996 Lynx Motors Jaguar Eventer
  23. ^ Price list of the work from April 1997.
  24. ↑ Description of the Lynx Eventer in the chapter "Jaguar XJS" at www.austin-rover.co.uk ( Memento of the original from October 4, 2003 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / austin-rover.co.uk

Remarks

  1. ↑ Already the name of the company shows a parallel to Jaguar: Here as there, a cat was used as the namesake. Lynx is the English (and Latin) word for lynx .