Traffic jam at the Nürburgring, 1971

Well, who’s going to beat you?” was Stirling Moss’s disarming retort when he was asked about the Lister Knobbly’s competitiveness after his decisive victory at Silverstone in the sports car support race before the 1958 British GP.

Designed by racing driver and engineer Brian Lister and built at his father’s engineering firm in Cambridge, the ‘Knobbly’ (so called because of its curvaceous bodywork) saw-off competition from the wealthy factory teams of Ferrari, Maserati and Jaguar, winning no fewer than 11 of the 14 races it entered during the first year of its production.

Powered by either a 3.8-litre Jaguar D-type engine or a Chevrolet V8 cradled in a lightweight, tubular chassis and wrapped in magnesium bodywork, the 180mph Knobbly was a true giant-killer that thrilled the crowds at circuits including Spa-Francorchamps, Le Mans, Sebring, Goodwood and, of course, Silverstone.

1958 Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobbly’ continuation rear — Original Knobblies were measured to create the body.

Chris Teagles

Around 50 original Knobblies were built between 1957 and 1959, after which Lister continued to develop other competition cars before selling the company in 1986.

In 2013, it was taken over by Lancashire car warranty tycoon Andrew Whittaker who helped return the Lister name to the limelight by building limited runs of brand new Knobblies, including road–going versions and a £1m Moss edition that paid tribute to that famous 1958 Silverstone victory.

But the car on offer at Besley Heritage is not such a recreation, instead being labelled a ‘continuation’ on account of the fact that it has been meticulously built onto what is believed to be an original Lister chassis accompanied by a stamped buff logbook dating back to 1961.

1958 Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobbly’ continuation steering wheel — All-synchromesh gearbox

Chris Teagles

Although that’s two years after Knobbly production officially ceased, the chassis is believed to have been retained by Lister as a spare before being bought from the works during the early 1960s and used as the basis for an otherwise unrelated ‘special’.

Once the chassis was correctly identified, however, it was built into the superb Knobbly continuation that it is today, complete with a full, period-correct Crosthwaite & Gardiner engine kit that includes a wide-angle cylinder head and an induction manifold enabling the use of Weber DCO3 carburettors. The bodywork, meanwhile, has been built by specialists Fred Fairman and Ian Headon to the exact measurements of Lister’s original design.

1958 Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobbly’ continuation badge — Caledonian touch

Chris Teagles

An all-synchromesh gearbox makes the street-legal racer more of a practical proposition for road use, with the car sitting on Lynx D-type Dunlop racing wheels and wearing a coat of paint in the famous blue of David Murray’s Ecurie Ecosse.

As well as completing the build to perfection, the livery (as Charlie Besley observes) offers a “fitting nod” to the team car that carried the Scottish trade plate 341 SG – driven in period by Masten Gregory and regularly seen these days at the Goodwood Revival and Le Mans Classic. And with a full FIA Historic Technical Passport, this beautifully crafted continuation could very well end-up on the grid beside it.

1958 Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobbly’ continuation

On sale with Besley Heritage, Northamptonshire. Asking: £249,995. besleyheritage.com

2007 Ferrari that’s right on the Button

It isn’t every day that a Formula 1 world champion’s car comes onto the market – especially one for less than six figures. This 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, was once owned by Jenson Button and is on sale for £79,950 at Specialized Vehicle Solutions in Worsley. “Right now, these are the best-value supercars on the planet,” says MD Paul Coombes.
Renault has opened its first UK RNLT concept store at London’s Battersea Power Station. Not so much a showroom – although you can check out the new 4 and 5 here – this is more an urban immersive experience. Think: branded clothing, skateboards, table football and scale models. Find it on Electric Boulevard.
Built in 2008 using a donor vehicle for use by Henry Mann, son of the legendary team owner Alan, this 1980 MK3 Ford Capri 3.0S, in classic Alan Mann Racing red and gold livery, has been a frontrunner at past Goodwood Members’ Meetings, driven by track aces Steve Soper and Emanuele Pirro. It’s now on sale at Cardiff’s Hemmels Vault for £89,990.
SLM Group has opened a new Alpine showroom in Weybridge, just in time for the launch of the new all-electric A390 compact crossover SUV. “We’re eager to show you what makes Alpine so special,” says SLM Group director Jason Barlow.
Congratulations to Abdullah Hussain, a young technician at LSH Auto’s Mercedes-Benz franchise in Birmingham, who is Mercedes-Benz’s Apprentice of the Year. “This is only the beginning for me,” said Hussain, who joined the make in ’22. LG

Traffic jam at the Nürburgring, 1971

Patek Philippe

If you’re serious about recording lap times, you’ll want to use a split-seconds stopwatch that can record multiple vehicles in succession. And if you’re serious about watches, you’ll want to own this latest version of Patek Philippe’s Reference 5370R split-seconds chronograph, right, that gets a rose gold case and a fired enamel dial in brown with a beige tachymeter scale and sub-dials. Even those with the most basic interest in micro mechanics will appreciate the impeccable finish.

Patek Philippe Reference 5370R, £247,250. patek.com

Bremont

Since Flight Lieutenant JO Lancaster escaped from an out-of-control Armstrong Whitworth AW52 flying wing in May 1949, the aircraft ejection seats made by British company Martin-Baker have saved 7800 lives. In 2009, the founders of Bremont, Nick and Giles English, struck a deal with Martin-Baker to create a watch, the MB, that was built to the same exacting standards with prototypes subjected to live ejections. It has now had a makeover; the Altitude MB Meteor, right, gets a slimmer case, while the model’s knurled centre barrel is treated with Cerakote instead of being anodised.

Bremont Altitude MB Meteor, from £4600. bremont.com

Swan & Edgar

Few will remember the Swan & Edgar department store which stood on Piccadilly Circus for more than 200 years before closing in 1982. Now the name is back as a watch brand, the latest model being the Horizon with dials in Blue Enamel, below, or Mineral Misou (white) with an 18-carat gold triangle at 12 o’clock. The triangle mimics the symbols on WWII RAF sector clocks, and the date wheel cycles through the colours used on the clocks to help plot enemy aircraft. Powered (ironically) by a Japanese Miyota movement, the Horizon is limited to 300 examples.

Swan & Edgar Horizon, £795. swanandedgar.com

Cartier

One of the most talked-about watches of 2025 has been the retro Tank à Guichets, below, from Cartier based on a 1928 timepiece. These featured revolving discs concealed behind a solid front with two small apertures to show the hour and minutes. Cartier has replicated the original in a series available in yellow gold, rose gold or platinum, while a limited-edition platinum version gets a tweak with an off-centre minutes window and hour display.

Cartier Tank à Guichets, from £43,000. cartier.com

A Lange & Söhne

German watchmaker A Lange and Söhne is well established in the classic car world through its sponsorship of major concours events such as Italy’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace and, most recently, the Audrain Concours and Car Week which took place in early October at Newport, Rhode Island. Lange (as the brand is colloquially known) chose the latter to unveil two delectable new versions of the Saxonia Thin three-hand dress watch, one in its special honey gold alloy, below left, and the other in platinum. The 40mm watches both have dials made from gloss black onyx and measure just 6.2mm thick.

A Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin, £40,000. alange-soehne.com

Omologato

UK-based driving watch specialist Omologato marks 10 years of production in 2025, a decade during which it has become the official timing partner for IndyCar’s Chip Ganassi Racing, the Silverstone Festival and for multiple championships including US F4 and the BRDC’s GB3. To mark its decade, founder Shami Kalra has indulged himself by creating a watch inspired by his favourite era – the 1970s. The Arnage 10th (named after the infamous Le Mans right-hander ), above left, features an unusually shaped brushed steel case housing an ice blue dial and a Miyota automatic movement. There is also a black-dial Night Edition and a Rouge in sunray red.

Omologato Arnage 10th, £795. omologatowatches.com

Christopher Ward

Any day now, rally raid motorcycle champ and double Dakar winner Sam Sunderland, below left, is set to take off on a madcap attempt to ride a Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Explorer all the way around the world – in less than 19 days, eight hours and 25 minutes. That’s the time set by current motorcycle record holders Kevin and Julia Sanders 23 years ago – and, to make sure every second counts, British watch brand Christopher Ward has been brought on board as official timing partner. Needless to say Sunderland will make the odyssey with one of the brand’s watches strapped to his wrist – a C63 Colchester, below, as approved by the Parachute Regiment.

Christopher Ward C63 Colchester, £1090. christopherward.com

Breitling

Friendly rivalry is not always to the fore in motor sport, but it certainly described the relationship between Italian racing cyclists Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. During the ’40s and ’50s the pair each won the gruelling Giro d’Italia and Tour de France on multiple occasions having vied with one another all the way – but remained pals. Now Breitling celebrates these heroes in a pair of 750-piece limited editions, above. The Coppi watch has a turquoise and white dial with orange highlights, based on his Bianchi livery, while the Bartali is dark blue with white accents and yellow hands, just like the rider’s jersey. Each carries a facsimile signature and both are chronometer certified.

Breitling Top Time B01 Fausto Coppi & B01 Gino Bartali, from £5950. breitling.com

FEARs

Not until 2014 did Nicholas Bowman-Scargill, then an apprentice watchmaker at Rolex, discover that he was descended from Edwin Fear whose eponymous watch company lasted from 1846 until the 1970s when it was seen off by the arrival of cheap quartz movements. In 2016 Bowman-Scargill set out to revive the family business using £30,000 raised by selling some prized possessions and now Bristol-based Fears is thriving. The brand has just launched its first tool watch, the Redcliff 39.5 ES, below left, which has a hardened steel case, a black textured dial and a high-quality automatic movement by La Joux-Perret.

Fears Redcliff 39.5 ES, £3350. fearswatches.com

Herbelin

The Newport is Herbelin’s most famous watch family having been created as a yachting timepiece in 1988. But the French brand’s latest effort, its Automatic Diver, above left, is more about being beneath the waves than travelling on them, because it’s a dive watch that’s water resistant down to a lung-crushing 300m. The cushion case and grained back dial with its aqua blue flange give the watch a ’70s vibe that’s enhanced by a vintage-look ‘marine rope’ strap in technical fibre which can be swapped for a rubber dive band or a mesh Milanese bracelet.

Herbelin Newport Automatic Diver, £1150. herbelin.com

Parting Shot: December 2025 May 30, 1971 Nürburgring, West Germany

1951 Jaguar XK120

1912 Mercer type 35-c Raceabout

2003 BMW M3

2020 BAC Mono

2006 Maserati Gransport MC Victory

1978 Honda CB750 cafÉ racer

1992 Peugeot 205 GTi

1950 Land Rover Series 1

Forthcoming sale highlights

1985 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-16

1958 Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobbly’ continuation

2007 Ferrari that’s right on the Button

Canossa driving holidays