Continuation or abomination?
The revelation that a limited edition ‘reproduction’ 1958 Vanwall VW5 F1 car is being created by Hall & Hall has been followed by a similar announcement concerning BRM’s fabled 1950’s Type 15. Jaguar had already pre-empted the dash to cash with its ‘continuation’ of the Le Mans-winning D-Type sports racer, preceded by XKSS and lightweight E-Type reproductions. There will undoubtedly be more such examples, as current technology means there is virtually no limit now to what can be viably reproduced, given people with deep enough pockets to buy them, of course.
Purists have no doubt thrown up racers. What effect will there be on the stratospheric values of their prized investments now that just rich – rather than super-rich – folk, whose offshore accounts can stand being dented by a couple of million, can obtain an ostensibly identical car?
