LISTER-JAGUAR ‘KNOBBLY’

WHAT AN ECCENTRIC name for a great racing car. But the ‘Knobbly’ wasn’t just eccentric: it was successful. Racing driver and company manager Brian Lister founded Lister Cars in 1954 from his Cambridge works. Inspired by Cooper, he used a tubular ladder chassis, de Dion rear axle and inboard drum brakes. Listers were initially powered by tuned MG engines, then Bristol units, with which driver Archie Scott Brown achieved success at the sports car support race at the 1954 British Grand Prix, winning the 2.0-litre class and finishing fifth overall behind works Aston Martins.

Having won the Le Mans 24 Hours more than any other manufacturer during the ’50s, Jaguar Cars was approached by Lister after the fire at its Browns Lane works in 1957 put its racing programme on the back foot. Using a new-fangled wind tunnel, Lister set about designing a car around a 3.4-litre Jaguar D-type engine and drivetrain, with an aerodynamic and lightweight alloy body. Archie Scott Brown went on to win 12 of 14 races in its maiden season, including the British Empire Trophy. It was further refined for the ’58 International season, but Scott Brown was killed racing one at Spa-Francorchamps. Stirling Moss then went on to victory at Silverstone in a magnesium Knobbly in 1958, and the Cunningham Team dominated the SCCA National Championships in the US with Listers in the ’57 and ’58 seasons.

Today, continuations are made in Cambridge by Lawrence and Andrew Whittaker of the revived Lister Motor Company.