U.K. Supercar Maker Says Thunder Demand Booming

LONDON – While U.K. car sales start to slow, white-hot demand for supercars remains strong with buyers queuing up to grab the new Lister.

Less than 24 hours after announcing its new 666-hp Thunder model, Lister says it secured £3.1 million ($4.4 million) of orders. Production will be limited to 99 cars.

The manufacturer will unveil the Thunder, the most powerful and luxurious model in its 65-year history at the Historic Motorsport International event running Feb. 15-18 here.

Lister says 22 customers placed orders for the Thunder, priced from £139,950 ($199,121), on the first day of announcing the new model to be built at its Cambridge factory some 60 miles (97 km) north of the capital.

Lister draws on its long relationship with Jaguar cars in producing the Thunder, which is a modified Jaguar F-Type featuring a 5.0L supercharged V-8 gasoline engine boasting 720 lb.-ft. (976 Nm) of torque with enhanced performance exhaust and suspension. Curb weight is a claimed 3,630 lbs. (1,650 kg), and performance is claimed to deliver the 0-60 mph sprint in 3.2 seconds on the way to a top speed of 208 mph (335 km/h).

“I am delighted, overwhelmed and gratified by the huge level of interest and excitement the Thunder has already generated,” says Lister Motor CEO Lawrence Whittaker. “Securing over £3 million worth of orders within the first 24 hours is a company record, and I am now even more thrilled to be revealing the Thunder to the world.”