Three of the Five Talos XXT Now Sold

Two months on from driving this insane-looking machine, I thought it was time to reflect on the experience and catch up with Talos to hear how development and sales of the mightily impressive Talos XXT have progressed.

If you’ve been considering one of these exceptionally well-engineered, modern resto-mods, you’ll need to move fast. Since we released our video featuring the XXT, three out of the five units have already sold. Naturally, that news sparked a few questions: What specs have buyers chosen? Where are these cars headed? And what kind of people are buying them?

While Talos can’t reveal full spec details until each car is complete, they did confirm that all builds are significantly different. One will feature full exposed carbon fibre — something that, as far as I’m aware, was never done on an original 599XX. Another buyer decided the big EVO-style rear wing wasn’t their thing, opting instead for smaller winglets on the buttresses, akin to the earlier ‘pre-EVO’ XX cars. I heard there was potentially someone opting for a manual gearbox, something else which can be added by Talos. We should be able to see the results of the first three cars very soon!

Happily, one XXT will be staying here in the UK. The other two are destined for the US and New Zealand. As for who’s buying them, well, it actually makes perfect sense. These customers are seasoned car collectors who are growing tired of the supercar horsepower arms race. Rather than chasing the next technological marvel, they want a more engaging, hands-on driving experience. Something a bit more raw like the great driver’s cars of the ’80s, ’90s and early ’00s, yet with just enough modern engineering to enhance reliability and usability. The continued success of companies like Tuthill and Singer proves there’s a real appetite for this kind of machine.

Thinking back to my drive in the Talos XXT, the one thing I still can’t shake is how unbelievably well it rode on the roads we filmed on. If you’re from the UK, you’ll know our roads have descended into chaos in recent years. I’ve been driving that particular area for years, since I first passed my test, and then in more recent years for videos, and trust me, those roads are not what they once were. Yet the XXT took them in its stride. The only car I can genuinely compare its composure to is the Noble M600, which arguably has the best chassis of any road car I’ve driven.

Considering the  XXT is derived from a big GT car, it’s astonishing what Talos has achieved with the setup, and they’re not done yet. They’re continuing to refine the TTX app-controlled digital suspension system as development continues.

Engineering progress doesn’t stop at ride and handling, either. With a car like this, performance is crucial, and simply matching the output of a 599 GTO isn’t enough. Talos is pushing for more from the naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12, targeting a very healthy 700bhp. Not that I had any complaints about the power during my drive!

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Written by: Jonty Wydell