Jaguar has revealed pictures and details of the lightweight E-Type the car they promised to bring back from the dead back in May 2014. The pictures seen here are of ‘Car Zero’ built as a prototype by the company and is not a part of the planned production of 6 cars which will be sold to customers.
PRICE
Deliveries are expected to start sometime early next year with an eye watering price tag(est.) of £1,000,000 / Rs. 10.17 Crore
HISTORY
Way back in the 1960s Jaguar decided to manufacture a special edition of the E-Type called the Jaguar Lightweight E-Type with extensive use of lightweight aluminium alloy (hence the name) based on the Low Drag Coupe. Out of the planned limited run of 18 cars only 12 were manufactured and sold and, for reasons unknown, the production was halted. The company is referring to the new E-Types as recreations, though each of the six customer cars will feature one of the remaining chassis numbers originally allocated to the project and built to the exact specifications of the last Jaguar Lightweight E-Type sold in 1964. The cars will also be sold as competition vehicles, making them suitable “for FIA homologation for historic Motorsport purposes.”
DESIGN
To ensure that the cars are exact replicas of the original Jaguar lightweight E-Type all 230 components of an original specimen were scanned and mapped digitally to recreate what is considered to be the most beautiful car in the world. The car also features a removable aluminium roof as seen on the original. Even on the inside Jaguar has done a very good job of recreating the old world charm going to the extent of using the same Smiths Industries dials seen on the original. However, Customers will be able to make bespoke requests for interior and exterior trim levels, paint and livery and further technical specification.
TECH SPECS
Much like the classic Jaguar Lightweight E-Types, a 3.8 litre in-line six cylinder engine will power the modern version too. The only difference being in terms of the material used as the new engine block uses aluminium instead of steel to save weight. This combined with a single-plate-clutch, four-speed manual transmission manages to give the car a power output of around 300 BHP with a peak torque of 380 Nm. Three Weber carburetors will be fitted as standard with the option of opting for a Lucas fuel injection system which will cost extra. Double wishbone suspension is deployed front and rear and standard E-type rack and pinion steering is controlled through a traditional wooden wheel. Brakes are unservoed and the wheels are 15-inch in diameter.
The Jaguar Lightweight E-Types will be hand built at at Jaguar’s new Heritage customer workshop facility, which is located on the site of the now-defunct Browns Lane factory which was the birthplace of the original Lightweights. And interestingly JLR officials have said the Jaguar Lightweight E-Type ‘is the first recreation to come from Jaguar Heritage’ suggesting that we could see more Old Jags being brought to life.
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