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Motrolix

Now You Can Buy A Brand-New E-Type From Jaguar

Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations has revealed the “continuation” Lightweight E-Type, a hand-built Jaguar that consists of aluminum body shell, doors, trunk lid, hardtop, and hood, all made to original standards. This neo-E-Type will be built by Jaguar Heritage, which operates within the Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations division.

Back when the E-Type was being built in 1963-64, Jaguar had planned to built 18 aluminum-bodied cars but only managed to build 12. Jaguar will now finish the job with another six that they call “Special GT E-Type.”

Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations, John Edwards, says, “[The] ‘Special Operations’ remit is to indulge our most discerning and enthusiastic customers’ passion for our cars – including those from our past. This is why our Jaguar Heritage division exists, and why the new Lightweight E-Type is such an incredibly exciting project. The E-Type is an iconic car, and the Lightweight E-Type the most desirable of all. To be able to complete the intended production run of 18, some 50 years after the last Lightweight was completed, was an opportunity we couldn’t miss.”

The six dormant chassis numbers will now be applied to these new Lightweight E-Types. Jaguar Heritage will call upon the skills and experience of its roster of talented engineers and technicians, some of whom have historic links with the building of the original E-Type. In fact, one employee can trace three generations of service to Jaguar, so six lucky people will have the assurance that the Special GT E-Type will be authentic and built to the highest quality standards.

“Operating from a brand-new workshop at Browns Lane – now open for the restoration and servicing of customer cars – the building of six new, meticulously crafted Lightweight E-Type period competition cars by Jaguar Heritage is testament to the unique skills within the team. To know those same skills can also be utilized to the benefit of existing classic Jaguar owners means this is a very exciting time for Jaguar Heritage,” says the Director of Jaguar Heritage Business, Derek Weale.

The Lightweight E-Type back in the day was powered by a highly tuned version of the aluminum Jaguar XK inline-six with chain-driven dual overhead camshafts and an aluminum head with hemispherical combustion chambers − the same design that won Le Mans in 1957 in the D-Type. The compression ratio for the new iteration is 10:1, and the six lucky buyers have the choice of three 45 DCOE carburetors or a mechanical fuel injection system. With 340+ horsepower and about 280 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm, the continuation car should be able to keep up with modern machinery. A 12-volt negative ground electrical system will be used (thank God – Ed.).

LIGHTWEIGHT E-TYPE SPECIFICATION*

Engine System

Engine:                         Aluminum six-cylinder block, wide-angle cylinder head, dry sump   lubrication, lightweight low-inertia flywheel

Displacement:               236.0 cu in (3,868cc)

Bore/Stroke:                 3.46in/4.17in (88.0mm/106.0mm)

Valvetrain:                     2 valves per cylinder, DOHC

Compression ratio:        10:1

Carburetors:                  Triple 45 DCOE Weber

Injection (optional):        Lucas mechanical, 6.25in (158.7mm) butterfly trumpets

Crankshaft:                   Steel with steel H-section connecting rods

Power:                          340hp/253.5kW @ 6500rpm

Torque:                         280lbs ft/380Nm @ 4500rpm

Fuel tank:                      Mesh-filled 14-gallon (64-liter) capacity

Fuel pump:                   Standard E-Type

Transmission and Driveline

Transmission:                Jaguar 4-speed fully synchronized close-ratio gearbox

Final drive casing:         Cast iron, Powr-Lok limited slip differential, axle ratio 3.31:1

Gearbox oil:                  Castrol

Clutch:                          Single dry plate

Suspension and Steering

Front:                           Double wishbone, LWE torsion bars, upgraded anti-roll bar

Rear:                            Independent rear suspension, lower wishbones with the driveshaft acting as upper links, radius arms, anti-

rollbar (Standard E-type rear springs with uprated shock absorber assemblies)

Steering:                       Standard E-Type rack-and-pinion, adjustable steering column

Brakes

Brake discs (front):        12.00-inch Diameter (305mm)

Brake discs (rear):         11.25-inch Diameter (286mm)

Handbrake:                   Production E-Type

Wheels and Tires

Magnesium wheels:       Front: 15-inches x 7.0J, Rear 15in x 8.0J

Tires:                            Front – 6.00L15 CR65, Rear – 6.50L15 CR65

Electrical

Battery:                         12v – 62 amp / hour

System:                        12v negative-ground

Lighting:                       Tungsten headlamps and standard rear tail-lamps

Ignition:                         Electronic

Instruments:                  Smiths Industries

Generator:                    Production E-Type

Starter:                          Production E-Type

Control Box:                  Production E-Type

Wiper motor
and blades:                   Production E-Type

Exhaust and Cooling

Exhaust:                       Fabricated steel manifold, steel exhaust system with center silencer box and twin polished tail pipes

Cooling:                        Aluminum E-Type radiator, aluminum expansion header tank, engine oil cooler, oil sump tank

Overview

Length:                         175.3-inches (4,453mm)

Width:                           66.9-inches (1,700mm)

Height:                          46.5in-inches (1,181mm)

Weight:                         2204.6lbs (1,000kg)

Wheelbase:                   96.1-inches (2,440mm)

Front Track:                  50.0-inches (1,270mm)

Rear Track:                   55.0-inches (1,397mm)

BODY TRIM & HARDWARE

Body in white & closures

  • Aluminum unibody with stiffened front sub-frame for race engines above 300hp
  • Riveted and welded aluminum construction
  • Aluminum body closures (hood/doors/trunk-lid)
  • Aluminum detachable hard top roof
  • 21 louver hood vents
  • Black powder-coated roll cage
  • Front brake cooling ducts integrated in hood structure

Exterior trim

  • Side hood-release handles
  • ‘Long range’ aluminum quick release fuel cap
  • Body color cabin ventilation air intakes
  • Protective car cover (non-waterproof)
  • Center hood safety catch
  • Oval door mirror upgrade

Interior Trim

  • Aluminum bucket seats with increased backrest angle and padded cushions
  • Rear-view mirror
  • Leather selection from Connolly palette
  • Wood-rimmed steering wheel
  • Aluminum gear knob and standard hand brake
  • Machined metal center panel with toggle switches and push button starter
  • Five-point competition seat belt harness
  • Black instrument panel with glove box
  • Hood and trunk stands

Greenhouse Glass

  • Clear laminated front windscreen
  • Perspex® (Polymer) side windows and rear screen
  • Manual slide side windows

*Figures are manufacturer’s estimates, subject to change according to customer specification.

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