In November of 2016, Jaguar Classic — Jaguar’s in-house heritage division — announced it would build nine XKSS models to replace the ones lost in a fire nearly 60 years ago. At a price of $1.2 million per car, only the most affluent collectors would have access to a piece of the British automaker’s illustrious motorcar history.
Now, Jaguar Classic has announced a new vehicle project at a far more accessible, though still lofty, price point. Ten enthusiasts will be offered a first-series E-Type Coupe–fully restored by Jaguar Classic–for a mere $355,000.
To find the right vehicle candidates, Jaguar’s E-Type experts will research, locate, purchase, and restore the best original, numbers-matching cars on the market.
“The launch of E-Type Reborn is a hugely exciting development for Jaguar Classic,” said Tim Hannig, Director of Jaguar Land Rover Classic. “The E-Type is the most iconic sports car of all time, so we are delighted to be able to give new life to expertly selected examples for discerning customers around the world to own and enjoy. The resources and information available to Jaguar Classic’s expert technicians are unrivaled, which results in the most authentic E-Type restorations possible.”
Each E-Type reborn will use as much of the original car’s platform as possible and any refurbished parts will be assembled according to factory specifications. Any questionable parts, specifically those related to the car’s safety, will be replaced with new items from Jaguar Classic’s extensive parts collection. Body panels from Jaguar Classic’s reverse-engineered panel program are fitted where necessary to remove corrosion and restore the vehicle’s iconic looks with the best fit possible.
The original E-Type used a 3.8-liter straight-six engine that was capable of 150 mph – a top speed benchmark in the early ’60s. Later, a 4.2-liter six-cylinder was added with a four-speed manual transmission or optional three-speed automatic. Apart from restoration, Jaguar Classic isn’t offering to add more power to these restored E-Types, but they will improve the cooling system, gearbox, and brakes for extra coin.
The first of theses “reborn” E-Types, an Opalescent Gunmetal Grey Series 1 4.2 Fixed Head Coupe, will be displayed at the Techno-Classica Essen show this week.
