Jaguar has revealed the prototype of its ‘new’ Lightweight E-type – six more will be built, representing the ‘missing’ six ‘Special GT E-type’ cars.
JAGUAR SAID BACK IN May that the Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations division and Jaguar Heritage would recreate six new Lightweight E-types. What you’re looking at here is the prototype for those six vehicles, which are all being built from an original specification for the last Lightweight E-type produced in 1964 and will be hand-crafted at the original home of the E-type, Jaguar’s Browns Lane plant in Coventry, England. The cars will be sold as period competition vehicles and all will be suitable for FIA homologation for historic motorsport purposes.
Jaguar Special Operations and Jaguar Heritage says these six Lightweight E-types will be the ‘missing’ six vehicles from the ‘Special GT E-type project, which originally started in February 1963 with the objective of building 18 cars. Only 12 of the aluminium-bodied Lightweight E-types were eventually built – the remaining six designated chassis numbers lay dormant, until now. The six new cars will carry those original, historic Lightweight E-type chassis numbers.
The expertise and attention brought to bear on this recreation project is staggering, says Jaguar, with the full resources of Jaguar being applied to ensure that the six new Lightweights will not only be authentic, but will also be 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 utilised to the benefit of existing classic Jaguar owners means this is a very exciting time for Jaguar Heritage.”
