Jaguar's new Lightweight E-types

By James Elliott
Gallery
 | 29 Aug 2014

 

Jaguar has announced that it is to build six brand new Lightweight E-types from scratch at a new facility at Browns Lane.

The cars will fulfil the quota of 18 originally intended to be built before the factory halted the programme after just 12 cars were completed.

Recently the company unveiled the prototype and released a set of pictures of the car beautifully photographed at a German race circuit.

They are too good not to share!

 

Jaguar pledges the cars will be 'hand-built in-house' and not farmed out to the many UK specialists who have already perfected creating Lightweight replicas.

 

The main modifications from a standard road car included all-aluminium monocoque and aluminium body panels and hardtop, plus, of course, considerable engine work (see engine photo). The car will weigh some 250lb less than a standard E-type.

 

The engine will be as per the original cars with aluminium-block, wide-angle head, dry-sumped 3.8-litre straight-six XK engine fed by triple Weber 45s – with optional Lucas mechanical injection – and having a compression ratio of 10:1.

 

Jaguar Land-Rover Special Operations has masterminded the new Lightweights, which will be sold as period competition vehicles suitable to attain FIA papers for historic motor sport.

 

The completed Lightweights will boast phenomenal power (though due to their original spec perhaps not enough to challenge some of the cars already in historic racing!). They will have 340bhp (at 6500rpm) and 280lb ft of torque (at 4500rpm).

 

Transmission is by a close-ratio Jaguar four-speed all-synchro 'box driving through a Powr-Lok limited slip differential with a final ratio of 3.31:1.

 

There is independent suspension all around, with wishbones, torsion bars and anti-roll bar up front and, at the rear, Jaguar independent rear suspension lower wishbones/driveshaft links, radius arms, anti-roll bar (C/O Standard E-type rear springs with uprated damper assemblies). Steering is rack and pinion.

 

The Lightweights will ride on magnesium disc wheels (15in x 7.0J front and 15in x 8.0J rear) wearing Dunlop tyres (front - 6.00L15 CR65, rear - 6.50L15 CR65)

 

The bodies will be built painstakingly following the original methods, meaning riveted and welded aluminium construction, 21 louvres cut precisely into the bonnet and a stiffened front subframe to cope with the racing engine.

 

Inside the Lightweights will be like slipping back in time, with aluminium bucket seats, Connolly hide, wood-rimmed steering wheel, a roll cage and five-point harness.

 

Dimensions are: length 175.3in (4453mm); width 66.9in (1700mm); height 46.5in (1,181mm); weight  2204.6lbs (1000kg); wheelbase 96.1in (2440mm); track f/r 50.0in (1,270mm)/55.0in (1,397mm).

 

No official performance figures have yet been released, but seeing as the spec is identical to the 1963 cars, you can be sure it will be vivid with 0-60mph in around 4.5 secs and a top speed in the region of 160mph.

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James Elliott

James Elliott is a former Editor of Classic & Sports Car