Jaguar to finally complete 1963 Lightweight E-type run

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Forty one years on, Jaguar is finally set to complete its 18-car Lightweight E-type series. In 1963, only 12 of the aluminium-bodied race-bred vehicles were built, with the remaining six never seeing the light of day. Until now.

The automaker has announced that it is to build the remaining six Lightweights to finish the run. The brand new cars will be built as perfect reproductions and to the exact specifications of the original dozen, and will be assigned the six remaining chassis numbers which were originally allocated when the project was begun in February 1963.

The new cars will be hand-built in-house by Jaguar’s finest craftsmen, and each will be constructed to the exact specifications of their original 1960s forebears, including the 3.8 litre straight-six engine.

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The E-type was produced between 1961 and 1975, with over 72,500 built. The Lightweights were commissioned as a ‘Special GT E-type’, homologated for GT competition by being designated a ‘standard’ roadster E-type fitted with a number of options and being 114 kg lighter than the road version.

Options varied from car to car, but the main modifications included all-aluminium monocoque and aluminium body panels, an aluminium block, wide-angle head, dry-sumped 3.8 litre XK engine with fuel injection as well as an aluminium hardtop. All chassis numbers in the series carried an ‘S’ prefix.

Of the original 12 Lightweights, 11 are believed to survive today. No doubt, Jag collectors will be eyeing the upcoming half dozen very intently.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • Imagine if this happened to Proton. They will be bashed like no tomorrow. Oppsss, the moron bashers are here already….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 6
  • basheer on May 14, 2014 at 2:17 pm

    I am waiting for the hand-built inhouse of first model proton saga

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • longjaafar on May 14, 2014 at 3:05 pm

    If only I am a multi multi millionaire…
    As it is, the ones produced by Eagle, already cost in excess of 600,000 sterling pounds.
    This exact specs, and built by Jaguar itself, will surely fetch a higher price.
    Until today, I feel that the E type is the most beautiful car ever built. My favourite is the 2+2 coupe.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • nabill (Member) on May 14, 2014 at 6:51 pm

    But its gonna lose da classic aura i think,n its nt gonna fetch high prices in auction houses compare to those made in da 60s…
    Obvioysly stil looks awesome!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Yes on both counts
    – yes it IS one of the most beautiful cars ever built and
    – yes it is bound to cost a lot more than £600K

    Check this link out. One of the surviving 11s was auctioned for a whopping £5.0M!!

    http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/jaguar/87007/six-reborn-lightweight-jaguar-e-type-cars-planned

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • AVH (Member) on May 14, 2014 at 10:21 pm

    Lust….one of the seven deadly sins. I have seen supermodels in bikini, FHM girls next door and Victoria’s Secrets catwalk show. But none of them give me that tingling feeling like a video of the Eagle Lightweight Coupe…….Damn thats NSFW, and certainly a sin of lust.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • carazy on May 15, 2014 at 9:38 am

    Its like marilyn monroe is rebone in a millennia, what a wonderful moment!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Motorhead (Member) on May 15, 2014 at 2:53 pm

    No 5 stars NCAP.. not safe.. your life is cheap..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
 

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