Jaguar E-type Zero – classic looks without the guilt

Unveiled alongside the Future-Type is this gorgeous Jaguar E-type Zero, a 1968 E-type Roadster restored by Jaguar Land Rover Classic but with a bit of a secret under the bonnet.

You certainly wouldn’t be able to tell what that secret is from the outside, with the curvaceous baby blue bodywork, generous brightwork, wire wheels and classic long nose, short tail proportions all faithful to the iconic original. The only changes to the exterior are the more efficient LED headlights, made to look like the original glass-covered items of the Series 1.

There are more telltale signs that can be found on the inside, with the dashboard being completely redesigned with a digital instrument cluster inspired by the original gauges, plus a centre touchscreen and a rotary gear selector like you’d find in a modern Jaguar. The perforated three-spoke, wood-rimmed steering wheel remains, so there’s still a little bit of that old-school charm left.

But you won’t hear an old-school burble when you turn the key – or anything at all, in fact. That’s because the 4.2 litre XK straight-six has been dumped in favour of a bespoke electric motor (yes, really) that produces 220 kW (295 hp), 30 hp more than the original E-type.

The motor and reduction gear sits in lieu of a traditional gearbox behind a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery, built by an electric powertrain specialist in conjunction with Jaguar Land Rover engineers, according to a specific brief from Jaguar Land Rover Classic. The battery pack is of the same size and weight as the venerable six-pot mill, and is placed in exactly the same place, so the suspension and brakes can be left unchanged.

A new propshaft sends drive to the rear wheels via a carryover differential and final drive. Because the motor is more powerful and has to carry 46 kg less, it goes from zero to 100 km/h around a whole second quicker than an original Series 1 E-type, accomplishing the benchmark in 5.5 seconds. Real-world range is quoted at 270 km, and the battery can be fully charged in six to seven hours, depending on the power source.

Jaguar claims that the electric powertrain, which shares technology and components with the upcoming all-electric I-Pace, can be fitted to any other car originally powered by the XK straight-six, including the XK120, Mark 2 and XJ6. So what do you think of the E-type Zero – sacrilege, or a brilliant way to breathe new life into an old classic? Sound off in the comments section after the jump.

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