Jaguar Is Back To Building Brand New Old Cars Again
If you’re struggling to get new models to market to sell, why not roll out your greatest hits? That’s exactly what Jaguar has just done, building a pair of classic E-Types for one well-heeled customer with very expensive tastes.
The two Jaguar E-Types were inspired by the original run of Commemorative Edition cars that marked the end of the car’s production in 1974. But these ones have details like real gold and silver and mother of pearl, making them some of the most special Jags ever created. The F-Type is cool, but an E-Type is icy.
Jaguar
Jaguar is a premium car manufacturer from the UK, currently owned by the broader Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) group. Originally a producer of motorcycle sidecars from 1922 (under the name Swallow Sidecar Company), the manufacturer later moved to the production of passenger car bodies under the ownership of SS Cars from 1935. In 1945, SS Cars was renamed to Jaguar Cars. The manufacturer has a historic back catalog of vehicles, notably the XK, E-Type, and XJ220, with modern hits including the F-Type and F-Pace. Jaguar has pledged to become an all-electric automaker starting in 2025, with production of all combustion cars ceasing early in 2024.
- Founded
- September 1935
- Founder
- SS Cars
- Headquarters
- Coventry, United Kingdom
- Owned By
- Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)
- Current CEO
- Adrian Mardell
Lovingly Restored By The Company That Built Them
Jaguar Classic is the company’s heritage arm and is responsible for building these two cars. The project started with a pair of Series 1 E-Type Jags. Early cars built before Jaguar had to change things up, adding larger grilles and other baubles that slowly eroded the iconic design.
Both are convertibles, or drophead coupés if you’re fancy. Each is finished in a one-of-one spec, with one unit finished in signet green and the other Opel black. Both colors are updates of hues used in 1974.
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The exterior paintwork is different, but both have tan leather inside with matching trim in tan and black. The seat faces aren’t just flat pieces of hide; they’re made of strips that have been hand-woven and stitched. It’s the first time Jaguar Classic has offered this finish, which it describes as a “uniquely tactile woven finish.”
Every part of the cabins of these cars is meant to show off, even if many of the details are subtle – elements like an engraving of the car on the aluminum center console that is a copy of a blueprint that was on display at the New York Museum of Modern Art.
Then there’s the true jewel of these Jags, or at least the work of the jeweler. Deakin & Francis, England’s oldest jeweler, has created detailing like a silver grille bar with mother of pearl and badges at the rear made from enameled sterling silver.
The Jaguar cat Growler on the front grille badge and the one on the steering wheel are both made from 18-carat gold. The switches on the instrument panel are knurled silver with a hallmarked silver bezel.
“Techniques honed by Deakin & Francis, which have never been seen before in the automotive world, have been seamlessly integrated into these incredibly rare vehicles. Such a partnership reinforces each brand’s complete commitment to superior quality and celebrates a shared passion for pushing boundaries in design and craftsmanship, while offering our discerning customers a truly one‑of‑a‑kind experience.”
Henry Deakin, Managing Director, Deakin & Francis
Jaguar Classic has restored these cars to not just new but better than new. That transformation includes a few modern touches in the car and under the hood. The cars have Jaguar’s 3.8-liter inline-six, the same engine they would have had when leaving the factory. Thanks to electronic fuel injection, though, horsepower is probably a touch higher than the original 266 horses. The four-speed box has also been upgraded to a five-speed manual.
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A heated windscreen makes this car more driveable in the dreary dampness of England, though Jag said these cars were bound for Southeast Asia. Thanks to a discreet Jaguar Classic audio system in the dashboard, they’ll also have Bluetooth. Perfect for playing some period-correct early Beatles or Stones.