Jaguar E-Type reborn

for 2021

Jaguar E-Type, 2020, front
Jaguar E-Type, 2020, nose
Jaguar E-Type, 2020, side
Jaguar E-Type, 2020, dashboard
Jaguar E-Type, 2020, interior
Jaguar E-Type, 2020, rear
Jaguar E-Type, 2020, tail
Jaguar E-Type, 2020, bonnet

THEY say you should never drive your dreams so taking a seat behind the wheel of the legend that is the Jaguar E-Type could have been a complete nightmare.

Thankfully it wasn't and ‘they' were wrong.

In March this year, Jaguar celebrates the 60 anniversary of its iconic E-Type sports car with its 150mph top speed.

Back in its day, it would have cost you a hefty £2,098 but you will need quite a large stash of cash to invest in a newer restored model - in fact, just under £300,000.

Since 2017, Jaguar Classic's E-Type Reborn programme has offered expertly sourced and comprehensively restored E-Types for sale direct from the vehicle's original manufacturer with prices starting from £295,000.

They are as close to the original Series I models as possible and the designers relied on all the heritage expertise and original sketches to develop the cars. And that's the car I had the absolute privilege of driving.

Firstly, that design. It's the look that was ‘the' look of the Swinging Sixties with everyone who was anyone wanting one. Celebrity A listers such as Steve McQueen, Tony Curtis and Frank Sinatra were just a few of the lucky owners in their day.

The E-Type is widely considered to be one of the most beautifully designed cars on the planet and is instantly recognisable by its lengthy louvred bonnet, extreme streamlining, the distinctive headlights, neat wheels and low-to-the-ground seating.

Powering the rear-wheel drive vehicle is a 3.8-litre, six-cylinder petrol engine with four-speed manual transmission. It's a car that fires up at the press of a button with a mighty roar and that just adds to the already high expectations.

With a 0-60mph sprint time of just 6.8 seconds and top speed of 150mph, the E-Type powers along turning heads as it passes. It's a car guaranteed to put a smile on your face while turning onlookers green with envy.

It feels brisk through the gears and the 269PS of grunt and 353Nm of torque are a not so gentle reminder of the ability of this legend of a car.

It's grippy into bends and although you start off feeling a little cautious giving the E-Type the respect it deserves, the temptation to push on is simply too much to resist.

There is a raw quality to the car that blends perfectly with its beautiful elegance and class. And with the slightest pressure on the accelerator you are transported back to those swinging sixties. It must have felt like a turbo-charged space craft in those heady days.

Of course, take off those rose tinted spectacles and there are a number of points worth making. Firstly, the brakes - you almost need to stand on them for a response. Then there is the steering wheel - it's huge and you will develop biceps like Popeye after a few roundabouts. And that's just as well, because you'll need them to find reverse gear. Oh and on the subject of reversing, be flexible as there are no side mirrors so you'll have to turn around physically to see what's behind you.

But, all in all, this is one dream I'm glad came true for me and is one more goal ticked off that bucket list

LATEST Jaguar NEWS

JAGUAR has a new logo as the great British auto maker reveals a new brand...

Read more View article

THE Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust has created a new and original virtual...

Read more View article

AMAZINGLY, Jaguar's marvelous XE executive saloon has been wowing drivers since...

Read more View article

LATEST NEWS

Google+