Jaguar Lightweight E-type.
By Jonathan Campbell
Given the appeal, it’s no surprise that virtually every car manufacturer capable of building something desirable makes something you could call a GT. Today, however, there is one car that arguably stands at the top of this nebulous category […]
Jaguar has always been an obsession of mine. My uncle Derek worked for Henly's in their glamorous glass and marble showroom at 88 Piccadilly. We used to visit him there, and he would let my brother and I climb in and out of the cars, stand on the car lift that took you down to the workshop, and collect the car brochures. I remember sitting in the first XJS, it blew my mind, as we had a Morris Marina Coupé at the time.
So, when I was invited to be at the unveiling of the Stratstone Lightweight E-Type, I felt like that little boy again, going to see a new Jaguar.
The story of how this Lightweight E-type exists demonstrates the obsessive mentality of the new Land Rover Jaguar's Special Vehicle Operations division. The lightweight story begins in February 1963, when Jaguar intended to build 18 ‘Special GT E-type’ race cars. However, they only built 12 of the 18, delivering them to the Browns Lane competitions department between 1963 and 1964. This gave rise to the infamous ‘Missing Six’. These missing chassis numbers: 13 to 18, were found in a hand written ledger in 2014.
The modern incarnation of the Lightweight saw Jaguar Classic draw both on the company’s original 1960s tooling and production methods, and its unique, highly experienced engineering and design resources. Replete with world-leading aluminium body technology and skilled hand craftsmanship, the six-cylinder XK engine with its aluminium block, wide angle aluminium cylinder head and dry sump lubrication (derived from the Le-Mans winning D-type of the 1950s), the Lightweight E-type is original and very special, as Jaguar Classic won't be making anymore. This is it; they've used all the original eighteen chassis numbers.
The cars are delivered as period competition vehicles, fully compliant with FIA homologation for historic motorsport purposes. All of the ‘Missing Six’ are built to period-exact dimensions and specifications, ensuring absolute authenticity and a modern-day build to the highest quality standards. The obsessive attention to detail is truly amazing.
Once you've recovered from the sheer awe of its presence, you start to see the meticulous detailed work that's created such a wonderful car. You start to point and say, "Oh, look at that bit."
It's such a shame that these cars aren't street legal so that more people could have the opportunity to experience them. Unfortunately, it's believed that the majority of the "Missing Six" are likely to remain missing as they've been snapped up by collectors, possibly never to be seen again.
However, the great thing about this car is that it's going to be seen and driven at events to represent Stratstone and their passion for Jaguar. There's also a possibility that it could be campaigned in historic races, which is what these cars are really all about. We all need to see and hear these cars being driven hard and fast: it's why they were built in the first place. They were built for Gentleman Racers.
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Images. The Obsessive, Stratstone.com, Jaguar Land Rover Limited
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