The new Jaguar lightweights

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Well, it was an interesting programme last night, but what do you make of it all? The first thing that came to my mind, and has done since the project was mooted, was the Sanction 2 Zagato created by Victor Gauntlett. Sold I think for £750,000 if memory serves they were never really regarded as "proper" and I see one sold a couple of years back at about the same price. Sean Lynn, an original lightweight owner, didn't like the idea of the new lightweights but his car is as original as trigger's broom having had a number of serious accidents, including being seriously stuffed at Fordwater by Dario Franchitti. I was behind the same car at Silverstone when it was stuffed and caught fire in, if memory serves, 1994. But it is one of the originals, nevertheless. Anyway, I digress; Watching the insane level of care being taken to produce these flawless examples has made me realise that I understand as much about the the classic car world today as Noah. It is a world far removed from reality, in the uppermost echelons, as mentioned in the programmes, of the art world. I thought that Jaguar wanted these cars to race, and I guess some will, but only in second division events it seems. The Mille Miglia, Goodwood, so many events will not open their doors. Just like the Astons twenty years back, we have come full circle. Suitcases that will never be used, watches that will never be worn, and cars that will never properly be heard in anger. As a publicity exercise by Jaguar it is superb, and the inference was - or seemed to be - that we might be seeing limited edition cars as Ferrari have done for their richest clients. Anyone for a new XJ330, all Kevlar and gold lining?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to own one, but the programme left me shaking my heard in, as the americans say, wonderment.

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Mark A S said:

I enjoyed it especially observing great british craftsmanship at its finest. I would have liked more information on the specification of the cars, how light is a lightweight ? how much power and torque, engine spec, G-box, axle, brakes etc as I find that sort of “stuff” more interesting than how expensive the paint finish is.

Jaguar aficionado’s, do please fill in the details

Your wish is my command. The engines are made by Crosthwaite and Gardner and cost around £60,000 each. As you can see the customer is king and can change the specification and gear ratios to suit himself.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/jaguar/88174/lightwei...

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As someone with personal experience of racing at the Festival with a replica, Lord March was somewhat more specific when I talked with him in 2011. He was happy to accept my C-type and let it race because the originals no longer existed. Similarly, the saddle tank Lancia Ferraris and the shark nose were invited to the Revival on the same basis, as, he intimated, will be the Kettle C-type. I can't comment on the above, but I do know that in the D-type race there were a few "replicas"; that is to say cars that disappeared many moons back and suddenly and miraculously reappeared claiming the lost chassis number.

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I can't see that the reference to tolerances holds water Ken. The cars weigh the same since they are built to the same specifications and alloy thickness, and Crosthwaite and Gardner hold a virtual monopoly on building lightweight engines. I would suggest that most of those racing today have had a complete rebuild to current specification and give the same bhp as the "continuation" cars.

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Your frustration is palpable. Surely, the owning of a supercar today is not just the purchase price, but the insurance and the servicing too. None of us can afford these prices today no more than I could have afforded a 250GTO in 1963 (my salary was £300 pa) nor to buy an E-type today - yet I have one I bought 33 years ago and which costs me a mere £300 to insure and £150 to service each year. Unlike today's supercars I don't need a fully stamped service history. I count myself fortunate to have one, but cannot but foresee that on my demise the car will fall into the hands of some uber-rich millionaire as a demonstrable extension of his wealth.

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The luggage rule was introduced under the Le Mans regulations for 1960. I have photos of a D-type rear end modified to take a "suitcase". But that misses the point of the E-type, which always had a boot and so could carry luggage anyway. I can get an ordinar (Jaguar) suitcase in the boot and two squash bags, and if you want fitted luggage it can be found here:-

http://www.retroclassiccarparts.com/fitted-luggage...

No, that suitcase provided with the car, like the watch, is all about marketing and soothing the ego of the buyer as he writes out his seven-figure cheque. It is rather too small to be the right size for an E-type anyway.

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No one has yet mentioned either that the first new lightweight was not built by Jaguar but by RS Panels of Nuneaton. They have built a clone copy of the Lindner/Nocker, they have built many replica shells including the correct and original Lumsden/Sargent coupé and so on. James will, when he has time, also be building E1A from the original parts found in the scrapyard. But this first of the few E-types was the prototype, body by RS Panels, engine by Crosthwaite and Gardner. Jaguar then had six "real" cars built to the specification of the RS Panels shell. C & G of course built every engine. A truly in-house job.

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Ah, but you wouldn't have the - unattached - chassis plate (is that legal by the way?) nor the watch to prove its identity. Nor the framed cheque stub. But yes, to all intents and purposes a "real" car.