In March 2021 it will have been 60 years since a pair of E-Types were driven flat out to the Geneva motor show from Coventry - so naturally, Jaguar is celebrating with a special run of cars. Clearly the story is the stuff of such legend so we're not talking badges on an XE; rather Jaguar Classic is setting out to fully restore six pairs of 3.8 E-Types to mimic the spec of the two iconic originals that sprinted to Switzerland back in the day. If you love E-Types you’ll be very familiar with 9600 HP and 77 RW.
It was, of course, 9600 HP that set off for the show first, with public relations manager Bob Berry driving “flat out” from the Midlands the night before and famously making it with only minutes to spare before the official reveal. So popular was the 150mph car with the press that 77 RW was promptly ordered over, with legendary test and development engineer Norman Dewis – who, coincidentally, would have celebrated his 100th birthday this month – asked to “drop everything” and get the car to Geneva overnight.
Each of the restored pairs to be produced by Jaguar Classic - named the 60 Edition Collection - will feature one Flat Out Grey ‘9600 HP’ coupe and one Drop Everything Green ‘77 RW’ roadster. They’ll get unique paint formulations exclusive to the 60 Edition run, with 60th anniversary commemorative design details that have been developed in conjunction with Jaguar design director Julian Thomson. So far, we’re only given overhead renderings of the cars, but it’s clear that none of the Series 1, Malcolm Sayer-designed beauty will be lost.
While Jaguar is yet to confirm further restoration details, we’re expecting the 3.8-litre straight-six of each car to be returned to original specification. The XK motor was good for 269hp at 5,500rpm, which in a car weighing just over 1.2 tonnes meant the two-door model could spring from 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds and hit the 150mph top speed. In 1961, those were pretty astounding stats – and enough to re-affirm that Jaguar was capable of sticking it to more expensive Italian rivals. For an ultra-rare restored machine like a 60 Edition, it’s probably more than enough.
Director of Jaguar Classic Dan Pink described the E-type 60 Collection as “a lasting tribute for E-Type admirers, honouring the car’s legacy and the achievements of the team that created it – many of whom have descendants working for Jaguar Classic today, expertly restoring, maintaining and future-proofing enjoyment for generations to come”. Pink and his division haven’t, however, given us a steer on pricing - that's between them and the customer. But taking into account Series 1 values – six-figures are the norm – and the fact that ‘regular’ Reborn 3.8-litre E-Types start from £315,000, expect discussions to start beyond half a million quid. Well beyond.
[Original photography courtesy of ©JDHT]
1 / 5