Jaguar E-type Reborn restoration programme set for launch
Techno-Classica Essen show will display ten expertly restored examples, launching Jaguar’s ‘Reborn’ restoration service
After a programme of restored Land Rover products proved successful, Jaguar Classic is getting in on the party by launching E-type Reborn. The Reborn programme will launch in April at the Techno-Classica show in Essen, Germany, and will start with one of the most emotive displays imaginable – the iconic Jaguar E-type.
E-type Reborn will sell expertly and comprehensively restored classic E-types, crafted not in a shed but in Jaguar’s own facilities using approved heritage parts. The first car is going on show a year after Land Rover Classic showed off the Series 1 Reborn, followed earlier this year by Range Rover Reborn.
>Most expensive cars ever sold at auction
Jaguar Classic already sells older models, of course – with brand-new factory builds of the XKSS race car and E-type Lightweight proving very successful. However those were technically new, original models, whereas the Reborn programme features existing cars sourced by the Jaguar Classic team and restored to the highest possible standard. Jaguar Classic describes them as ‘councours-winning’ and ‘absolutely authentic’.
The vehicle going on display at the German Techno-Classica Show is a Series 1 E-type – a Fixed Head Coupe in Gunmetal Grey. It’s been in storage since 1983, having raced up 78,000 miles in its previous life, and will be returned to the road in total matching-numbers configuration with its original engine, bodyshell and gearbox restored by Jaguar Classic technicians.
Jaguar Classic retains as much originality as possible, restoring rather than replacing in many cases. However some concessions to safety and longevity have been made – certain body panels are replaced with corrosion-resistant ones, and safety-critical parts are all new, too.
A number of sympathetic upgrades are available, should prospective owners wish to use their E-types in modern traffic. Customers can spec improved cooling, improved brakes and even an all-synchromesh gearbox. Just don’t expect Jaguar Classic to fit a modern touchscreen head unit or air-conditioning.
All ten of the initial run of Reborn E-types are Series 1 models rebuilt to 1960s specification. The price is ‘dependent on specification’, but expect to stump up at least £285,000.
