Ever since the Jaguar E-Type was introduced fifty years ago, it has been hailed the world over as a style icon. Its curvaceous lines and incredibly low stance were synonymous with the rapidly changing times of the swinging sixties. And for most people, the idea of performing a top-to-bottom customisation of a classic E-Type is tantamount to sacrilege. However there is one company which is now offering another option, one which walks the fine line between gaudy customisation and respectful enhancement.
Eagle, a company based in the south of England, have developed a car called the Speedster. The Eagle Speedster is based on an original E-Type, but almost every piece has been re-engineered and upgraded.
The Eagle Speedster E-Type project originally started out as a one-off special order for a US collector. However as the car developed it became clear there was enough interest to invest in manufacturing additional cars.
The Eagle Speedster starts out as a Series 1 Jaguar E-Type. Every component is then stripped off the car and either restored or replaced. The engine has been fitted with a fuel injection system, and the capacity has been increased to 4.7 litres. In the process the output is raised to 461 Nm ( 340 lb-ft) of torque. The transmission is a renovated and improved 5-speed manual gearbox which channels its power to the rear wheels through an aluminium differential. The car is also given Eagle-engineered sports suspension. These changes all add up to make a car which is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in five seconds, and reaching a 160 mph top speed.
Style-wise, the Eagle Speedster is fairly similar to the E-Type. In fact most people would probably mistake it for some-sort-of restored lightweight E-Type racer. However there are a few changes to the exterior styling which mark it out as being just that little bit different.
The windscreen has been cut down and mounted at a more raked angle, while the wind-down side windows have been reshaped to better match the cars profile. The hand-crafted aluminium bodywork is deeper than the original, and the floorpan has been moved slightly lower. This has the effect of beefing up the car’s profile, while also allowing the seats to be mounted slightly further down in the car. The track, both front and rear, is slightly wider, and to compensate for this the arches have been extended to neatly cover the wheels. To finish off the bodywork upgrades, Eagle’s designers and engineers have taken the time to make it as flush and seamless as possible. To accomplish this they have removed, hidden or disguised any bodywork fittings which would interrupt the cars flowing lines.
The wheels, despite their classic spoked design are all-new aluminium units, as are the tires and high-performance AP Racing brakes.
On the inside, Eagle have completely re-trimmed and comprehensively upgraded the cockpit. Thankfully there isn’t any flashy electronic gizmos or integrated LCD sat-nav screens which would spoil the classic beauty of the E-Type’s interior – other than the slightly out-of-place modern CD player! All the changes are relatively sympathetic to the car’s original design. And that’s a good thing, because messing with perfection is a dangerous game. But one which Eagle seem to have mastered.
Source: Eagle
I saw one of these at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and it was staggering. It caused by far the biggest stir on the track – it stole the show from the new Corvette ZR1 Henessey ZR700.
There are faster cars. There are faster cars that are cheaper. But it’s as fast as you’ll ever go on the road, and looks better than any other car.
I hope now someone does something similar to the Corvette Stingray, Lamborghini Miura and BMW Brutus.