Jaguar is about to do something absolutely sensational - clearly cresting a wave of goodwill following the success of the F-Type twins, it has announced it is going to build six more E-Types. Honestly!
Not only is this the most incredible thing we've heard all year (and possibly ever), these won't be any old E-Types. These will be the 'missing' six Lightweights that were never built in 1964. In what is Jaguar's first ever 're-creation' project, it is raising the sextet of dormant chassis numbers from their development grave, as, in 1963 and 1964, Jaguar planned to build 18 Lightweights but only ever got around to knocking out a dozen of them.
All six of the 21st century versions will be built to the exact specifications of the cars from the 1960s, with the first making its public debut later this summer - where we'll get more information. For now though, what we do know is that the cars will have all-aluminium bodies and engine blocks, less interior trim and exterior chrome work and further weight-saving measures like lightweight, wind-up windows just as their 12 siblings did; all of which went to making them 114kg lighter than their standard counterparts. They will also be powered by the genuine 304hp 3.8-litre straight-six engine and hand-built in-house by Jaguar's 'finest craftsmen'.
Anything else?
In what could simultaneously be the 'Understatement of the Millennium' and also the winner of the 'Stating the Bleedin' Obvious Award', Jaguar says it 'expects a high demand for the six Lightweight E-types'. No kidding. The company says established Jaguar collectors, especially those with historic race car interests, will be prioritised among any potential customers expressing interest.