Jaguar builds two E-Types from scratch 50 years after ending their production

In 1974, production of the Jaguar E-Type ended, with 50 units marking the end of production. Since then, the brand’s special projects division, Jaguar Works Bespoke, has restored several units of this model for special clients. This project, however, has been quite remarkable, because two units have been built from scratch for a client who was looking for something specific.

These two units will call a garage in Southeast Asia home and have required just over 2,000 hours of handcrafted work to take shape and be finished. For Works Bespoke, they are the finest examples of what this special division can achieve. And according to the company, nothing similar will ever be done again.

Both cars are open-top coupés, bodied in the colours Signet Green and Opal Black, and decorated with ornaments supplied by the jewellery house Deakin & Francis, a British company with the longest history in the country. Mother-of-pearl elements have been fitted, along with solid silver details bearing a distinctive hallmark and 18-carat gold details, among other features that make each car a jewel in its own right.

The seats are upholstered in tan Bridge of Weir leather, hand-woven and hand-stitched. The centre console, made of anodised aluminium, features an E-Type design taken from the archives of Jaguar. Although the dashboard recalls the original, elements such as the radio are modern and include Bluetooth connectivity. The windscreen is also heated, something the original model did not have.

As for the engine, both feature a 3.8-litre straight-six-cylinder block. It has an improved fuel system, now using electronic fuel injection. The original four-speed gearbox has been replaced by a new five-speed manual gearbox, which improves the driving experience.

All this work comes at a prohibitive price, which has not been disclosed, but which we assume will be far higher than that of the models restored previously.