East Sussex-based Eagle (www.eaglegb.com), which has been ‘the world’s leading Jaguar E-Type specialist’ for more than 35 years, has used its vast experience to analyse every component in the car, identify no-compromise design improvements and undertake an 8,000hr build to create the missing model in Jaguar’s E-Type evolution — a Lightweight, thoroughly re-engineered for the road (Jaguar built 12 Lightweights for the 1963 racing season).

Eagle founder Henry Pearman said: “The factory Lightweight was a stripped-out racer. We wanted to retain that special feel of a ’60s competition car from an incredible era in British motor-sport, but with the comfort, refinement and reliability that would make it an exhilarating daily driver or a long-distance GT.”

The process begins with a 100% strip-down of an original Series 1 E-Type, then replacing every panel with lightweight aluminium of a modern grade more suited to road use than the thin material of the original Lightweights.

It takes specialist craftsmen more than 2,500hr to form the panels and then fit them — to a tolerance many-times more demanding than that specified by Jaguar’s Competition Department.

The famous Lightweight profile is faithfully recreated, with subtle enhancements to the aerodynamics, including a deeper rear ramp angle, deeper sills (which also increase the chassis stiffness and allow the driver to sit lower, improving the headroom and lowering the centre of gravity) and increased screen rake (front and rear) with bespoke glass.

The heart of the car is Eagle’s 4.7-litre evolution of the famous Jaguar XK straight six, but with an aluminium cylinder block (as on the original Lightweight) replacing the iron block of road cars. This engine produces a peak power of 380bhp at 5,750rev/min, giving the car a top speed of more than 170mph and a 0-60mph time of under 5sec.

The use of lightweight materials, including magnesium alloys for the gearbox case, bell housing, differential case, sump and rear hub carriers, means that the Eagle Lightweight GT weighs just 1,017kg — not in stripped-out race configuration but ‘luxuriously specified’ and fully air-conditioned.

Meanwhile, Jaguar Classic has reintroduced the 3.8-litre XK engine cylinder block, as fitted to many Jaguar saloons and sports cars of the 1950s and 1960s, including the E-Type. Recreated to the original specifications, the brand-new cast iron engine block is a direct replacement for the 3.8-litre six-cylinder units.