Famous Jaguar E-type duo reborn for 60th birthday

By Lizzie Pope

| 12 Aug 2020

Classic & Sports Car – Famous Jaguar E-type duo reborn for 60th birthday

Six limited-edition matching pairs of restored Jaguar E-types have been announced by Jaguar Classic ahead of the model’s 60th anniversary in 2021.

The ‘E-type 60 Collection’ pays tribute to ‘9600 HP’ and ‘77 RW’, both of which were involved in the sports-car’s world premiere in Geneva in March 1961.

The former, a 3.8 fixed-head coupé finished in Opalescent Gunmetal Grey, was one of the first two E-types shown to a hand-picked audience the night before the model’s launch.

And following the big reveal and subsequent demand for drives, ‘77 RW’, a British Racing Green 3.8 roadster, was driven overnight from Coventry to Geneva by none other than Norman Dewis.

All the anniversary cars will be existing 3.8-litre E-types restored by Jaguar Classic – and the cars have already been sourced, ahead of work starting in March.

Each E-type 60 Collection pair will include one Flat Out Grey ‘9600 HP’ coupé and one Drop Everything Green ‘77 RW’ roadster, these paints being unique to these commemorative models, with names recalling the style in which they were driven to Geneva.

Plus, all 12 cars will carry some 60th-anniversary design details.

However, unlike the originals they’re paying homage to, it is unlikely that these 21st-century restorations will test the E-type’s 150mph top speed, but, in a safe environment, we’d love to be proved wrong.

There’s no word yet on what these limited-run cars will cost, but given that Jaguar Classic’s Reborn 3.8-litre E-type is around £315,000, you can probably expect these special pairs to set you back in the region of £650,000.

“The E-type 60 Collection is a lasting tribute for E-type admirers, honouring the car’s legacy and the achievements of the team that created it – many of whom have descendants working for Jaguar Classic today, expertly restoring, maintaining and future-proofing enjoyment for generations to come,” said Dan Pink, Director of Jaguar Classic.

Images: Jaguar Classic/JDHT

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