2011 Eagle E-Type Lightweight Speedster

year:	2011
Displacement:	4700 Cc
Torque @ RPM:	340
Engine:	aluminum in line 6 cylinder engine
Horse Power @ RPM:	310
Curb Weight:	2,200 lbs.
0-60 time:	under five sec.
Top Speed:	160 mph

Two years ago, British manufacturer Eagle introduced the world to their rendition of the Jaguar E-type with the E-Type Speedster at the Salon Prive. The car was light, fast, and it gave the driver hassle-free driving when compared to the E-Types of yesteryear. Now the company has reworked their modern day classic with an even lighter version called the Eagle E-Type Lightweight Speedster, scheduled to make its debut at the Salon Prive at Syon House in west London on June 22-24, 2011

Eagle is well-known for their dedication to the development of Jaguar’s E-Types and have been restoring and selling them since 1982. Their passion for the E-Type is what lead them to create a model that throws back to the design of Jaguar’s Lightweight E-Type race cars built in 1963, but with a modern twist and a more powerful engine.

The Eagle Lightweight Speedster only weighs 2,200 lbs and that weight is powered by a 4.7 liter, aluminum in line 6 cylinder engine that delivers an impressive 310 HP with a peak torque of 340 lb-ft.

Exterior

The E-Type Speedster measures 1,000mm in height, 4,260mm in lengh, and 1,740mm on width. It features a custom-built windscreen lowered and raked back with shaped wind-down side glass and hidden ‘A’ posts to create a smoother shape. Deeper sills and a lowered floor were also put in and enhance the smooth and sleek outline of the E-type, thus making it look like a bright and shiny bullet. The colored body panels extend across the door tops and around the scallops, and the wheel track has been increased and the wheel arch width extended to complement the overall shape. The exterior is then completed by completely custom-designed aluminum rimmed wheels.

Interior

What’s interesting about the interior of the Eagle E-type is the way the rear deck continues down the center of the car, turning into the center console seamlessly. Everything else in the vehicle features classic styling and luxury, down to the steering wheel which is a Speedster 3-eared wheel spinner. The steering wheel even comes with a a custom designed enamel horn push and flush fitting nose and tail badging.

When talking about their project, Eagle says: "From the start we decided that the body and fittings should be seamless, including the specially designed glass and windscreen. The purity of the lines and flowing bodyshell is testament to this."

Engine

Under the hood, Eagle has placed a 4.7 liter, aluminum in line 6 cylinder engine that delivers an impressive 310 HP and a peak torque of 340 lb-ft. The engine will be mated to an aluminum 5 speed gearbox, an aluminum Power Lock differential, independent wishbones, 6 high tech adjustable dampers, anti roll bars, and rear radius arms. The car will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds - which matches the modern Jaguar XKR - and will hit a top speed of more than 160 mph.

A very impressive feature of the new E-Type Speedster is the fact that it delivers the same 7.09 power-to-weight ratio as a Porsche 911 Turbo.

The Eagle E-Type comes to a halt with the use of 315mm/280mm drilled and vented discs and aluminum 4 pot calipers. Gripping the pavement are 225/55 x 16 tires for the front and 245/55 x 16 tires for the rear.

Prices

Eagle has not announced prices for the E-Type Speedster just yet, but it seems as if this car is a priceless tribute to a legendary vehicle.

Competition

While the Eagle E-Type Lightweight Speedster was built with no competitors in mind, its performance numbers will help it stand next to any sports car on the market. In fact, in terms of of bhp per ton, it’s more than the equal of any modern Jaguar. It delivers the same power-to-weight ratio as a Porsche 911 Turbo, while the 0 to 60 mph sprint time is similar to a modern Jaguar XK.

It seems as if Eagle came up with a fantastic coupling: classic styling with modern day power.