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The concept of restomod It’s fascinating for a car lover. From the purest point of view, it consists of updating a classic car with modern components, respecting its original essence and spirit, but improving its performance, reliability and safety. Restomods like Singer’s Porsche 911 transform a solid foundation into a work of art on wheels, with an attention to detail that’s almost sickening. But even in the first division of restomods there are classes. And it is that after meeting the Eagle Lightweight GT, you will hardly think of Singer’s nine-eleven again. I promise you.
The starting point of this restomod is similar to the one used by Singer. Instead of starting with a Porsche 964 from the nineties, the base is a Jaguar E-Type, a much more classic car, temporarily placed almost three decades behind. There would be those who would be tempted to mount some sports suspensions, the supercharged V8 of a modern Jaguar and modify the interior slightly. For Eagle – who before manufacturing restomod, was a specialist in the Coventry sports car – that does not count, even under the law of least effort: not a single panel, pillar or glazing surface of the vehicle is common to the original Jaguar E-Type .
Creating an Eagle Lightweight GT consumes about 8,000 man hours. The bodywork alone consumes 2,500 hours of work.
Although they have been operating for years, they have only transformed 14 units of the Jaguar E-Type. And so far, they have only created one Eagle Lightweight GT, inspired by the iconic Jaguar E-Type Lightweight racing cars, of which only 12 units were created in the early 1960s. The Eagle Lightweight GT concept is similar to that of a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, is a car with a racing soul, but capable of being used on the streets. After being completely disassembled, Eagle builds on the original chassis an aluminum body, hand-adjusted using traditional bodybuilding techniques.
The body of the car is unmistakable, but its panels are different from those of a Jaguar. The fairing of the optics is somewhat more aerodynamic, the indicators are more flush with the body, the central nerve of the hood is more bulky. The windshield is more inclined, and the hardtop leaves more glass area. The rear is more aerodynamic, and the exit of the exhaust pipes goes higher. The rims look like painted sheet metal, but they are ultralight magnesium 16-inch wheelsdesigned to mount modern tires, unlike the original, diagonal type.
An air conditioning system has been integrated and the thermal insulation of atmospheric mechanics has been improved.
The same goes for the interior, where the changes are very subtle, but comprehensive. The seats are new, all the controls are new. High quality leather, suede, aluminum, wood… noble materials, without fanfare or artifice. But without a doubt, the most important thing about the Eagle Lightweight GT is under its skin. His 4.7-liter inline six-cylinder engine it is built from the ground up by Eagle, based on the original Jaguar design. The block is made of aluminum, its crankshaft is made to measure and its cylinder head is wide, with the aim of accommodating larger valves.
With four valves per cylinder, one carbon fiber intake and three double-body Weber carburettors, it is capable of developing 380 HP of power, and a torrent of torque: 509 Nm at just 4,000 rpm. Its power figure may not seem very high to us, but we must bear in mind that this is a car that only weighs 1,017 kilos. And that delivers its power in a visceral way, without aids, without electronics, and without filters. His driving experience, as shown by the great Henry Catchpole, is purist, invaded by the overwhelming character of his motor-motor whose sound makes our hair stand on end, in the best sense of the expression.
Eagle never publishes prices. If you have to ask, get into seven-figure territory.
The entire undercarriage has been redesigned, with lightweight metals, state-of-the-art materials, adjustable Öhlins suspension with ad-hoc geometries, suspension arms worthy of a Formula 1 or servo-assisted brake discs. That being said, all you have to do is enjoy the high-resolution photo gallery that we have prepared for you below.
