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Jay Leno gets reacquainted with the Bertone Pirana

Jay Leno gets all manner of vehicles stopping by his garage – some more rare than others, but this one is an entirely unique creation unearthed from another time. It's the Pirana, a one-off commissioned by a British newspaper in the late Sixties that we actually found listed on eBay a few years back. It was built atop a Jaguar E-Type, but with custom bodywork designed by Marcello Gandini and crafted by Bertone. The result looks like a Maserati Ghibli or Lamborghini Espada of the same era, but actually came out just before either, previewing the Italian exotics that would follow from Gandini's pen and Bertone's carrozzeria. The Pirana is now undergoing a complete restoration to bring it back to the original condition in which it appeared at the 1967 London Motor Show, but before the process is complete, Leno shows us around and takes it out on the open road to relive memories of a relic from a bygone era.

Lister Knobbly returning to limited production for 60th anniversary

Lister Cars was one of the pedigree names of British racing from its founding in 1954 and then on and off until the early 2000s. The company combined its own lightweight chassis with engines from other manufacturers, many of them British (and especially from Jaguar). Last year, the name and the intellectual property were sold to a new company that planned to revive the brand. For Lister's 60th anniversary, it is building a new version of one of its most famous racecars, the 1958 Lister-Jaguar Knobbly. The 2014 Listers are built to the exact specifications of the original cars, and the aluminum bodies are hand-formed on the original jigs. It is offered in racing trim starting at 249,000 pounds ($409,618) and is certified for FIA historic racing. There's also a road-legal version starting at 259,000 pounds ($426,060), if you don't intend to race but do intend to drive. There are two engines available, just like in the original car. A reproduction Jaguar D-Type 3.8-liter inline-six with dry-sump lubrication pumps out 330 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque with a four-speed Jaguar gearbox. The other option is a 4.6-liter Chevy V8 with 315 hp and 290 lb-ft with a four-speed manual transmission. The Chevy-engined version also gets a slightly altered body with a higher hood to clear the engine. The first 2014 Listers will be delivered in the UK this April. Unlike many of these boutique sportscars, the racing version will be available to US buyers, but Lister won't federalize the road version due to the high cost. Scroll down to get all of the details about the revived racer. LISTER MOTOR COMPANY LAUNCHES NEW 60th ANNIVERSARY BROCHURE AS THE ORDER BOOKS BEGIN TO FILL New 60th Anniversary Lister Jaguar brochure now available 50 per cent of 2014 production already sold First cars to be delivered in April, 2014 Road-going variant to be offered at GBP259,000 + tax Race-going version to be GBP249,000 + tax. Following the recently announced purchase of the Lister Motor Company in May 2013, the company is delighted to announce that it has now published its 60thAnniversary Lister Jaguar brochure, which fully outlines the specifications for its fantastic recreation of the iconic Lister Jaguar 'Knobbly' racing car.

Jay Leno hits the road in a 1951 Jaguar XK 120 Hot Rod

The 1951 Jaguar XK120 featured in this episode of Jay Leno's Garage might look vaguely like a classic Jag roadster at first, but underneath this cat is something completely different. It was built by Leno's buddy Jason Len of XK's Unlimited when he grew tired of keeping these convertibles stock, and this aluminum-bodied beast was the result. Practically the only major Jaguar part left is the engine. It's a tuned 3.8-liter inline six from an E-Type with Weber carbs that makes an estimated 300 horsepower out of some gorgeous side-exit exhausts. The mill is backed up to a BorgWarner five-speed manual. However, the big surprise is the chassis. In place of Jag's original solution, Len has a custom tubular space frame that he claims sheds some 1,000 pounds over the stock example. There are still some classic Jaguar touches left, though, such as the fin over the driver's head that is reminiscent of the D-Type, and both the wheels and gauges are replicas based on that classic racer. Of course the best part is watching Jay drive this Jag hot rod. This big cat really knows how to purr.