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Jaguar E-Type Zero electrics will enter production

In case you thought the electric, future-proofed Jaguar E-Type Zero concept was merely a flight of fancy, Jaguar is about to prove it's far from that. The E-Type Zero is about to make production, at Jaguar's Classic division in Coventry, England. One of the core ideas with the electrified E-Type is that the new electric powertrain, picked from the I-Pace, takes up roughly the same space as the original XK straight-six engine and gearbox. Not only does this enable building new electric versions from reproduction shells, but it also allows for electric conversions of vintage E-Types, while weight distribution and handling remain close to the way the cars were originally designed — albeit with more power and torque. And the battery pack still wears XK badging to make it feel more at home in the E-Type. The automaker expects a driving range of over 170 miles. The E-Type Zero was originally unveiled a little less than a year ago, and at that point Jaguar remarked it was just a concept. Now things have progressed far enough for Jaguar to announce small-scale production at the same Coventry facility where Jaguar also builds as-new E-Type Reborn versions. In case a prospective client wants to electrify their old E-Type, that is also possible. And, as Jaguar says, the conversion is fully reversible, in case owners would want to revert back to that sweet straight-six sound. "We've been overwhelmed by the positive reaction to the Jaguar E-type Zero concept," said Jaguar Land Rover Classic Director Tim Hannig. "Future-proofing the enjoyment of classic car ownership is a major stepping stone for Jaguar Classic." The first production E-Type Zeros will reach customer hands in the summer of 2020, according to Jaguar. The newest concept version will be shown at California's Monterey Car Week. Related Video:

Exploring Romania's storied Transfagarasan Highway in a Jaguar F-Type V8 S

Top Gear is, in some ways, a victim of its own success. When it declares a road the best in the world, like it did with Romania's Transfagarasan Highway during its 14th season, you can't blame people for showing up and wanting to check it out. Of course, then the road becomes clogged with tourists and is less fun to drive.
But is it possible that there is an even better driving road in Romania? One that is higher, smoother and undiscovered by tourists - at least not yet? Henry Catchpole from Evo thinks that he may have found it while driving a Jaguar F-Type V8 S that makes a sound that evokes a World War II British fighter plane.
Scroll down to take a brief trip to Romania and bask in the wonderful roar of this topless Jaguar.

Jaguar Heritage to auction off part of its classic-car collection

A few years back it was reported that Jaguar Land Rover had purchased the James Hull classic car collection in its entirety. The collection is beyond significant, as it was at the time of sale the biggest single collection of British cars in the world and the largest private car collection in the UK. Consisting of 543 cars, it ranged from the mundane to the obscure, including some extremely rare prototypes. There were 130 Jaguars, for example, from the C-type to the D-type to the XKSS. When the cars were put up for sale in 2014, the asking price was a not-insubstantial $170 million. JLR didn't reveal how much it spent to buy the cars, but now it seems the carmaker is about to recoup some of those costs. At least 50 cars from the collection will be sold by auction house Brightwells, as part of the Affordable Classics at Bicester sale on March 21; some reports have said JLR would be eventually offloading as many as 100 cars. Looking at the listing, there are some definite gems in there. Not all cars are British, as there are Citroens, Mercedes-Benzes, a Fiat and a Goggomobil. Jaguars and Land Rovers are notably absent from Brightwells' listing, which we take as a clue that the sale will consist of cars not crucial to JLR's wellbeing and heritage. That said, for a lover of British cars there's a possibility to grab something truly interesting: For example, the Reliant Scimitar Ferguson 4x4 Prototype must be worth preserving. A 4WD pioneer also known for Massey-Ferguson tractors, Ferguson fitted its system in Jensens as well as a prototype 4WD Mustang in the 1960s. The fiberglass-bodied Reliant sports car is an interesting sidenote in Ferguson's history. Then there's a Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS, which is a veritable rally-bred RWD hot hatch in comparison to the American market Chevrolet Chevette, its distant relative. On the hot hatch front, there are also Metro and Maestro turbos, which offer plenty of poke in a light, boxy body. Or if you view the internet's popular "Worst Cars Ever Made" lists as shopping lists, you could build your own collection of slightly dodgy cars: Start with the unfortunate-looking Vanden Plas Allegro, continue to the malaise-tastic Morris Ital Camper, and finish it off with a late-model Lada Riva wagon from the mid-1990s. Some cars are in tip-top shape, and some are best seen as restoration projects, like the very pretty Borgward Isabella coupe from 1960.