Last year, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Jaguar E-type, the Swiss firm Classic Factory unveiled its Growler concept car. Intended as a modern version of the classic sports car, the concept was so well received that a new car-making company, Lyonheart Cars Ltd. has been opened in Coventry, U.K., for the purpose of turning out a limited run of the production version of the Growler - the Lyonheart K... Continue Reading
Lyonheart K - a modern take on the Jaguar E-Type
1 comment:
Off the top of my head;
1. They cleaned up the rear end. Good; it was the E-Type's weakest point, style-wise.
2. The waste gates behind the front wheels. Not so good; the busywork seems to have been "inspired" by the new Mercedes gullwing coupe's, which got it from the old 300SL. What looks good on a Mercedes looks a bit out-of-place on an E. A simpler set of openings might have been better.
3. Wire wheels; OK, they add to the classic look, but they're a pain to maintain. And heaven help you on an average (potholed) road. A set of modern disc-type wheels might have been a better choice, less for looks than for coping with the sort of serious driving this one seems to be intended for.
4. Glass area; finally, a E you can actually see out of. And they've pretty much solved the B-pillar 5- and 7 o'clock blind spot problem. Merging in an E-type was an adventure in itself.
5. Best point overall; the modern engine. No Solex-Stromberg side-draft carbs to be constantly trying to adjust, and hopefully an ignition system that actually ignites most of the time.
No, I've never owned an E. But a friend of mine owned two at different times, one being the V-12. He finally sold it off and bought a '65 327 Corvette, which he concluded was considerably more reliable, overall.
cheers
eon
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