Photo: Hampson Auctions
Ask any car enthusiast about the Jaguar E-Type, and they'll quickly tell you that it's among the most beautiful automobiles ever built. That statement is as accurate as they get, but some hardcore Jaguar gearheads actually love the E-Type for its rare and intriguing racing versions, the Low Drag Coupe and the Lightweight E-Type. If you're among them, this unique race-spec E-Type will blow your socks off.
What you're looking at is not a factory race-spec E-Type. This car started out as a road-going Series 3 model. That's the final iteration of the iconic sports car, built from 1971 to 1974. The reason why it no longer looks like a stylish coupe is because it's no longer a Series 3 beyond the tub and the V-12 engine.
This monster of an E-Type, dubbed "The Beast," was repurposed in 1977, when the mild factory coupe became a full-fledged race car inspired by the Lightweight version. Yes, it didn't look as extreme back then. The somewhat modern bodywork is the result of more recent development by Rob Beere Racing, which added the big splitter and side skirts and revised the shell for better aerodynamics. The car also rides on wheels taken off the Jaguar XJ220 and sports a rear wing from the JXR-9 race car.
But things become a lot more interesting under the hood. The already big 5.2-liter V12 of the standard E-Type was enlarged to 7.3 liters and fitted with six Weber carburetors. It also sits six inches lower in the chassis, but you'll probably be more blown away by the fact that it packs a massive 750 horsepower and 680 pound-feet (920 Nm) of torque. If you're into numbers, that's 478 horses more than the stock E-Type 3 Series and 450 horsepower more than the race-spec Lightweight E-Type.
There's no doubt about it, this is the most powerful E-Type in existence. And you might have already guessed, it's the quickest too. It needs only eight seconds to hit 150 mph (241 kph), before reaching a maximum velocity of 180 mph (290 kph). Hold on to your hat, baby!
And it's not just about looks and power. This E-Type scored 52 race wins and 87 podiums back in the day before a heavy crash led to its retirement in 2001. The car has since been rebuilt and is now on sale via Hampson Auctions in the U.K. Pricing information is not public, but it's safe to say that it commands a six-figure tag. Needless to say, while it's not the most valuable E-Type out there, it's definitely the rarest of them all.
This monster of an E-Type, dubbed "The Beast," was repurposed in 1977, when the mild factory coupe became a full-fledged race car inspired by the Lightweight version. Yes, it didn't look as extreme back then. The somewhat modern bodywork is the result of more recent development by Rob Beere Racing, which added the big splitter and side skirts and revised the shell for better aerodynamics. The car also rides on wheels taken off the Jaguar XJ220 and sports a rear wing from the JXR-9 race car.
But things become a lot more interesting under the hood. The already big 5.2-liter V12 of the standard E-Type was enlarged to 7.3 liters and fitted with six Weber carburetors. It also sits six inches lower in the chassis, but you'll probably be more blown away by the fact that it packs a massive 750 horsepower and 680 pound-feet (920 Nm) of torque. If you're into numbers, that's 478 horses more than the stock E-Type 3 Series and 450 horsepower more than the race-spec Lightweight E-Type.
There's no doubt about it, this is the most powerful E-Type in existence. And you might have already guessed, it's the quickest too. It needs only eight seconds to hit 150 mph (241 kph), before reaching a maximum velocity of 180 mph (290 kph). Hold on to your hat, baby!
And it's not just about looks and power. This E-Type scored 52 race wins and 87 podiums back in the day before a heavy crash led to its retirement in 2001. The car has since been rebuilt and is now on sale via Hampson Auctions in the U.K. Pricing information is not public, but it's safe to say that it commands a six-figure tag. Needless to say, while it's not the most valuable E-Type out there, it's definitely the rarest of them all.
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