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Back in 1963, Jaguar launched its next generation of cars, the Lightweight E-Type models, all built with an aluminum body and all numbered. But only 12 of the 18 planned vehicles were made. In 2015, the Jaguar Heritage department brought “The Missing Six” to life, using the original number 12 from 1964 as a blueprint. “Meticulous attention to detail has been everything to us in re-creating this car, just as it is in our contemporary Jaguars. I believe the result is a new Lightweight E-type that is as stunning now as the originals,” Ian Callum, Director of Design says. Maintaining the spirit of the vintage cars intact was crucial. Digital scans using state-of-the-art techniques mapped every line, curve, and shape to reproduce the original as faithfully as possible, down to a fraction of a millimeter. After this step, each model was handcrafted in the original birth place of the originals – the Browns Lane production base. The vehicles, stunning as they may be, are not just beautiful. Inside, there’s a 3.8 liter straight six engine with an impressive 340bhp, the same engine that ensured Le Mans victories for the Jaguar C- and D-type cars. Stylish details can be found throughout, from the wood and metal steering wheel to leather accents. The Missing Six are priced at under $1.8 million each and they’re some of the rarest cars in the world. But their beauty will not be kept behind closed doors. Number 15 has been purchased by Stratstone, who aims to put it on display at car shows and races as much as possible, both in the UK and across Europe. And even though it may have started in 1963, this icon’s journey is just beginning. Photography by Nigel Harniman.
