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V12-powered Jaguar E-Type Series 3 the restomod treatment from UK firm

As Jaguar tries to figure out its future, a growing number of aftermarket companies are reinventing its past. British restoration shop E-Type UK is the latest company to announce a restomod program for the popular sports car released in 1961. It's working with later Series 3 models, which is a little unusual, and it leaves no part untouched. E-Type UK starts every Unleashed project with a donor car; it doesn't build an E-Type from scratch. After strengthening the basic platform, it bores out the V12's cylinders to increase its displacement to 6.1 liters, 800 cubic centimeters more than stock. Additional modifications, like an electronic fuel-injection system and a free-flowing exhaust system, boost the engine's output to 400 horsepower, and a five-speed manual transmission sends the cavalry to the rear wheels. Four-piston front brake calipers ensure the Unleashed stops as well as it goes. With the engine finished and tuned, E-Type UK turns its attention to the chassis. It fits the E-Type with technology the original model could only dream of, like fully adjustable shock absorbers. Wire wheels are standard equipment, they fit the car's sleek profile well, but their diameter increases slightly to 16 inches to clear the bigger brakes. Designers restyled the bumpers, the grille, and the exterior emblems, though the changes are relatively subtle, and they added LED headlights to give the E-Type the visibility of a modern car. Inside, the only limit is the thickness of the buyer's wallet. Anything is possible; the options include different types of leather upholstery and various trim options. Heated seats, LED lighting, a push-button ignition, Bluetooth connectivity, and a surround-sound system are among the equipment added by E-Type UK to encourage future owners to drive their Unleashed often. All told, each build requires at least 4,000 hours of labor, which partially explains why pricing starts at GBP325,000 (around $447,600 at the current conversion rate) before the cost of a donor car enters the equation. For context, that money could buy you two examples of the Lamborghini Huracan Evo and a garage to keep them in, a small plane, or 447 examples of your favorite $1,000 econobox. And yet, we doubt E-Type UK will have a difficult time finding clients. Restomods are a big trend in the industry, some are even Volvo-based, and they're never cheap. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

Land Rover wins legal battle over Evoque clone Land Wind X7

Luxury carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, part of Tata Motors Ltd, said it won a case in China against local rival Jiangling Motors Corp for making cars that copy features of Range Rover Evoque. Beijing Chaoyang District Court said on Friday that Evoque, whose latest model was launched in 2018, had five unique features that were copied directly in the Land Wind X7 built by Jiangling Motors, leading to widespread consumer confusion. The court ruled that all sales, manufacturing and marketing of the Land Wind X7 must stop immediately and Jaguar Land Rover be paid compensation. The two sports utility vehicles have a similar shape, with the roof and windows tapering from front to back, and near-identical tail lights and character lines on the side panelling. Britain's biggest carmaker had sued Jiangling in a rare move in 2016. Despite widespread and often blatant copying, global automakers generally don't take legal action in China as they feel the odds of winning against local firms are low. Also, a lawsuit can be bad for branding if the Chinese public think a foreign company is bullying domestic competitors. The new Range Rover Evoque will be launched in China in April 2019. Jiangling could not be immediately reached for comment.

Jaguar C-X17 gets liquid metal finish for Dubai show [w/poll]

We thought the C-X17 concept looked pretty good when Jaguar unveiled it in Frankfurt a couple of months ago. But that shade of blue, while nice enough, made it look like it shared more than a similar name with the Mazda CX-7. No, what a Jaguar needs is a more luxurious paint job than electric blue. And that's just what the British automaker has given its crossover concept in time for the Dubai Motor Show this week.
What we have here is the same C-X17, but repainted in what Jaguar calls "a lustrous Liquid Aluminum liquid metal finish," and we have but to agree. What do you think? Scope it out in the fresh batch of high-res images above and cast your vote in the poll below.
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