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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.

Cat Scratch Fever: Jaguar's turnaround looks toward the US

It is ironic that a British car company, steeped in the European sports-car tradition and now owned by an Indian industrial conglomerate, will ambitiously be seeking to attract customers in the United States with, of all things, a truck. But there it is: Jaguar's beefy F-Pace crossover, the first SUV in the company's 80-year history, hit the ground last month at the Frankfurt motor show. The F-Pace – along with the new XE sedan designed to take on the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 both in Europe and on these shores – is spearheading the brand's hoped-for turnaround on this side of the Pond. In the States, Jaguar is still a big player for Tata Motors of India, which bought Jaguar Land Rover from Ford for $2.3 billion after months of back-and-forth negotiations in 2008. It seemed like an incredibly brassy move at the time, when the economy worldwide was reeling and Britain's automotive industry was on its heels. And while the Jaguar brand name has a grand historical resonance, in the first nine months of 2015 it moved just over 11,000 cars in the US, down five percent for the same period the previous year. But if Porsche can capitalize on SUV sales, so can Jaguar. The tea leaves are promising come next spring, when both new premium luxury models arrive in the US. The F-Pace will have a starting price of about $43,000; the sedan range starts at a competitive $35,000. View 25 Photos Architecturally, both models are similar, with a modular aluminum chassis, and, for the F-Pace, a range of gasoline and diesel engines for Europe as well as rear- or all-wheel drive. For the American market, the model-year 2017 crossover will launch with a 380-horsepower gasoline V6 mated to an eight-speed transmission and all-wheel drive. Later in 2016, a 180-hp four-cylinder Ingenium diesel is expected to be added to the lineup. Both models are currently built in the UK, although if demand increases, Jaguar is likely to shift some production to Brazil, China, or Eastern Europe. I wanted a Jaguar that was designed as a crossover, not the other way round. For Jaguar design director Ian Callum, who showed up at the SUV's formal debut in Frankfurt, skepticism – did we mention that Jaguar was a sports-car company? – turned to enthusiasm as his team worked to develop some "drama" in the SUV's shape. "I wanted a Jaguar that was designed as a crossover, not the other way round," he said.

Jaguar Land Rover details JustDrive connectivity suite

JustDrive will allegedly deliver on the long-promised idea of natural communication between driver and car.
Jaguar Land Rover's all-new InControl system is set to get a big bump as the British company will add a new service called JustDrive, which expands on the smartphone-focused infotainment system by adding a singular voice controller for a wide array of the system's currently available apps.