You can only buy Jag’s E-Type ‘Project ZP’ restomods in pairs

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Jaguar is commemorating its earliest Jaguar E-Type race cars by releasing a limited run of eye-catching restomods inspired by the competition vehicles. Dubbed the E-Type ‘Project ZP’ cars, the restomods pay tribute to the Jaguar E-Type’s first race wins, and evoke a strong nostalgia for the carmaker’s golden era on the racing circuit.

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The E-Type Project ZP cars are the work of Jaguar Classic, the department responsible for restoring Jaguar’s heritage cars. In total, there will be 14 cars, evenly split into seven coupes and seven roadsters (even though the original ZP racers were all drophead coupes). There is a reason for that, too: interested buyers must purchase the cars as a pair, consisting of one coupe and one open-top.

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The collection takes its name from the ‘ZP’ racing version of the Jaguar E-Type, introduced shortly after the road car was revealed. The upgrades were not extensive at the time, and mainly consisted of some tweaks to the engine block and a close-ratio gearbox.

The ZP E-type race cars hit the tracks barely a month after the model’s launch, and stormed to first- and third-place finishes at the Oulton Park Trophy for GT cars. That was just the beginning. Jaguar E-Type drivers would end up in podium positions a total of 24 times between 1961 and 1964.

Each ZP restomod, regardless of body style, reportedly takes about 2,000 hours to complete. Each pair consists of an Oulton Blue drophead coupe; and a Crystal Grey fixed-head coupe. The blue car is a nod to the E-Type driven by Graham Hill on his way to victory at Oulton Park on April 15, 1961. The grey fixed-head coupe pays tribute to the car that came third in the same race, driven by Roy Salvadori.

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Both cars are finished with white racing roundels, chrome bumpers, and wire wheels. Also, the gaping grille is left exposed, just like on the original ZP race cars. The interiors are decked out with leather — red for the Hill tribute car, and dark navy in the Salvadori coupe. They also get a custom plaque and a nice complement of modern gadgetry that includes a DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity, and sat-nav.

Power-wise, the restomods are fitted with a 3.8-litre straight-six unit that cranks out 265 bhp. A refined version of the close-ratio five-speed gearbox found in the original E-Type ZP racer harnesses that power. It should make the restomods more forgiving to drive — if they don’t end up as glorified garage queens, that is.

The lucky owners of the cars will also be offered a chance to scoop up a matching limited edition F-Type, set to be unveiled later this year.