Jaguar is wishing its most recognisable car, the legendary E-Type, a happy 60th birthday.
Developed for the big birthday and revealed late in 2020, the 2021 Jaguar F-Type Heritage 60 Edition will be coming to Australia with a $330,000 price tag before on-road costs.
It’s expensive, but it’s also exclusive. Just five will be offered Down Under, and just 60 are being built worldwide.
Power comes from a 423kW supercharged 5.0-litre V8 engine shared with the F-Type R, good for a 3.7-second sprint to 100km/h and an electronically-limited top speed of 300km/h.
Separating the F-Type 60 from more mundane F-Type R models is its Sherwood Green paintwork, a colour not offered since the 1960s, and two-tone Caraway and Ebony leather trim inside.
Although the car pictured above is a drop-top, the cars sold in Australia will be coupes with gloss black diamond-turned wheels, gloss black/chrome exterior highlights, and black brake calipers.
Inside, the aluminium transmission tunnel and dashboard trim finisher is inspired by the casing of the E-Type’s rear-view mirror.
Along with the F-Type, Jaguar will celebrate the E-Type’s birthday by selling six pairs of restored, matching E-Type convertibles and coupes inspired by the cars revealed at the 1961 Geneva motor show.
The coupes have been dubbed 9600 HP, and are finished in Flat Out Grey with a black leather interior. As you’d expect, there’s a smattering of special details in the cabin to commemorate the car’s 60th birthday.
The convertible, or 77 RW, is finished in Drop Everything Green with a Suede Green leather interior.
Both cars feature a ’60’ insignia on their bonnet, fuel cap, chassis plate, and rev counter face, and the transmission tunnel has been custom engraved to match the road trip that got the E-Type to its launch on time in 1961.
Power in both comes from a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission, with power from a 3.8-litre inline six-cylinder engine breathing through a stainless steel exhaust.
There’s electronic ignition and a cooling upgrade fitted to make sure trips to the mechanic are for scheduled maintenance only.
There are a few modern touches as well. Jaguar has slotted its Classic Infotainment System into the cars, adding Bluetooth and satellite navigation to the mix.
Jaguar will take the six customers and their guests on a drive from Coventry to Geneva to mimic the pre-motor-show drive undertaken in 1961.
