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7 Sep, 2017 9:00am James Brodie

We jump in the passenger seat for a ride in JLR Classic's all-electric Jaguar E-Type Zero prototype

We had the opportunity to feel the E-Type Zero from the passenger seat, ahead of its official unveiling at JLR’s inaugural Tech Fest in London. It was only a short ride as JLR is still keen to stress that this is a project still in its infancy. 

There’s something quite surreal as the iconic shape approaches in silence, but climbing into the tight cockpit immediately places this car into context. The digital dials – supposedly influenced by the original instruments – give the game away completely.

How this level of tech transplanted onto an original E-Type will go down with purists, we’ll have to wait and see. For now, there’s still very much an air of pre-production about the interior, and any potential customers won’t be restricted to taking on the digital setup showcased here. 

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On the move, a quick stab on the throttle from JLR Classic Technical Manager Stewart Bramham reveals some of the potency of the powertrain, though much of the performance in this prototype is locked away for now. We’ll have to wait a while longer for a proper assessment of the way the E-Type Zero drives, but at low speed it certainly doesn’t ride like a modern car, bobbing and diving but with a firmness to the suspension. 

Bramham reveals that despite the difficulty of creating an all-electric powertrain to fit within the bounds of the car’s unmodified chassis, legislation has been the biggest challenge faced by JLR Classic during the design and engineering process. As JLR Classic is a branch of volume manufacturer, this car has to comply with a certain regulatory standard stricter than other coachbuilders.

JLR Classic thinks that the E-Type Zero will chime well with customers interested in acquiring a classic Jaguar, but who may not be interested in the maintenance and spotty reliability that comes with a classic car. This may seem completely at odds with what the division stands for, and out of touch with its current customer base, but it knows this – hence the early moniker of Project Marmite. A new concept such as this will require a new customer entirely, if the E-Type Zero project is to take off completely. 

There’s no doubting that the E-Type Zero is an eye-catching project, with technology that will capture the imagination of brand new potential JLR Classic customers. Purists, however, will have to learn to live alongside it. Quoted performance figures are impressive, but we’d have to spend a proper stint behind the wheel to come up with a definitive verdict as to whether reimagining the past with all-electric tech is a good idea.

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