Jaguar has built many great cars over the last century. The E-Type is undoubtedly one of their most iconic creations, and it seems to transcend all its siblings as one of the prettiest cars to ever grace our roads, with Enzo Ferrari crowning it the most beautiful car in the world. The last Jaguar E-Type rolled off Jaguar’s factories in 1974, and today they are some of the most desirable collector’s items.
After decades of use and exposure to the elements, these cars need restoration unless they were stored in a climate-controlled environment all these years. That’s where E.C.D Automotive Design comes in, aiming to inject a new lease of life into this icon. The restoration specialists have launched the first U.S production line dedicated to building bespoke Jaguar E-Types. Here are ten things you should know about E.C.D Automotive Design and their Bespoke Jaguar E-Types.
10/10 ECD Is The World Leader In Luxury Restomod
In 2013, three British gearheads, driven by their undying passion for classic vehicles, formed an outfit that would rapidly grow into one of the world’s best restomod companies. They specialized in restoring vintage British vehicles, the Land Rover Defender and Range Rover Classic, into bespoke luxury creations.
Less than a decade later, they are the leaders in giving old Defenders and Rage Rovers a new life. They go beyond simple engine swaps and build one-off creations, with each build tailored to customer needs.
9/10 ECD Is Launching New Production Facility In The US
Since its debut, ECD has remained on a steady trajectory rising from humble beginnings in a small workshop into a 30,000-square-foot custom Defender paradise in 2017. They are still leveling up, and they recently moved into the new Rover Dome, a 100k square-foot facility with two streamlined production lines, with one dedicated to the Jaguar E-Type.
The facility adopts a push-forward manufacturing model where vehicles move through different stages of development in a service line. ECD says it will help them finish 100 bespoke vehicles a year.
8/10 The Iconic Jaguar E-Type Is The Newest Addition To The Lineup
Currently, there are five Land Rover vehicles in the ECD model range. They are expanding their offering with the newest addition of bespoke Jaguar E-Type cars. The Jaguar E-Type was a nostalgic ride in pop culture thanks to the early Bond movies and famous owners like Steve McQueen, Frank Sinatra, and Sir John Elton favoring it.
ECD has already received three vintage Jaguar E-Types sourced from Germany, U.K., and Belgium, with the global hunt for more base vehicles on the way.
7/10 ECD’s Jaguar E-Type Will Blends Classic Styling With Modern Features
The beauty of restomod vehicles is that they look the same as the classic car until you peep under the hood. ECD will keep the cars close to the original, with some injection of modernity. They will tear down and rebuild these iconic 60s cars from the ground up, personalized to the client’s specifications.
The highly customized restoration process will deploy modern technology and components, including electronic upgrades and cosmetic options. Still, they will stay true to the car’s original high-quality craftsmanship.
6/10 Jaguar’s Heritage Colors Are Available
Customers will have a selection of authentic historic Jaguar colors spanning the 60s to the 80s. You can match a heritage color with the hand-tipped leather interior for a genuine classic feel. Options include Claret, Cotswold Blue Old English White exterior, Carmen Red exterior, Mist Grey exterior, British Racing Green, and Willow Green exterior.
Also, there are plenty of optional modern paint jobs selected from Jaguar’s 2023 lineup, like the Portofino Blue, Pertroixx Blue, Firenze Red, Sanguinello Orange, and more.
5/10 Wide Selection Of Interior Trims
Besides the eye-catching exterior paints, clients can explore a wide choice of modern or vintage interior trims. They will custom-build the cabin to provide a luxurious driving experience while representing the customer’s style and passions.
Options include leather materials, stitching patterns, carpet color, and dash upgrades. Customers have access to the fine-grade Napa leather used in vintage Jaguar interiors, and it will help them choose interior colors that match the exterior paint.
4/10 The ECD E-Type Will Feature Roadster And Coupe Body Options
ECD will restore Jaguar Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 cars, each with different specifications. All these originally came with the roadster and coupe body style, and ECD offers both options.
roadster comes with a retractable top and is popular with many classic car enthusiasts, and the coupe comes with a two-seater or four-seater configuration.
3/10 The ECD Jaguar E-Types Will Come With An Electric Powertrain Option
ECD offers their bespoke Jaguar E-Type with age-appropriate Jaguar engines in inline-six or V12 guise. These provide the classic sound and performance but will require more cars and maintenance. Also, there are two modern powertrain options, including the 450hp G.M. V8 small block LT1 found on the Corvette C7 and the sixth-gen Camaro.
Customers who want something eco-friendly and future-proof can opt for the 450hp all-electric Tesla drivetrain. It comes with 200 miles of city driving range, 140 miles of highway range, and an estimated 8 hours of charging.
2/10 Each Car Takes 2,200 Hours To Restore
Restoring a classic is a painstaking job, especially if you are as detail-oriented as ECD. The outfit claims it will take 2,200 hours to restore each one-off Jaguar E-Type. The process is an immersive luxury design experience that starts with a digital design followed by creating a photorealistic model video to show the customer what to expect.
ECD prides a strong team of 63 talented and master-certified A.S.E. craftsmen and technicians working around the clock on these cars.
1/10 First ECD Jaguar E-Type Delivery In Spring/Summer 2023
With the recent arrival of the first batch of base cars from Europe, ECD expects to complete the first restoration job in the spring or summer of 2023. It will come with the Tesla electric powertrain.
So far, ECD has nine pending orders for the Jaguar E-Type, and they expect to complete 10 to 12 builds a year. Each restored car comes with a starting price of $299,995, according to the brochure provided by the Kissimmee-based outfit.
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