Jaguar dominated the international racing world for much of the 1950s, scoring five overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans alone, with the brilliant C-Type and D-Type sports racers, all powered by Jaguar’s revolutionary XK DOHC six-cylinder powerplant. However, a number of factors, including a devastating 1957 fire at Jaguar’s Browns Lane works, as well as racing-regulation changes, encouraged Jaguar to withdraw from racing in favor of a renewed focus on its road models.

The stunning new E-Type, which debuted at Geneva in March 1961, ushered in a new era for Jaguar sports cars. While introduced without factory-backed racing pretensions, the E-Type’s victorious heritage was abundantly clear.

Based on the projectile-shaped E1A development car and the E2A campaigned by Briggs Cunningham at Le Mans in 1960, the road-going E-Type bristled with the latest racing technology. Among its purposeful design features were a monocoque central structure/body shell, front subframe, tilting bonnet, and a new independent rear suspension with inboard disc brakes, designed by Jaguar engineering legend Bob Knight.

Essentially a civilized and modernized D-Type, the E-Type was an obvious natural candidate for racing. Success was immediate, with Graham Hill driving Tommy Sopwith’s “ECD 400” E-Type to victory at Oulton Park on April 16, 1961, ahead of Innes Ireland’s potent Aston Martin DB4 GT. On its next outing on May 21st at Crystal Palace, Roy Salvadori prevailed in John Coombs’ “BUY 1” E-Type over the Aston Martin and Ferrari contingent. Limited works support soon followed for Jaguar privateer Coombs and his E-Type, which was uprated to competition specification, with Graham Hill selected as the regular test and race driver.

However, while Jaguar scored further victories in 1961, rapidly escalating competition prompted Jaguar’s experimental and competition departments to secretly build chassis EC 1001, a special, thoroughly uprated E-Type race car with a lighter, more aerodynamic body designed by Malcolm Sayer. It was appropriately named the “Low Drag Coupe.” But the project was shelved while the development of Coombs’ car continued, helping Hill earn several more podiums in 1962 until the advent of Ferrari’s 250 GTO, homologated as a 250 GT with different bodywork and a reputedly built-in response to the racing E-Types.

Following Ferrari’s lead, a new “Special GT” lightweight, all-aluminum E-Type competition roadster (with a sleek removable hardtop) was developed and built, beginning in November 1962. Just 12 of 18 planned examples were ultimately built. Confirming the E-Type Lightweight’s prowess, Ed Leslie and Frank Morrill finished 1st in Class at its March 1963 debut in the 12 Hours of Sebring, followed by four wins in Britain by Graham Hill in the Coombs car.

Representing the ultimate competition development of the early E-Type and one of the greatest GT-class racing cars of the early 1960s, the E-Type Lightweight remains an unqualified icon today. Accordingly, Jaguar Special Operations brought the E-Type Lightweight into the 21st century with the construction of six brand-new examples to original specifications, following one prototype, in 2014, 50 years after the originals were built and raced.

Demonstrating the capabilities of the engineering experts at Jaguar Land Rover’s newly established Jaguar Classic Works, the E-Type Lightweights feature incredible authenticity, built with the strictest adherence to the unique characteristics and features of the original cars, including the competition-specification, all-alloy dry sump 3.8-litre engine and all mechanicals. The chassis numbers assigned to this six-car batch (plus one prototype) are the ones that were reserved by Jaguar for the six Lightweights planned but not built during the original production run in 1963.

Bearing chassis S850670, this 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight Continuation was immediately put into high-profile service when new as a factory press and promotional vehicle for Jaguar’s Continuation program. After fulfilling its duties, the Lightweight returned to Jaguar Classic Works, where it was refurbished, including conversion from the original Lucas fuel-injection system to a preferred set of three Weber 45 DCOE twin-choke carburetors, plus the addition of period racing-number roundels. The Jaguar has been essentially unused since it was acquired in 2014 from Jaguar Classic Works and comes with a car cover and a service receipt. Most appropriately, this 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight Continuation is accompanied by an FIA Historic Technical Passport, issued by Britain’s Motor Sports Association, providing unparalleled opportunities for the next owner of this unqualified Jaguar legend to participate in a veritable multitude of extremely desirable classic motoring events worldwide.