You can find Land Rover Series I, Range Rover E-Type and E-Type on the road.
Do you ever wonder if it would be possible to become 20 years younger in one go? What if your parents were 50 years younger? We humans have not yet discovered the fountain of youth. What about an automobile fountain of youth? It’s possible to have a car that is as young as you want, provided you have the funds. The best example of this is located in Coventry, West Midlands. It’s called Jaguar Land Rover Class, and the Reborn program turns select vintage cars into factory-fresh vehicles.
Tim Hannig, director of JLR Classic, is the mastermind of all this operation. His area is described as “company within company”, and his 120+ specialists (plus the new Classic Center Essen, Germany) give an old car a new lease on life.
JLR Classic performs the maintenance and restoration of Jaguar and Land Rover customer cars. All models that have been discontinued for more than ten years are considered classics. The shop also offers the “Legends Continued”, a line of nine complete Jaguar XKSS model from 1957 that were rebuilt from scratch. There are other unusual projects, such as the Land Rover Defender Works V8 or the electric Jaguar E-Type Zero. JLR Classic was behind them both.
Reborn is the core of everything, and its relentless pursuit of perfection is remarkable. Each JLR product can not be restored. There is only so much rust. The Classics team disassembles all vehicles. Hannig states that at least 80 percent should still be usable. While the rebuild is based upon the original car plans, safety-relevant parts are sourced from the Classic range.
The Reborn models can be more expensive than they were originally priced, but their wealthy owners enjoy unparalleled peace of mind.
How do the Reborn models fare? I had the opportunity to test drive three different models of the outfit: a Land Rover Series 1 from 1949; a Series I Jaguar E-Type Coupe 42.2 from 1965; and a 1978 Range Rover. As a child, did you ever dream of working in a toy shop? This is the adult version.
Let’s go chronologically. In 1948, the first Land Rover was introduced. I had to change the seat in the passenger compartment. The combination of antiquated mechanicals and British traffic seemed a bit too risky. It doesn’t matter because the original Landy is still a great vehicle, even as a copilot. We hop across narrow roads like an ibex because the Land Rover creators targeted Willys MB’s wheelbase, which was the ancestor of the Jeep, and the workhorse that helped the Allies win World War II. An aluminum rod runs across the cockpit to keep you steady.
The large fabric roof lets in airflow, while the platform at the rear is still open. There is no air conditioning. A combination of fan heaters, sliding windows, and a fold down windscreen provides the air circulation needed. The 1.6-liter engine produces just 50 horsepower, which is quite impressive. It’s also powerful enough to work in fields and forests. My driver and I shout at each other, traveling just 30 mph.
Behind the large wooden steering wheel, which I then thread, the Jaguar E-Type is more civilized and fascinating. It takes gymnastics to get behind this car. The huge side skirt is quite intimidating. The dashboard is beautiful with round instruments. A long bonnet concealing 269 horsepower from the 4.2-liter straight six stretches towards me. In 1965, the British magazine Autocar tried a similar example of our car. The results were 7.6 seconds at 62 mph, with a top speed of 153 miles.
Unfortunately, every rose has its downfalls. JLR initially will only build ten Reborn E-Types at a cost of at least 285,000 British Pounds ($371,000 today).
The Range Rover Classic is a more affordable option at just 135,000 pounds ($175,000). I get into the historic correct Bahama Gold (an ochre-yellow) body of Unit number 1. Range Rover is a type of yacht that can be used on the streets. It has large windows, right angles, and lots of space. The Rover 3.5-litre V8 engine with two Zenith Stromberg carburetors delivers a lot of torque.
I can bridge the stubborn second gear with the 185 lb-ft torque available at 2,500 rpm. The throw from one gear to another is horrendously long. Third gear is far to the right and fourth requires me to shift the lever behind the rear axle. The Range feels older than the E-Type. This is Jaguar Land Rover Classic’s credo: Original specification. In the case of Range Rover, it’s 1978. My year of manufacture. I’m also not perfect.