Who's daft idea was this?

[Borris]

I was delighted to see Harry and Megan driving off after their wedding in a classic British sports car, namely an iconic Jaguar E Type and why not indeed, perfect. Perfect that was until I read that this was probably a recreation with an electric power plant. Very green I'm sure but what's the point? There will of course be those who see nothing wrong with this but for anyone with the slightest interest in classic cars this is utter nonsense. A classic car it definately aint.
If they wanted to send out the green message then why not use a current production car with Green credentials. Or better still use a proper original E type and to hell with the environmental criticism.

https://www.independent.co.uk/royal...n-e-type-concept-zero-emissions-a8360096.html

That should put the cat amongst the pigeons.

 

[Blueeyedboy]

I agree that’s not a classic car with those modifications an insult to that 60’s iconic jaguar. They have all gone bonkers.
Maybe we should get a California rally to Windsor they have plenty of space for a camp.
Enjoyed your blog Boris.

 

[El Greco]

It's just a royal toy. Even the steering wheel is on the wrong side

 

[Velma's Dad]

Borris my sentiments exactly. I've never actually driven an E-Type, but the burble and rasp of the XK6 engine would surely be of the essence of the experience. Pointless otherwise.

[EDIT] Here's what it's supposed to sound like (although this is a V12... and the clown doesn't seem to know how to double de-clutch):

If that don't stir your soul, you ain't got one.

[EDIT] My mistake this one IS a straight-6 not a V12. Twin cam of course.

 

[motacyclist]

Well, one thing for sure is that it’s a perfect piece of product placement for Jaguar with the whole world* watching on.

* Except me!

 

[motacyclist]

this clown doesn't seem to know how to double de-clutch

Is that what DSG does then?

 

[Borris]

It's just a royal toy. Even the steering wheel is on the wrong side

I suspect it was a loan car to showcase this new recreation/abomination.

 

[Borris]

Borris my sentiments exactly. I've never actually driven an E-Type, but the burble and rasp of the XK6 engine would surely be of the essence of the experience. Pointless otherwise.

[EDIT] Here's what it's supposed to sound like (although this is a V12... and the clown doesn't seem to know how to double de-clutch):

If that don't stir your soul, you ain't got one.

[EDIT] My mistake this one IS a straight-6 not a V12. Twin cam of course.

Gorgeous. Just imagine driving the same car with just the swish of rubber on the road. It would be like a gin and tonic without the gin......and the tonic.

The E Type has always had two main things going for it:
1. It's breath takingly beautiful sleek sexy shape.
2. The deliciously rorty 6 cyl Jaguar engine.
These two assets have assured it's credentials as a premier division bird puller ever since it was lauched (so I'm told). I suspect that any rich young gentleman about town would find himself finishing his evenings with a cocoa and an early night with this new electric powered fake.
Also what would you find when you lift the bonnet? Not the sexy twin cam power plant that looks like a work of art. No, instead there would be a whole sea of unrecognizable plastic covered electronic jiggery pokery. Yuk!

A friend and I once bought a canary yellow 5.3litre V12 E type coupe between us. It was previously owned by a colleagues wife so when I heard it was for sale I couldn't resist. It turned out to be riddled with rust and the exhaust had gone so when started it sounded like Cruella De Ville's car in the 101 Dalmatians. We kept it for two weeks and sold it for a small profit.

 

[jts46]

Agree @Borris , a load of bollocks, electric cars my arse, where is this coming from?
I live in France 6 months of the year and have noticed an increase in charging points on auto routes on average about 6/8 + services. But at services on M40 we have 4. Yet we the UK is going electric vehicles by 2040?

 

[Velma's Dad]

On the other hand, I'd have no problem with an electric Splitty or Bay. They just sounded like a bunch of rusty nuts rattling in a tobacco tin.

I'll get my coat.

 

[GrannyJen]

All the orgasmic ooooh's and aaaah's over "rorty noises".

Yes, let's poison the planet and whilst we're at it advertise the fact by making lots of noise

All said with tongue in cheek humour .... but a serious note. As someone often running or walking along streets without pavements, country lanes, long beachside parking area's, often with company in the shape of two little boys, I wish that EV's could be heard approaching.

My own house is on a bend, a garden estate, very leafy with high hedges and no sidewalks, and the number of times I have been surprised by vehicles coming around that bend.

 

[EddieEagle]

Perhaps it's time to bring back the man (person, sorry ) with the red flag??

 

[Borris]

I was in Italy recently and was surprised by the absence of car horns. Back in the last century the use of car horns in that fine country were almost obligatory by everyone at all times. I vaguely remember that it had become so bad that the Italian authorities had to ban there use. I never did find out what the current rules are concerning there use.
Anyway I digress, whilst there I noticed that the electric taxis in Florence were fitted with a device that constantly emits an anoying intermittent beeping warning to pedestrians. So if they were to be adopt the wide spread use of electric cars they will be heading back to square one. I even heard a police car emitting a sound like a castanet as it made it's way through a crowded street. So is the future going to be noisy again?

 

[Borris]

Perhaps it's time to bring back the man (person, sorry ) with the red flag??

It would have to be a green one these days and carried by someone who ticked all of the right boxes. The successful applicant would have to take part in a risk assessment, undergo months of Health and Safety training, be dressed in a all manner of PPE and carry a warning triangle for when the cars battery runs out. Then there's the insurance ...........

 

[Verity]

All the orgasmic ooooh's and aaaah's over "rorty noises".

Yes, let's poison the planet and whilst we're at it advertise the fact by making lots of noise

All said with tongue in cheek humour .... but a serious note. As someone often running or walking along streets without pavements, country lanes, long beachside parking area's, often with company in the shape of two little boys, I wish that EV's could be heard approaching.

My own house is on a bend, a garden estate, very leafy with high hedges and no sidewalks, and the number of times I have been surprised by vehicles coming around that bend.

I'm suffering from that at the moment. I can either run on busy but bendy main roads and dive in the hedge when I hear a car coming (no chance of music in headphones - too dangerous) or I have to run up a 1 in 2 hill round here! Fortunately in rural Wales where I now find myself no-one would bother with an electric car - I'm just having to trade in my little microcar for a diesel Panda as mine won't go up the hills here - so I can always here the mostly rattly old land rovers coming. But, for safety, I'm tending to run on the side roads with the hills now. My god, I knew about it this morning. I actually couldn't even walk up one of my lanes - had to take three rest breaks as I thought my heart would give out it was going so fast!

Anyway, this has got nothing to do with the throaty roar of a Jaguar which, even though I am a confirmed anti petrol head, I just LOVE!!!! Harry should be ashamed of himself. The world looking on, and he sold out.

 

[El Greco]

Most of us will remember the crazy period of phone ring tones. It was big business for a few years. I can see that coming back with 'car tones'. You will be able to buy any real car engine sound and graft it on the 'dumb' electric car. This will have the double effect of informing other road users of ones presence and of course exaggerate the image of the driver. I will let the forum members provide suitable combinations of cars and car tones!

 

[Velma's Dad]

Most of us will remember the crazy period of phone ring tones. It was big business for a few years. I can see that coming back with 'car tones'. You will be able to buy any real car engine sound and graft it on the 'dumb' electric car. This will have the double effect of informing other road users of ones presence and of course exaggerate the image of the driver. I will let the forum members provide suitable combinations of cars and car tones!

God what a depressing thought...

 

[Borris]

God what a depressing thought...

Or better still, what about a thumping great supercharged V8 with the sound of an EV grafted on. With a bit of luck you'd never hear it. Much safer as you'd hear it coming five miles away.

 

[bvddobb]

The E Type has always had two main things going for it:
1. It's breath takingly beautiful sleek sexy shape.

Interesting view! I have always felt the E-type was the most ugly model Jaguar ever produced...

But then, I'm a weirdo, it seems... One that also doesn't see how anybody in his sane mind can seriously consider lowering a Cali (or any VW van, for that matter) for 'better looks'.

 

[Borris]

Interesting view! I have always felt the E-type was the most ugly model Jaguar ever produced...

But then, I'm a weirdo, it seems... One that also doesn't see how anybody in his sane mind can seriously consider lowering a Cali (or any VW van, for that matter) for 'better looks'.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" so that's fine with me.

Interestingly, when the E Type was first unveiled in 1961 Enzo Ferrari was quoted as saying "it's the most beautiful car in the world", a view shared by many at the time. It is difficult now to imagine the impact that the E type had back then. When the average family car was hard pressed to do 70mph here was a sleek, relatively cheap, mass produced supercar that would do a reported 150mph and all wrapped up in an amazingly sexy shape for 1961.

By the way, I'm totally with you on the van lowering thing.

 

[motacyclist]

Interesting view! I have always felt the E-type was the most ugly model Jaguar ever produced...

But then, I'm a weirdo, it seems... One that also doesn't see how anybody in his sane mind can seriously consider lowering a Cali (or any VW van, for that matter) for 'better looks'.

Disagree on the first paragraph, but agree on the second!

 

[johnyboy]

Yeah why bother making something faster AND more efficient?
I've had a 65 classic van with a transplanted snorting booming v8 in it which in itself upsets some purists.
People can challenge the engineering norms imho; if I could afford to do so I would be messing about electrifying all the things!
Isn't the original e type slower, worse handling and much worse braking than a 1.6L Focus? Yes it is beautiful but progress can be hidden under her skin now.
And as a Tesla owner; if you haven't experienced the smiles of instant torque you really really should, there is no way I miss the "burble"

 

[Borris]

Yeah why bother making something faster AND more efficient?
I've had a 65 classic van with a transplanted snorting booming v8 in it which in itself upsets some purists.
People can challenge the engineering norms imho; if I could afford to do so I would be messing about electrifying all the things!
Isn't the original e type slower, worse handling and much worse braking than a 1.6L Focus? Yes it is beautiful but progress can be hidden under her skin now.
And as a Tesla owner; if you haven't experienced the smiles of instant torque you really really should, there is no way I miss the "burble"

Making something faster and more efficient is fine. However there are some things that should't be messed around with too much. If everyone had your views then what would it lead to next, electrifying the Flying Scotsman or putting a super efficient jet engine in a Spitfire? No, these icons are from bygone eras, they are classics and should be left in more or less, their original state as far as is possible. I'm not saying that they should be kept completely original although that would be my preference. Some mods are sometimes necessary to comply with the law and general safety. Also where the E type is concerned, engine tuning and brake mods etc have always been done right from the launch and continue to be on the historic racing scene today, but only up to a point. An electric motor in this car is a ridiculous idea as it strips the heart and character from it. It might as well be a washing machine. Further more if it ever goes on sale, it's my guess that such a car would only ever appeal to someone with more money than sense and for that matter no empathy for the icons that shaped where we are today.
Yes, you could go out a buy any number of modern hot hatches and they would very likely all accelerate, go faster, steer and stop much better than the original E type but that isn't the point. They weren't designed nearly sixty years ago. Your Tesla is a modern car with cutting edge tech and I'm sure it's a big step forward in both efficiency and performance and so it should be. But the E type is a glorious 1960's petrol engined antique and that's how it should stay.

 

[johnyboy]

Live and let live - unless some Body is inclined to start listing cars like building I say whoever owns them can do what they like with them eace:

 

[Borris]

Live and let live - unless some Body is inclined to start listing cars like building I say whoever owns them can do what they like with them eace:

Regrettably that's true. Why is it that everything has to be developed to go faster than it was initially designed to do? I'm sure that poor old Red Rum could have gone much quicker with a rocket up its #rse but some things are just not done.