Beskrivning
Assembled on 7 March 1962, this Jaguar Type E 3. 8 Roadster leaves the Coventry assembly lines before being delivered, on 4 April, to the Jaguar dealer in New York. In its original configuration, as attested by its Jaguar Heritage Trust certificate, it sports an elegant Opalescent Silver Blue finish, paired with a red leather interior and a midnight blue hood. A combination as rare as it is refined. After crossing the Atlantic and returning to Europe, the trajectory of this Type E takes on a completely different dimension. Far from remaining a simple roadster for collection, it is then destined to become a full racing machine: sharper, more powerful, more radical, and above all immediately identifiable thanks to a livery that unmistakably sets it apart from the rest of the field. This metamorphosis is the fruit of the vision and experience of French driver Jean-Pierre Lajournade. His career speaks for itself: active from 1975 in the Renault Elf Gordini Cup, which he won in 1978, he continued in Formula Renault within the Elf and Motul structures in 1980 and 1981. After a professional career rich in moments, he quickly established himself as one of the leading names in historic competition, notably in the Tour Auto, where he boasts a remarkable record with three overall wins, five second places and a third place, not to mention numerous successes in Asave. Winner of the Tour Auto Optic 2000 in 2010 at the wheel of his Lotus Elan 26R, facing rivals far more powerful, Jean-Pierre Lajournade decided in 2013 to acquire the Jaguar we present today, from the renowned English preparer Denis Welch. A strategic choice, guided by a clear ambition: to design the most accomplished Type E ever seen in a semi-lightweight configuration. While semi-lightweight Jaguar Type E Roadsters are now well represented on historic grids, it is precisely this exemplar that opened the way, triggering enthusiasm and demonstrating the model’s real potential at the highest level of competition. conceived from the outset as a true rally weapon, this Type E was designed without compromise, with a constant obsession with performance and reliability, notably for demanding events such as the Tour Auto. Its first owner imagined a complete overhaul of all components, drawing on decades of rally experience to anticipate the specific constraints of road racing without sacrificing track performance: mechanical endurance, long-distance dynamic handling, ease of maintenance and ruggedness beyond doubt. The car thus becomes the first Jaguar Type E Roadster semi-lightweight developed by Matter Compétition, in Saint-Brice-sous-Forêt. In accordance with the regulations, the monocoque remains steel, while body elements: bonnet, hard top, boot and doors are made of aluminium. With its expertise, the Matter team optimises structural reinforcements to obtain rigidity perfectly suited to intensive competition use. The mechanical work is entrusted to Denis Welch, responsible not only for the engine but also for the gearbox, differential and rear axle. The final assembly is carried out by the team that has supported the driver for over thirty years, composed exclusively of former Renault F1 members, a guarantee of method, precision and reliability. In total, the transformation represents over 440 hours of work in bodywork. Weight is reduced by 215 kg, bringing mass to 1, 060 kg, while the six-cylinder develops nearly 380 bhp, paired with a four-speed fully synchronised gearbox. Completed in February 2015, the project gives birth to the unique Jaguar Type E Roadster semi-lightweight designed and built in France at that time. From its first outings, the hierarchy is upset. In April 2015, the car wins the Tour Auto Optic 2000, before repeating the feat the following year, notably beating Ludovic Caron’s AC Cobra. It then records top performances at the Grand Prix de l’Âge d’Or, Spa-Classic, the Dix-Mille Tours, or the Grand Prix de l’Historique, always at the front. It thus becomes the first Jaguar Type E Roadster semi-lightweight to win the Tour Auto, and remains to this day the only one to have won it three times, a resounding symbol of its faultless preparation. In 2023, the Jaguar is entrusted to a new top driver, Emmanuel Brigand, a former driver who returns to historic racing with numerous titles in French and European championships. Multiple winner of the GHI category at the Tour Auto, he is motivated by a clear objective: to aim for overall victory in VHC. The car is then taken in hand by Crubilé Sport, in Gazeran (78). In the...
